Screenshot 1 of 1. MinecraftHub editorial cover for playerAnimator, a Fabric and NeoForge player animation library mod
What playerAnimator works with.
| Platform | Java Edition |
|---|---|
| Loaders | Fabric, NeoForge |
| Minecraft versions | 1.16.4, 1.16.5, 1.18.2, 1.19.4, 1.20.4, 1.21.7 |
| Environment | Client, Server |
playerAnimator is a Java Edition library mod by KosmX that lets other mods animate the player model with keyframes while breaking as few mods as possible. It runs on Fabric and NeoForge, with older Forge and Quilt builds, and it adds nothing on its own. Players install it because another mod lists it as a dependency. If you searched for a player animator mod to play emotes yourself, start with Emotecraft.
Development status
Loader and version support
Fabric and NeoForge are the current tracks. The newest upload is a beta for 1.21.1, so its date is not the highest supported version. The ceiling on both loaders is 1.21.7.
- Fabric: Minecraft 1.16.4 to 1.21.7 (newest upload, December 2025, covers 1.21.1)
- NeoForge: Minecraft 1.20.4 to 1.21.7 (newest upload, December 2025, covers 1.21.1)
- Forge: stopped at Minecraft 1.20.1 (June 2023)
- Quilt: stopped at Minecraft 1.20.1 (June 2023)
Sides, dependencies and install
playerAnimator is required on both the client and the server. It needs no other mod. The README says it may use Bendy Lib for better-looking animations, so Bendy Lib is an optional extra.
Put the jar in your mods folder, built for the same loader and Minecraft version as your profile, next to the mod that needs it. The Java mod install guide covers the steps.
Which project this page covers
This page covers KosmX's playerAnimator. The README lists Modrinth, CurseForge and GitHub as its official pages and says to avoid downloading the library from other sources. For new entities rather than the player, it points to GeckoLib, and for simple server-triggered animations it points to Emotecraft's server-side API.
Questions about playerAnimator.
5 questions
Is playerAnimator the same as PAL?
No. The README tells people to use PAL instead of playerAnimator. playerAnimator stays available for existing releases, but KosmX no longer wishes to maintain it, and only major bugfixes are planned if they are needed.
Do I need to install playerAnimator myself?
Only if a mod you use lists it as a dependency. playerAnimator adds nothing to the world on its own; it is a library other mods call to animate the player. Put its jar in the same mods folder as that mod, built for the same loader and Minecraft version.
Is playerAnimator client side only?
No. Modrinth lists playerAnimator as required on both the client and the server. It is a library, so it adds nothing on its own; install it on both sides next to whichever mod depends on it, built for the same loader and Minecraft version as your profile.
Which loaders does playerAnimator support?
Fabric covers Minecraft 1.16.4 to 1.21.7 and NeoForge covers 1.20.4 to 1.21.7. Forge and Quilt builds stopped in June 2023 at Minecraft 1.20.1, so neither covers anything released since.
Is playerAnimator still being updated?
Not actively. The README says KosmX no longer wishes to maintain it and points to PAL. Existing releases get major bugfixes if needed, but no new features are planned.
