Mods & Plugins Management

Automatically download and manage mods and plugins for your Minecraft servers.

Overview

Minepanel integrates with popular mod platforms to auto-download mods, plugins, and datapacks at server startup.

Platform	Best For	API Key Required
Modrinth	Mods, datapacks, plugins	❌ No
CurseForge	Modpacks, mods	✅ Yes
Spiget	Spigot/Paper plugins	❌ No

Learn More

For advanced options and all environment variables, see the docker-minecraft-server mods documentation.

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Modrinth

Automatically download and manage mods, plugins, and datapacks from Modrinth.

Supported Server Types

• ✅ Fabric
• ✅ Forge
• ✅ CurseForge (AUTO_CURSEFORGE)

How to Add Mods from Minepanel

1. Go to Create Server or Edit Server
2. Open the Mods tab
3. Find the Modrinth Projects field (blue border)
4. Enter project slugs separated by commas or new lines
5. Configure dependencies and version type if needed
6. Save the server

Example input:

fabric-api
sodium
lithium
cloth-config

Datapacks from Modrinth

Modrinth also hosts datapacks. To install them, use the datapack: prefix:

In Minepanel (Modrinth Projects field):

fabric-api
sodium
datapack:terralith
datapack:incendium
datapack:nullscape:1.2.4

Syntax:

Format	Example	Description
datapack:slug	datapack:terralith	Latest version
datapack:slug:version	datapack:terralith:2.5.5	Specific version
datapack:slug:beta	datapack:terralith:beta	Latest beta

Vanilla Servers

For vanilla servers, the datapack: prefix is optional. The system auto-detects datapacks.

WARNING

Datapacks require a compatible Minecraft version. Check the datapack page on Modrinth for compatibility.

Project Reference Formats

The Modrinth Projects field accepts multiple formats:

Format	Example	Description
Slug	fabric-api	Latest release
Slug + version	fabric-api:0.119.2+1.21.4	Specific version
Slug + version ID	fabric-api:bQZpGIz0	By version ID
Slug + release type	fabric-api:beta	Latest beta/alpha
Project ID	P7dR8mSH	Using Modrinth ID
Loader override	fabric:fabric-api	Force loader type
Datapack	datapack:terralith	Install datapack

Configuration Options

Field	Description	Default
Modrinth Projects	List of mods/plugins/datapacks	-
Dependencies	none, required, or optional	none
Version Type	release, beta, or alpha	release

Auto-Removal

Mods removed from the list will be automatically deleted on next server start.

Docker Compose Reference

If you prefer to configure via docker-compose directly:

environment:
  TYPE: FABRIC
  VERSION: 1.21.4
  MODRINTH_PROJECTS: |
    fabric-api
    sodium
    datapack:terralith
  MODRINTH_DOWNLOAD_DEPENDENCIES: required
  MODRINTH_PROJECTS_DEFAULT_VERSION_TYPE: release

More docker-compose examples

Forge server with specific versions:

environment:
  TYPE: FORGE
  VERSION: 1.20.1
  MODRINTH_PROJECTS: |
    jei:10.2.1.1005
    geckolib
    create

Using a listing file:

Create /path/to/mods.txt:

# Performance mods
fabric-api
sodium
lithium

# Datapacks
datapack:terralith
datapack:incendium

Then mount and reference:

volumes:
  - ./mods-list:/extras:ro
environment:
  MODRINTH_PROJECTS: "@/extras/mods.txt"

CurseForge Modpacks

Install complete modpacks from CurseForge using the AUTO_CURSEFORGE server type.

API Key Required

You need a CurseForge API key. Get one from CurseForge for Studios.

Installation Methods in Minepanel

When creating/editing a server with type AUTO_CURSEFORGE, you can choose between 3 methods:

Method	Auto-updates?	Use case
URL	✅ Yes	Always get the latest compatible version
Slug	❌ No	Lock to a specific file version
File	❌ No	Use a local modpack zip file

Method: URL (Recommended for auto-updates)

1. Select URL as installation method
2. Paste the modpack page URL from CurseForge
3. On each server start, it downloads the latest compatible version

Example URL:

https://www.curseforge.com/minecraft/modpacks/all-the-mods-9

TIP

Use URL method if you want automatic updates when the modpack releases new versions.

