Vanilla Minecraft is the baseline game that modified setups are measured against, a usage the PaperMC documentation follows. On Java Edition, mods need a loader such as Fabric, Forge, NeoForge or Quilt, and Bedrock Edition cannot load Java mods at all. Shader packs need Iris or OptiFine, which are themselves Java Edition mods.
This page is built from the PaperMC documentation, Mojang's own announcement of a cape called Vanilla, the Minecraft Wiki, and our catalogue pages. We did not play, benchmark or test any of the projects named here.
What still counts as vanilla
The table sorts the common add-ons by whether they need a loader, using the standard install facts in our catalogue.
| Add-on | Needs a loader | Where it goes | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resource pack | No | resourcepacks folder, then selected on the Resource Packs screen | Java Edition, and a separate format on Bedrock Edition |
| Data pack | No | datapacks folder of a world | Java Edition and Bedrock Edition |
| Shader pack | Yes, Iris or OptiFine | shaderpacks folder, chosen in the shader menu | Java Edition |
| Java mod | Yes, Fabric, Forge, NeoForge or Quilt | mods folder | Java Edition only |
| Bedrock add-on | Not a Java loader, it uses Bedrock's own pack format | imported as .mcaddon or .mcpack | Bedrock Edition only |
Shader packs are the one that surprises people. They are only a .zip file, but Java Edition cannot read them without a shader loader, and Iris and OptiFine are both mods. For a plain-language comparison of the three file types, see what resource packs, shaders and mods actually change.
Why players use the word
Vanilla is a baseline. The PaperMC documentation uses the word this way. It warns that gameplay on a Paper server can differ from vanilla, and that technical players may struggle to get their machines working as they should. It then gives a page of settings for getting closer to vanilla behaviour.
We found no sourced origin for the term itself, so we do not give one. Mojang also uses the name for something else. Its Vanilla cape went to players who owned both Java and Bedrock Edition on PC before 6 June 2022, with the rollout starting on 31 August 2022. That cape has nothing to do with whether a game is modded.
What changes when you add a mod loader
A mod loader is the program that lets Java mods run. A mod works only with the loader its build was made for, installed for the same Minecraft version. That is the real cost of leaving vanilla. Every update means checking that your loader and each mod have caught up. If you want to go that way, the guides cover Fabric and Forge and NeoForge, and Fabric vs Forge vs NeoForge compares them.
Dependencies and sides add to it. The Iris page on Modrinth lists a client-required, server-unsupported mod. Its newest build, 1.11.7+26.3 from 30 September 2026, needs Sodium on both Fabric and NeoForge.
Iris Shaders
@coderbot · Java Mod
Checked Source and install notes
Some mods must be on both sides. Vanilla Backport is listed as required on the client and on the server, so a vanilla server will not work for players using it. How client-side and server-side mods differ explains the split.
Vanilla, vanilla-like and vanilla-themed projects
Plenty of projects use the word in their name. Some need a loader and some do not. Our vanilla-style resource pack listing collects the resource packs.
xali's Enhanced Vanilla is a resource pack, so it needs no loader. Its creator describes it as small changes to the base game, made for people who do not like to use packs.
xali's Enhanced Vanilla
@xali (xalixilax) · Resource Pack
Checked Source and install notes
Vanilla Refresh adds 30 or more quality-of-life features, and its creator says they aim to keep the vanilla experience. Modrinth lists it as a data pack and also with Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt builds, so check which file you take.
Vanilla Refresh
@limesplatus · Data Pack
Checked Source and install notes
Super Duper Vanilla is a shader that Modrinth files under the vanilla-like category. Its builds are made for Iris or OptiFine, which are Java Edition mods, so it needs a shader loader.
Super Duper Vanilla
@Eldeston (FlameRender Studios) · Shader
Checked Source and install notes
Vanilla Backport is a mod, and it runs on Fabric, Forge or NeoForge. It brings newer features to older versions.
Vanilla Backport
@ItsBlackgear · Java Mod
Checked Source and install notes
Vanilla Perfected is a Fabric modpack. Its creator says it is a personal take on a perfect version of Minecraft that stays close to the base game's feel.
Vanilla Perfected
@demonjoeTV · Modpack
Checked Source and install notes