NeoForge vs Forge: which one should you install?
NeoForge vs Forge explained. What NeoForge is, whether Forge mods work with NeoForge, and which mod loader to install for a Minecraft 1.21.1 modpack.
· 4 min readThe short answer
NeoForge vs Forge comes down to your Minecraft version. NeoForge is the 2023 fork of Forge, started by almost all of Forge's team. On 1.20.1 it stayed close to Forge, but from 1.20.2 the two split, so a Forge mod for 1.21.1 won't load on NeoForge. For 1.21.1, pick NeoForge unless a mod you can't live without is Forge-only.
You go to install a modpack and the launcher asks: Forge or NeoForge? They sound like the same thing, and a few years ago they nearly were. Today they're separate mod loaders, and picking the wrong one means your mods simply won't load. Here's what changed and which one to choose.
What NeoForge is
NeoForge is a fork of Forge, the mod loader behind most of modded Minecraft's history. In July 2023, after long-running disagreements, almost all of the Forge team left to start the NeoForged project. Forge itself carried on under its original lead.
At first, NeoForge promised to stay compatible with existing Forge mods "for the present time". That didn't last long. With Minecraft 1.20.2, NeoForge began making big changes of its own, and the two loaders have gone their separate ways since.
Do Forge mods work with NeoForge?
It depends on the Minecraft version.
| Minecraft version | Forge mods on NeoForge? |
|---|---|
| 1.20.1 | NeoForge started out compatible with Forge mods, but NeoForge itself later said Forge was the better place for 1.20.1 |
| 1.20.2 and newer, including 1.21.1 | No. Mods need a build made for NeoForge |
From 1.20.2, NeoForge changed its own name inside the game (its mod ID went from forge to neoforge) and moved its code to new package names, and mods had to be updated to match. A mod built for Forge 1.21.1 looks for Forge, doesn't find it, and won't load. The same goes the other way: a NeoForge mod won't run on Forge.
So the question to ask about any mod is not "is it a Forge mod?" but "is there a file for my loader and my Minecraft version?" Some authors publish separate Forge and NeoForge files of the same mod. CurseForge and Modrinth both show which loader each file is for.
NeoForge and Forge side by side
| NeoForge | Forge | |
|---|---|---|
| Started | 2023, as a fork of Forge | Years earlier, the original |
| Team | Almost all of the former Forge team | Forge's original lead |
| Loads the other's mods on 1.21.1 | No | No |
| Has builds for 1.21.1 | Yes | Yes |
| Big content mods on 1.21.1 | Many of them | Fewer |
| Launchers | CurseForge app, Modrinth App, Prism, ATLauncher | The same |
Which one to pick for 1.21.1
For a new pack on Minecraft 1.21.1, pick NeoForge in most cases. Many of the big content mods that people build packs around, the large tech, magic and adventure mods, put their 1.21.1 releases on NeoForge, and not all of them have a Forge build.
Pick Forge only if a mod you can't do without has a Forge file and no NeoForge file for your version. Then check every other mod in your list has a Forge file too, because you can't mix the two in one pack.
If you're playing 1.20.1, the picture flips: NeoForged itself called 1.20.1 the main modpack version of that era and said work on it was better spent on Forge. Stick with Forge there.
The other choice people weigh up is Fabric. That's a bigger difference, and we cover it in NeoForge or Fabric: which should your modpack use?
How to tell which loader a pack or mod needs
- A modpack already knows. The launcher installs the right loader when you install the pack; you don't need to choose.
- A mod says on its download page. On CurseForge and Modrinth, each file is labelled with its loader and Minecraft version. Filter by both before you download.
- A crash on launch that says a mod needs Forge (or needs NeoForge) usually means a mod for the wrong loader slipped in.
Where Packspire fits
Packspire builds NeoForge packs for Minecraft 1.21.1. Each mod is checked for the right loader and version before it goes in, and the pack is then started on a real server and a real game client, so a stray Forge-only file doesn't make it into the pack you play.
Start planning a NeoForge pack, or read the full guide to making your own modpack.
Frequently asked questions
What is NeoForge?
NeoForge is a Minecraft mod loader that began in July 2023 as a fork of Forge, when almost all of the Forge team moved to the new project. Since Minecraft 1.20.2 it has developed separately from Forge.
Do Forge mods work with NeoForge?
Not on Minecraft 1.20.2 or newer, including 1.21.1. On those versions a mod needs a NeoForge build. On 1.20.1 NeoForge could load Forge mods, but Forge is the usual choice for that version.
What is the difference between Forge and NeoForge?
They're separate loaders run by separate teams. They share history, but from 1.20.2 onward mods for one generally need a different build for the other.
Should I use Forge or NeoForge for 1.21.1?
NeoForge, for most packs, because many of the big 1.21.1 mods are made for it. Choose Forge only if a mod you need is Forge-only, and check the rest of your mods have Forge files too.
Sources
- What is happening?, the NeoForged project's announcement, July 2023
- NeoForge 20.2 for Minecraft 1.20.2, on the new mod ID and package names
- 2023: The Good, The Bad... and The Fork, NeoForged's look back at 1.20.1 and 1.20.2
- NeoForged, for NeoForge downloads
- Forge downloads for 1.21.1
