Screenshot 1 of 1. Applied Energistics 2 ME sub-network diagram from the in-game guidebook showing cable connections and device channels
What Applied Energistics 2 works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | NeoForge, Fabric, Forge |
| Minecraft versions | 1.18, 1.18.2, 1.19.3, 1.20.6, 1.21.1, 26.1.2, 26.2, 26.3 |
| Environment | Client, Server |
Applied Energistics 2 (AE2) is a Minecraft Java mod that adds a network-based digital storage system and automatic crafting. Items and blocks are stored as energy in a digital form within a network of connected devices, and set-up patterns let the system craft on demand. It runs on NeoForge, Forge and Fabric, and it must be installed on both client and server.
What AE2 adds
- Network storage: items and blocks are stored as energy in a digital form within a network of connected devices, which allows compact storage and easy access.
- Auto-crafting: set up patterns and the system crafts on demand, which cuts out bulk and multi-step crafting by hand.
- Channels: a channel system limits how many devices a single cable can carry, so large builds need planning.
- Spatial storage: store a region of the world, with its blocks, items and entities, in a spatial storage cell and release it later.
- New materials: Certus Quartz, Fluix Crystals and Inscribers, many with decorative blocks.
Loaders and versions
- NeoForge: 1.20.1 to 26.3. The newest release is 26.3.1-alpha and still alpha. It requires GuideME, and older releases differ.
- Fabric: 1.18 to 1.20.1. The newest release, 15.4.11 (2026-09-27), requires no other mod. One older 1.20.1 release asks for Fabric API.
- Forge: 1.18.1 to 1.20.1. The newest release, 15.4.11, requires GuideME. Some older 1.20.1 releases require it too, while others require nothing.
- Optional: Roughly Enough Items and Jade on all three loaders, Just Enough Items on Fabric and Forge, EMI on NeoForge, plus WTHIT and The One Probe.
How to install Applied Energistics 2
- 1.Pick the loader and Minecraft version you play. Set up the loader first with the guide for Fabric or Forge and NeoForge.
- 2.Put the AE2 JAR for that loader and version in .minecraft/mods, along with GuideME where the release requires it.
- 3.Launch with the loader's profile. On a multiplayer world, install the same files on the server and on every client.
Mod basics are covered in How to Install Minecraft Mods on Java Edition. Bedrock Edition cannot load AE2.
The trade-offs are plain. Fabric and Forge releases stop at 1.20.1, so newer worlds mean NeoForge, whose newest release is still alpha. The mod is deep and rewards planning cable layouts, which is slow going at first.
Questions about Applied Energistics 2.
4 questions
Which Minecraft versions does Applied Energistics 2 support?
NeoForge covers 1.20.1 to 26.3, with the newest release still alpha. Fabric covers 1.18 to 1.20.1, and Forge covers 1.18.1 to 1.20.1. Choose the file that matches both your loader and your Minecraft version, since a mod only runs on the loader it was built for.
Does Applied Energistics 2 require GuideME?
The newest NeoForge and Forge releases require GuideME, so install it in the same mods folder. The newest Fabric release requires nothing else. Older releases differ, so check the dependency list of the file you pick before launching.
Does Applied Energistics 2 work on multiplayer servers?
Yes. The mod is required on both client and server, so install the same release on the server and on every player's client. Both sides also need any dependency that release asks for, such as GuideME on the newest NeoForge and Forge releases.
Does Applied Energistics 2 need Fabric API?
The newest Fabric release, 15.4.11, requires no other mod, including Fabric API. One older 1.20.1 Fabric release does list Fabric API as required, so check the dependencies of the exact file you install.