Method: Slug (Lock specific version)

1. Select Slug as installation method
2. Enter the modpack slug (e.g., all-the-mods-9)
3. Enter the File ID for the specific version you want

How to find the File ID:

1. Go to the modpack page on CurseForge
2. Click on "Files" tab
3. Click on the version you want
4. The File ID is in the URL: .../files/5765432 → File ID is 5765432

WARNING

With Slug method, the version never updates automatically. You must manually change the File ID to update.

Method: File (Local modpack)

1. Select File as installation method
2. Upload/mount your modpack zip to the server
3. Enter the file pattern (e.g., *.zip)

Useful for modpacks downloaded manually or custom modpacks.

Browse Modpacks

Minepanel includes a Browse button to search CurseForge modpacks directly from the UI. Click it to find and select modpacks without leaving the panel.

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CurseForge Files (Individual Mods)

Download specific mods/plugins from CurseForge to add to any modded server.

API Key Required

Same API key as modpacks. Get one from CurseForge for Studios.

How to Add Mods from Minepanel

1. Go to Create Server or Edit Server (Forge, Fabric, or AUTO_CURSEFORGE)
2. Open the Mods tab
3. Find the CurseForge Files field (green border)
4. Enter mod slugs separated by commas or new lines
5. Save the server

Example input:

jei
geckolib
aquaculture

Reference Formats

Format	Example	Description
Slug	jei	Latest compatible version
Slug + File ID	jei:4593548	Specific version
Slug + version	jei@10.2.1.1005	By partial filename
Project ID	238222	Using CurseForge ID
URL	https://curseforge.com/.../jei	From page URL

Auto-Selection

Without a File ID, the newest compatible file for your Minecraft version is selected automatically.

Docker Compose Reference

Docker-compose examples

Basic mod list:

environment:
  CF_API_KEY: $2a$10$Iao...
  CURSEFORGE_FILES: |
    jei
    geckolib
    aquaculture

Specific versions:

environment:
  CURSEFORGE_FILES: |
    jei:4593548
    geckolib@4.2.1

Using listing file:

volumes:
  - ./cf-list:/extras:ro
environment:
  CURSEFORGE_FILES: "@/extras/cf-mods.txt"

Combining Modrinth and CurseForge

You can use both Modrinth and CurseForge Files together:

environment:
  TYPE: FABRIC
  VERSION: 1.21.4

  # Modrinth mods (preferred for performance)
  MODRINTH_PROJECTS: |
    fabric-api
    sodium
    lithium
  MODRINTH_DOWNLOAD_DEPENDENCIES: required
  # CurseForge exclusive mods
  CF_API_KEY: your_key
  CURSEFORGE_FILES: |
    some-cf-exclusive-mod
    another-cf-mod

Version Compatibility

Always ensure mods from both sources are compatible with your Minecraft version and loader type.

Plugin Management (Spigot/Paper/etc)

For plugin-based servers (Spigot, Paper, Bukkit, etc.), you can use Spiget:

environment:
  TYPE: PAPER
  VERSION: 1.21.4
  SPIGET_RESOURCES: |
    9089
    28140
    34315

Where the numbers are Spigot resource IDs from SpigotMC.

Best Practices

1. Use Modrinth when possible - Generally faster and more reliable
2. Specify versions for production servers to avoid unexpected updates
3. Test in development before applying to production
4. Keep API keys secure - Use environment variables, never commit them
5. Use listing files for easier management of large mod lists
6. Document your mods - Add comments in listing files to explain what each mod does

Troubleshooting

Mods not downloading

• Check API key is correct
• Verify project slugs/IDs are correct
• Check server logs for specific errors
• Ensure network connectivity

Version conflicts

• Make sure all mods are compatible with your Minecraft version
• Check mod loader compatibility (Fabric vs Forge)
• Review dependency requirements

Missing dependencies

• For Modrinth: Set MODRINTH_DOWNLOAD_DEPENDENCIES: required
• For CurseForge: Manually add dependencies to your list

Next Steps

• Learn about Server Types
• See all Configuration Options