minecraft-multiloader

name

minecraft-multiloader

description

Build Minecraft mods targeting both NeoForge and Fabric simultaneously using the Architectury framework for Minecraft 1.21.x. Covers Architectury project structure (common/neoforge/fabric subprojects), ExpectPlatform annotation for platform-specific implementations, shared registry via Architectury's registration API, platform-specific entrypoints, architectury-loom Gradle plugin configuration, gradle.properties for both loaders, multi-jar publishing to Modrinth and CurseForge, and avoiding common pitfalls when sharing code. Use this skill when building a mod that must run on both NeoForge and Fabric with a single shared codebase.

Minecraft Multiloader Skill (Architectury)

What Is Architectury?

Architectury is a framework that lets you write one mod codebase that compiles to both NeoForge and Fabric JARs. The common subproject has a shared API; platform subprojects implement platform-specific behavior behind the @ExpectPlatform abstraction.

Routing Boundaries

• Use when: one shared codebase must build and ship both NeoForge and Fabric artifacts.
• Do not use when: the project is single-loader only (minecraft-modding for NeoForge/Fabric, not both).
• Do not use when: the task is Paper/Bukkit plugin development (minecraft-plugin-dev).

Component	Purpose
architectury-loom	Gradle plugin — extends Fabric Loom for multiloader support
architectury-api	Runtime library — abstractions over both platforms
@ExpectPlatform	Annotation marking methods with platform-specific implementations
common/	Shared code (no loader-specific APIs)
fabric/	Fabric-specific code + entrypoint
neoforge/	NeoForge-specific code + entrypoint

---

Versions (1.21.x)

# gradle.properties (root)
mod_version=1.0.0
minecraft_version=1.21.11
enabled_platforms=fabric,neoforge

architectury_version=19.0.1
fabric_loader_version=0.19.3
fabric_api_version=0.141.4+1.21.11
neoforge_version=21.11.42

loom_version=1.17.11

Pin architectury_version, the Architectury plugin version, and loom_version from the same released template line when scaffolding a new project. The values above are for the stable 1.21.x toolchain story in this repo and avoid snapshot-only examples.

Bundled References And Helpers

• Version alignment reference: references/architectury-reference.md
• Sanity checker: ./scripts/check-version-sanity.sh --root <project>

Run the sanity checker after editing gradle.properties. It catches the most common multiloader drift mistakes: snapshot toolchain pins, missing fabric / neoforge platforms, and mismatched NeoForge vs Minecraft patch lines.

---

Root Project Layout

my-mod/
├── build.gradle           ← root build (shared config)
├── settings.gradle
├── gradle.properties
├── common/
│   ├── build.gradle
│   └── src/main/java/com/example/mymod/
│       ├── MyMod.java               ← shared init
│       ├── registry/
│       │   └── ModItems.java        ← shared registry declarations
│       └── platform/
│           └── PlatformHelper.java  ← @ExpectPlatform methods
├── fabric/
│   ├── build.gradle
│   └── src/main/
│       ├── java/com/example/mymod/fabric/
│       │   ├── MyModFabric.java          ← Fabric entrypoint
│       ├── java/com/example/mymod/platform/
│       │   └── PlatformHelperImpl.java   ← Fabric @ExpectPlatform implementation
│       └── resources/
│           ├── fabric.mod.json
│           └── assets/...
└── neoforge/
    ├── build.gradle
    └── src/main/
        ├── java/com/example/mymod/neoforge/
        │   ├── MyModNeoForge.java        ← NeoForge @Mod entry
        ├── java/com/example/mymod/platform/
        │   └── PlatformHelperImpl.java   ← NeoForge @ExpectPlatform implementation
        └── resources/
            ├── META-INF/neoforge.mods.toml
            └── assets/...

---

Root settings.gradle

pluginManagement {
    repositories {
        maven { url "https://maven.architectury.dev/" }
        maven { url "https://maven.fabricmc.net/" }
        maven { url "https://maven.neoforged.net/releases" }
        gradlePluginPortal()
    }
}

include "common"
include "fabric"
include "neoforge"

---

Root build.gradle

plugins {
    id "architectury-plugin" version "3.4" apply false
    id "dev.architectury.loom" version "${loom_version}" apply false
    id "com.github.johnrengelman.shadow" version "8.1.1" apply false
}

architectury {
    minecraft = rootProject.minecraft_version
}

subprojects {
    apply plugin: "java"
    apply plugin: "architectury-plugin"

    group = "com.example.mymod"
    version = "${mod_version}+${minecraft_version}"
    archivesBaseName = "my-mod-${project.name}"

    repositories {
        maven { url "https://maven.architectury.dev/" }
        maven { url "https://mod-buildtools.pkg.github.com/TerraformersMC/" }
    }

    java {
        withSourcesJar()
        sourceCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_21
        targetCompatibility = JavaVersion.VERSION_21
    }
}

