What Bobby works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Fabric |
| Minecraft versions | 1.16.5, 1.17.1, 1.18.2, 1.19.4, 1.20.1, 1.20.4, 1.20.6, 1.21.1, 1.21.5, 1.21.11, 26.1, 26.2 |
| Environment | Client |
Bobby is a client-only Fabric mod for Minecraft Java Edition that solves a common multiplayer problem: servers cap view-distance at 8 or 12 chunks to protect performance, leaving most of the horizon unloaded. Bobby removes that barrier by recording every chunk the server streams to you and saving the data locally on your machine. When you look beyond the server's boundary, Bobby fills in the view with your cached chunks, giving you a seamless 32, 64, or even 96-chunk render distance on any server you join without any server-side changes.
How Bobby Caches Chunks
When you log into a server and move through the world, Minecraft normally discards chunks once they fall outside the server's view-distance. Bobby intercepts that chunk data before it disappears and writes it to a folder at .minecraft/.bobby. The next time you look toward those coordinates, Bobby reads the cached geometry back and renders it as if the server had sent it fresh. Because Bobby stores real server chunk data rather than simplified geometry, the distant terrain looks exactly like the area you walked through.
Installation
Bobby requires Fabric Loader. Download the Bobby .jar from Modrinth, place it in your .minecraft/mods folder, and launch Minecraft with the Fabric profile. No Fabric API is required. For in-game settings, install Mod Menu and Cloth Config API (both optional) to unlock Bobby's configuration screen. Once installed, raise your render distance slider in Video Settings past the server's limit and Bobby handles the rest. If you are new to installing Fabric mods, see our Minecraft mods folder guide for exact mods folder locations on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
- Loader: Fabric only (no Forge or NeoForge support)
- Side: client only, no server install needed or supported
- No Fabric API required
- Optional: Mod Menu for in-game settings screen
- Optional: Cloth Config API for configuration UI
- Optional: Sodium for rendering integration
Compatibility
Bobby runs cleanly alongside Sodium, Sodium Extra, and Iris shaders on Iris versions newer than 1.10.0. On older Iris builds, a known Iris bug forces Bobby to skip one Sodium settings-screen integration, but Bobby's chunk caching itself keeps working regardless of Iris version. Players using Distant Horizons can pair both mods: Bobby replays real server-sent chunk data near the player while Distant Horizons generates simplified LOD geometry at the far horizon, combining the two approaches for the widest and most detailed visual coverage. Bobby supports Minecraft Java Edition from 1.16.5 through the current 26.2 release.
Realms, Singleplayer, and Configuration
Bobby works on Minecraft Realms the same way it works on any other Java Edition server: it only reads chunk data your client already receives, so the Realm owner does not need to install or approve anything. Recent versions also fix an earlier issue where reconnecting to a Realm could split your cache across multiple folders, so cached chunks now persist consistently across sessions on the same Realm. Singleplayer is different: Bobby stays inactive there by default until you enable the Singleplayer Server View Distance option in its config screen, which overwrites the integrated server's view distance and requires a relog to take effect.
- Max Render Distance: raises the ceiling on Sodium's render distance slider (requires Sodium)
- Singleplayer Server View Distance: required to make Bobby active in singleplayer worlds
- Dynamic World Management: keeps a separate cache for servers that reuse the same world name
- Cleanup Unused Regions (Days): automatically deletes cached chunk data you have not revisited
Bobby's admin commands, such as /bobby upgrade, return a "not enabled for this world" error when Bobby's Enabled option is off for that world or server, so check the config screen first if you see it. For a broader Fabric performance setup, the Fabulously Optimized modpack bundles Sodium and other optimization mods that work well alongside Bobby, and world-awareness mods like Xaero's World Map and Xaero's Minimap pair naturally with Bobby's extended view.
How to Get INSANE Render Distances Using the Bobby Mod
Questions about Bobby.
12 questions
How do I install Bobby in Minecraft?
Download Bobby from Modrinth and place the .jar file in your .minecraft/mods folder. Launch Minecraft with the Fabric Loader profile. You do not need Fabric API. For the settings screen, also install Mod Menu and Cloth Config API. Once launched, raise the render distance slider in Video Settings past the server's limit.
Does Bobby require Fabric API?
No. Bobby has no hard dependency on Fabric API and will run on Fabric Loader alone. Mod Menu and Cloth Config API are optional additions that unlock the in-game configuration screen.
Is Bobby compatible with Forge or NeoForge?
No. Bobby is Fabric-only and has no Forge or NeoForge port. If you need extended render distance on a Forge or NeoForge setup, Distant Horizons is an alternative that supports multiple loaders.
Does Bobby work on multiplayer servers?
Yes. Bobby is a client-only mod. The server does not need to install anything and does not need to be aware of Bobby at all. It works on any Java Edition server regardless of the server software or whether the operator allows mods.
What is the difference between Bobby and Distant Horizons?
Bobby stores real chunk data sent by the server, so distant terrain looks exactly as you explored it on the ground. Distant Horizons generates simplified LOD geometry from world data, which loads quickly but appears stylized at long range. Many players run both mods together for the widest combined coverage.
Does Bobby work on Realms?
Yes. Bobby is a client-only mod, so it works on Realms the same way it works on any other Java Edition server: it just reads chunk data your client already receives. Recent Bobby versions also fix an issue where reconnecting to a Realm could use a different cache folder each time, so your cached chunks now persist across sessions on the same Realm.
Does Bobby work in singleplayer?
Not by default. Bobby is built for multiplayer, where the server, not you, controls the view distance. To use it in a singleplayer world, enable the Singleplayer Server View Distance option in Bobby's config screen, which overwrites the integrated server's view distance. You need to relog into the world after turning it on.
Why does Bobby say it is not enabled for this world?
This message appears when a Bobby command, such as /bobby upgrade, runs in a world or server context where Bobby's Enabled option is off. In singleplayer specifically, it usually means the Singleplayer Server View Distance option still needs to be turned on in Bobby's config screen, since Bobby stays inactive there until you enable it.
Does Bobby work with shaders like Iris?
Yes. Bobby is compatible with Iris shaders on Iris versions newer than 1.10.0. On older Iris builds, a known Iris bug forces Bobby to skip one Sodium settings-screen integration, but Bobby's chunk caching keeps working normally regardless of Iris version.
How do I change Bobby's settings, like max render distance?
Install Mod Menu and Cloth Config API, then open Bobby's config screen from the mod list. The Max Render Distance option raises the ceiling on Sodium's render distance slider, so Sodium must be installed for it to take effect. Other options control cache cleanup timers and per-world cache handling.
Can I use Bobby and Distant Horizons together?
Yes, and the two mods are commonly paired. Bobby replays exact chunk data close to you, while Distant Horizons renders simplified level-of-detail terrain at the far horizon, so running both gives you accurate nearby detail plus a longer overall view distance.
Is Bobby ReNeoForged the same mod as Bobby?
No. Bobby ReNeoForged is an unofficial third-party port for NeoForge, built by a different developer, not by Bobby's original creator Johni0702. MinecraftHub has not verified its safety or feature parity with the original. Bobby itself remains Fabric-only, with no NeoForge, Forge, or Quilt build from its own creator.
