ModDevGradle

What ModDevGradle is

ModDevGradle is a free Gradle plugin for developing Minecraft mods with NeoForge. It creates the artifacts needed to compile mods and can launch Minecraft from Gradle or IntelliJ for debugging and testing. The plugin sets up a development focused logging configuration and supports the Gradle configuration cache to speed repeated task runs.

For running Minecraft during development, Vanilla mode uses a NeoForm version and supports client, server, and data runs. Basic resource and data packs can be used in game. ModDevGradle supports JUnit unit tests and tests run in a Minecraft server through the NeoForge test framework. It also provides a jarJar configuration for embedding external jar files in a mod. Developers can use community sourced Minecraft parameter names and Javadoc from ParchmentMC. A separate plugin can apply ModDevGradle repositories while using Gradle’s centralized repository declaration.

The README lists compatibility with Gradle 8.8 and support for NeoForge versions later than 21.0.x. The project supports NeoForge and Minecraft Forge, and lists Minecraft versions 1.17–1.20.1, 1.21.1, 26.1.2, 26.2, and 26.3. Interface injection applies during development; Mixins or Coremods are needed for corresponding runtime changes. The repository is maintained under the NeoForged GitHub organization and identifies the license as LGPL-2.1.

Who it suits

ModDevGradle suits Minecraft mod developers using NeoForge or Minecraft Forge who want Gradle based building, launching, debugging, and testing tools. Its support for IntelliJ run configurations, JUnit, and server context tests also fits developers who run tests as part of their mod workflow.

Getting started

1. Open the project repository on GitHub.
2. Use Gradle 8.8 compatibility and the listed NeoForge version support as a guide.
3. Configure the plugin for a NeoForge or Minecraft Forge mod project.
4. Run Minecraft from Gradle or IntelliJ to debug or test.
5. Use the provided testing and packaging configurations as needed.

Verdict

Choose ModDevGradle if you are developing Minecraft mods and want a Gradle plugin for builds, launches, debugging, and tests. It also provides packaging and mapping related tools. Account for the distinction between development time interface injection and the runtime changes that require Mixins or Coremods.