---

common/build.gradle

plugins {
    id "dev.architectury.loom" apply true
}

architectury {
    common(rootProject.enabled_platforms.split(","))
}

loom {
    // common project uses mappings only
}

dependencies {
    minecraft "com.mojang:minecraft:${rootProject.minecraft_version}"
    mappings loom.officialMojangMappings()

    modImplementation "dev.architectury:architectury:${rootProject.architectury_version}"
}

---

fabric/build.gradle

plugins {
    id "com.github.johnrengelman.shadow"
    id "dev.architectury.loom" apply true
}

architectury {
    platformSetupLoomIde()
    fabric()
}

loom {
    accessWidenerPath = project(":common").loom.accessWidenerPath
}

configurations {
    common
    shadowCommon
    compileClasspath.extendsFrom common
    runtimeClasspath.extendsFrom common
    developmentFabric.extendsFrom common
}

dependencies {
    minecraft "com.mojang:minecraft:${rootProject.minecraft_version}"
    mappings loom.officialMojangMappings()

    modImplementation "net.fabricmc:fabric-loader:${rootProject.fabric_loader_version}"
    modApi "net.fabricmc.fabric-api:fabric-api:${rootProject.fabric_api_version}"
    modApi "dev.architectury:architectury-fabric:${rootProject.architectury_version}"

    common(project(path: ":common", configuration: "namedElements")) { transitive false }
    shadowCommon(project(path: ":common", configuration: "transformProductionFabric")) { transitive false }
}

shadowJar {
    exclude "architectury.common.json"
    configurations = [project.configurations.shadowCommon]
    archiveClassifier = "dev-shadow"
}

remapJar {
    injectAccessWidener = true
    input.fileValue shadowJar.archiveFile.get().asFile
    dependsOn shadowJar
    archiveClassifier = ""
}

jar { archiveClassifier = "dev" }
sourcesJar { archiveClassifier = "dev-sources" }
components.java.withVariantsFromConfiguration(configurations.shadowRuntimeElements) { skip() }

---

neoforge/build.gradle

plugins {
    id "com.github.johnrengelman.shadow"
    id "dev.architectury.loom" apply true
}

architectury {
    platformSetupLoomIde()
    neoForge()
}

loom {
    accessWidenerPath = project(":common").loom.accessWidenerPath
}

configurations {
    common
    shadowCommon
    compileClasspath.extendsFrom common
    runtimeClasspath.extendsFrom common
    developmentNeoForge.extendsFrom common
}

dependencies {
    minecraft "com.mojang:minecraft:${rootProject.minecraft_version}"
    mappings loom.officialMojangMappings()

    neoForge "net.neoforged:neoforge:${rootProject.neoforge_version}"
    modApi "dev.architectury:architectury-neoforge:${rootProject.architectury_version}"

    common(project(path: ":common", configuration: "namedElements")) { transitive false }
    shadowCommon(project(path: ":common", configuration: "transformProductionNeoForge")) { transitive false }
}

shadowJar {
    exclude "architectury.common.json"
    configurations = [project.configurations.shadowCommon]
    archiveClassifier = "dev-shadow"
}

remapJar {
    input.fileValue shadowJar.archiveFile.get().asFile
    dependsOn shadowJar
    archiveClassifier = ""
}

jar { archiveClassifier = "dev" }

---

Shared Common Code

common/.../MyMod.java

package com.example.mymod;

import dev.architectury.registry.registries.DeferredRegister;
import dev.architectury.registry.registries.RegistrySupplier;
import net.minecraft.core.registries.BuiltInRegistries;
import net.minecraft.resources.ResourceLocation;
import net.minecraft.world.item.Item;

public class MyMod {
    public static final String MOD_ID = "mymod";

    // Architectury's DeferredRegister — works on both platforms
    public static final DeferredRegister<Item> ITEMS =
        DeferredRegister.create(MOD_ID, BuiltInRegistries.ITEM);

    public static final RegistrySupplier<Item> MY_ITEM =
        ITEMS.register("my_item", () -> new Item(new Item.Properties()));

    public static void init() {
        ITEMS.register(); // registers with both platforms
    }
}

@ExpectPlatform — platform-specific methods

Define the contract in common/:

package com.example.mymod.platform;

import dev.architectury.injectables.annotations.ExpectPlatform;
import net.minecraft.world.level.material.Fluid;

public class PlatformHelper {

    @ExpectPlatform
    public static boolean isModLoaded(String modId) {
        // This body is replaced at compile time by the platform implementation
        throw new AssertionError("ExpectPlatform implementation not found");
    }

    @ExpectPlatform
    public static boolean isClient() {
        throw new AssertionError();
    }
}

Keep each platform implementation in the same Java package as the common @ExpectPlatform class. Only the source set changes between common/, fabric/, and neoforge/.

