What Balm works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge |
| Minecraft versions | 1.18.2, 1.19.2, 1.19.4, 1.20.1, 1.21.1, 1.21.8, 1.21.11, 26.1, 26.1.2, 26.2 |
| Environment | Client, Server |
Balm is a library mod for Minecraft Java Edition. It gives mod developers one set of interfaces for registries, events, configs and networking, so a single codebase can ship on Fabric, Forge and NeoForge instead of being rewritten three times. Players almost never go looking for it. It lands in the mods folder because something else needs it, most often a mod by the same creator such as Waystones, and on its own it changes nothing you can see in game.
What Balm does in Minecraft
A mod loader is the program that lets Minecraft run mods at all, and Fabric, Forge and NeoForge each expect code written their own way. Balm sits between the mod and whichever loader is running, translating the parts that differ. That is the whole job. Nothing in it registers a block, a mob or a menu of its own.
- Shared handling for registries, events, config files and client-server networking.
- One integration path for recipe viewers such as JEI and HUD mods such as Jade.
- Common helpers for containers, fluids, energy and interface widgets.
- No dependencies of its own, so adding it pulls nothing else in.
Balm on Fabric, Forge and NeoForge
All three loaders are supported, but they do not sit at the same place. Fabric and NeoForge both have release builds for Minecraft 26.2, while Forge stops one drop earlier at 26.1.2. Balm has covered the game since 1.18, so older packs are well served too. Match the build to your loader and your exact game version, because a Balm file for the wrong loader will not load.
- Fabric, released up to Minecraft 26.2.
- NeoForge, released up to Minecraft 26.2.
- Forge, released up to Minecraft 26.1.2 with no 26.2 build yet.
- Older releases reach back to Minecraft 1.18, covering the 1.19, 1.20 and 1.21 lines.
How to install Balm
- 1.Check the mod that asked for Balm and note its loader and Minecraft version.
- 2.Install that loader first if you have not already, then launch the game once so the mods folder is created. Our guide to installing Java mods walks through the whole path.
- 3.On the Modrinth page, filter the version list to your loader and game version, then download that jar file.
- 4.Drop the jar into the mods folder alongside the mod that required it, without unzipping it.
- 5.Start the game. If it still reports a missing dependency, the Balm file is for a different loader or a different game version.
Installing NeoForge mods, with Waystones and Balm as the example
Questions about Balm.
5 questions
Which mods need Balm?
Mods built on it, which is mostly the catalogue by BlayTheNinth. Waystones is the one most players will recognise, and its current builds list Balm as a required dependency. A handful of other projects use it too. The reliable way to tell is the dependency list on the mod's own download page, or the crash report, which names the missing library when Balm is absent.
Do I install Balm on the client, the server, or both?
It goes wherever the mod that requires it goes. For a single player world that means the client only. For a multiplayer server running a mod that needs Balm, put it on the server, and on every client too if the mod itself is required on both sides. Balm follows the mod, so copy whatever that mod's own install instructions say.
How do I install Balm?
Install your loader, launch Minecraft once to create the mods folder, then download the Balm jar that matches your loader and game version from the Modrinth page. Drop it into the mods folder next to the mod that required it and start the game. Do not unzip the jar. A wrong loader or version is the usual reason it still reports a missing dependency.
Which Minecraft version does Balm support?
Builds run from Minecraft 1.18 up to 26.2, but the ceiling depends on the loader. Fabric and NeoForge both have releases for 26.2. Forge currently stops at 26.1.2. Pick the Balm file whose version matches your game exactly rather than the newest one in the list, since a mismatched build will not load.
Does Balm let me run Forge mods on Fabric?
No. Balm is a developer library, not a compatibility layer for finished mods. It lets one author build a mod for several loaders from one codebase, which happens before the file is published. Once a mod ships as a Fabric jar it stays a Fabric jar. To run a mod on a different loader you need a build made for that loader.
