Getting into mods is easier than it looks. You install the Fabric loader, add Fabric API (the library most mods need), then drop a few mod jars in a folder. A great first set is Sodium and ModMenu. Here is the path from a vanilla game to a working modded one, ready for a client on top.
- Install the Fabric loader, then Fabric API before anything else.
- Sodium for FPS, ModMenu to manage your mods in game.
- A client like Opal installs into the same mods folder.
- Leave Lithium out if you plan to run Opal; it is not compatible.
Install it step by step
Install the Fabric loader
Run the Fabric installer for your Minecraft version. It adds a new launcher profile you select before launching.
Add Fabric API
Fabric API is the shared library nearly every Fabric mod depends on. Download the build matching your version and put it in the mods folder. Without it, most mods will not load.
Launch and check
Start the game on the Fabric profile, open ModMenu, and confirm your mods are listed. If something is missing, check that its version matches your Minecraft and that Fabric API is present.
A note on Lithium
Many beginner guides add Lithium as a third mod. It is a fine game-logic optimizer on its own, but it is not compatible with Opal. If you plan to run Opal, use Sodium for performance and leave Lithium out from the start.
At a glance
| Step | Do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Install Fabric loader |
| 2 | Add Fabric API |
| 3 | Add Sodium and ModMenu (Iris for shaders) |
| 4 | Launch and verify in ModMenu |
Adding a client
Once the loader, Fabric API, and your first mods are in, the folder is ready for a client. Opal is a Fabric mod for Minecraft 1.21.10, so it installs exactly the way the others did: into the mods folder. You keep your performance setup and add 200+ features across combat, movement, visual, and utility, a glass UI, and a scripting engine on top. Keep Sodium in for headroom and leave Lithium out, and you are set.
FAQ
Almost always. Most Fabric mods depend on it, so install it first.
Yes. Opal is a Fabric mod and installs into the same mods folder. Keep Sodium and leave Lithium out.
Usually a version mismatch or a missing Fabric API. Match every mod to your Minecraft version.