Implement in fabric/.../platform/PlatformHelperImpl.java:

package com.example.mymod.platform;

import net.fabricmc.loader.api.FabricLoader;

// Class name must match: <common class name>Impl
public class PlatformHelperImpl {

    public static boolean isModLoaded(String modId) {
        return FabricLoader.getInstance().isModLoaded(modId);
    }

    public static boolean isClient() {
        return FabricLoader.getInstance().getEnvironmentType() ==
            net.fabricmc.api.EnvType.CLIENT;
    }
}

Implement in neoforge/.../platform/PlatformHelperImpl.java:

package com.example.mymod.platform;

import net.neoforged.fml.ModList;
import net.neoforged.fml.loading.FMLEnvironment;

public class PlatformHelperImpl {

    public static boolean isModLoaded(String modId) {
        return ModList.get().isLoaded(modId);
    }

    public static boolean isClient() {
        return FMLEnvironment.dist.isClient();
    }
}

---

Fabric Entrypoint

fabric/.../MyModFabric.java

package com.example.mymod.fabric;

import com.example.mymod.MyMod;
import net.fabricmc.api.ModInitializer;

public class MyModFabric implements ModInitializer {
    @Override
    public void onInitialize() {
        MyMod.init();
    }
}

fabric/.../resources/fabric.mod.json

{
  "schemaVersion": 1,
  "id": "mymod",
  "version": "${version}",
  "name": "My Mod",
  "description": "A multiloader example mod",
  "license": "MIT",
  "environment": "*",
  "entrypoints": {
    "main": ["com.example.mymod.fabric.MyModFabric"]
  },
  "depends": {
    "fabricloader": ">=0.19.3",
    "fabric-api": ">=0.141.4+1.21.11",
    "architectury": ">=19.0.1",
    "minecraft": "~1.21.11"
  }
}

---

NeoForge Entrypoint

neoforge/.../MyModNeoForge.java

package com.example.mymod.neoforge;

import com.example.mymod.MyMod;
import net.neoforged.bus.api.IEventBus;
import net.neoforged.fml.common.Mod;

@Mod(MyMod.MOD_ID)
public class MyModNeoForge {
    public MyModNeoForge(IEventBus modEventBus) {
        MyMod.init();
    }
}

neoforge/.../resources/META-INF/neoforge.mods.toml

modLoader = "javafml"
loaderVersion = "[1,)"
license = "MIT"

[[mods]]
modId = "mymod"
version = "${file.jarVersion}"
displayName = "My Mod"
description = "A multiloader example mod"

[[dependencies.mymod]]
modId = "neoforge"
type = "required"
versionRange = "[21.11,)"
ordering = "NONE"
side = "BOTH"

[[dependencies.mymod]]
modId = "minecraft"
type = "required"
versionRange = "[1.21.11,1.22)"
ordering = "NONE"
side = "BOTH"

---

Build Commands

# Build both JARs simultaneously
./gradlew build

# Outputs:
#   fabric/build/libs/my-mod-fabric-1.0.0+1.21.11.jar
#   neoforge/build/libs/my-mod-neoforge-1.0.0+1.21.11.jar

# Run in dev environment
./gradlew :fabric:runClient
./gradlew :neoforge:runClient
./gradlew :neoforge:runServer

# Datagen (if applicable)
./gradlew :neoforge:runData

---

Common Pitfalls

Pitfall	Solution
Using net.neoforged.* / net.fabricmc.* in common/	Only use vanilla MC and Architectury APIs in common
Direct field access on DeferredRegister (NeoForge style) in common	Use Architectury's DeferredRegister
Forgetting @ExpectPlatform throws AssertionError at runtime	Both fabric/ and neoforge/ must have matching same-package *Impl classes
Assets duplicated in fabric/ and neoforge/	Keep assets in common/src/main/resources/assets/
Mixins in common — not supported on NeoForge	Put Mixins in the platform subprojects only
Accessing world/registry on mod init thread	Use mod bus events for setup; never access world on init

---

References

• Architectury API GitHub: https://github.com/architectury/architectury-api
• Architectury Loom: https://github.com/architectury/architectury-loom
• Architectury templates: https://github.com/architectury/architectury-templates
• Architectury docs: https://docs.architectury.dev/