Fabric, Forge or NeoForge for CRAFT AI on Minecraft 26.3: which one?

What are Fabric, Forge and NeoForge?

A mod loader is the program you install on top of Minecraft so that it can load mods. Fabric, Forge and NeoForge are three of them, and you pick one when you set up Minecraft 26.3.

• Fabric. Fabric is a mod loader for Minecraft: Java Edition. CRAFT AI needs Fabric Loader 0.19.5 or later, and Fabric API, a separate file.
• Forge. Forge is a mod loader for Minecraft: Java Edition. CRAFT AI needs Forge 66 or later for 26.3, and we tried 26.3-66.0.9.
• NeoForge. NeoForge is a mod loader for Minecraft: Java Edition. CRAFT AI needs NeoForge 26.3.0.52-beta or later, and NeoForge for 26.3 is a beta.

What changed with Minecraft 26.x?

Minecraft is now numbered by year: 26 means 2026, and there is no 1.26. CRAFT AI works only with 26.3 and its fixes (26.3.1 and so on). Minecraft 26.3 came out on 15 September 2026.

If your launcher offers 1.21.x, 26.1 or 26.2, CRAFT AI will not load there: choose 26.3, then a loader version made for it.

With Fabric, CRAFT AI needs Fabric Loader 0.19.5 or later and a Fabric API file whose name ends with +26.3. All three loaders need Java 25, which the launcher usually brings.

Which loader should I pick for CRAFT AI?

Pick the loader you already use, or the one your other mods need: CRAFT AI is the same file on all three. With no preference, Fabric is the only loader a person has played CRAFT AI with so far.

• You already use a loader or a modpack. Stay with it and add the CRAFT AI file.
• You have no preference. Fabric is the loader a person has played CRAFT AI with. It also needs Fabric API, an extra file.
• You want Forge or NeoForge. They run the same file and need nothing else, but they are new here: they were tried only by automated runs, and nobody has played with them yet. If something goes wrong, tell us: the contact address is on the legal notice.
• You want NeoForge. NeoForge itself calls its 26.3 versions a beta and shows its own red warning on the title screen.

We do not rank the loaders in general. We have not measured the speed of CRAFT AI on each loader, so we make no claim about it. We have not tried CRAFT AI next to other mods, so we make no claim that it works with yours.

Is one CRAFT AI file really enough for all three?

Yes: the same CRAFT AI file works with Fabric, Forge and NeoForge, from version 0.13.0. The file carries what each loader needs, and each loader ignores the parts meant for the others.

Versions before 0.13.0 were for Fabric only. If an old file is still in your mods folder, NeoForge shows “File mods/craftai-….jar is a Fabric mod and cannot be loaded”, and Forge ignores it without a word, so CRAFT AI is simply missing. Download the current file and delete the old one.

Each release is checked by a script that refuses to publish a file that is incomplete for any of the three loaders.

What does CRAFT AI need on each loader?

Fabric needs two extra pieces, its loader and Fabric API. Forge and NeoForge need nothing besides the loader itself.

All three need Minecraft: Java Edition 26.3 and Java 25. CRAFT AI runs on your own computer: nothing is installed on a server.

What has been tried on each loader?

There are three levels of proof: played by a person, run by automated tests of the real game, and not tried. This is where each loader stands today.

Lunar Client: we checked it with Fabric only. We have not checked Lunar Client with Forge or NeoForge.

The official launcher, Prism Launcher, the Modrinth App and CurseForge should work wherever the launcher offers the loader for 26.3, but no real launcher was used in these runs.

How do I install each loader?

Run the loader’s official installer once, then start the game with the new profile. The guide has the detailed steps, launcher by launcher.

• Fabric. Download the installer from the Fabric installer page, choose Minecraft 26.3 and keep “Create Profile” ticked. Then download Fabric API (Fabric only).
• Forge. Run the official Minecraft Launcher once first. Then open the Forge download page for Minecraft 26.3, download the installer, run it and choose Install client. Forge needs nothing else.
• NeoForge. Run the official Minecraft Launcher once first. Then open neoforged.net, choose Minecraft 26.3 and the newest NeoForge version it lists, run the installer and choose Install client. NeoForge shows its own red warning that it is a beta on the title screen.

The first launch creates the mods folder: Forge and NeoForge create it themselves, and the Fabric installer creates it. Put the CRAFT AI file there, and keep only the newest one.

How do I switch from one loader to another?

Install the other loader with its own installer, put the same CRAFT AI file in the mods folder of its profile, and start the game with that profile. Fabric API is needed only in a Fabric profile.

1. Install the new loader for Minecraft 26.3 with its official installer.
2. Open the mods folder of the profile or instance you will play with: the guide shows where it is for each launcher.
3. Put the CRAFT AI file there, and remove any older craftai-*.jar.
4. Start the game with the profile of the new loader, open a world and press K.

What goes wrong, and how do I fix it?

Most problems come from a wrong or old file, a loader that is too old, or a launcher that does not offer 26.3.

More in the troubleshooting list of the guide.

Frequently asked questions