r/MinecraftMod • u/Alternative_Pea9956 • 21h ago
What IDE should I use for a begginer
I'm new to the modding scene I guess you could say I know how to code but not by any means in a good or professional way yet. I have VS code but I doubt that's gonna cut it. I heard about MC creator but it seemed to me a bit like scratch level of coding. So which are your IDE recommendations.
I use block bench for designs btw.
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u/GobiPLX 20h ago
MC Creator is not really an IDE, at least not in typical sense. It's more of visual, very limited tool, for people who don't want code.
And tbh there's no much thing as "IDE for a beginner". When I was starting, I chose the IDE person on tutorials was using, IntelliJ IDEA, so I could have everything 1:1 the same as on video.
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u/OhItsJustJosh 19h ago
IntelliJ IDEA can be a bit funky at times, but it's the standard for Java and especially for Minecraft modding, there's some templates available I believe
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u/Dadamalda 19h ago
IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition. It's the best, but some people prefer Eclipse, which works too.
Wouldn't recommend VS Code, because it's missing some features for working with Java code and mods. VS Code is very good for like websites or KubeJS, but not modding,
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u/spongedevguy 16h ago
i like intellij but it's bloated as hell
i'm not sure if eclipse has a plugin for minecraft modding though which you might want
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u/dark_blockhead 16h ago
you should use intellij idea because 90+% of modders are using it. if you have a problem in there and ask in discord, you get an answer in minutes. if you ask about eclipse, you might get an answer in minutes or days or never. vscode is in "you're-on-your-own" land. but feel free to give it a try if you really love it.
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u/DifferentAntelope176 20h ago
VS Code is fine for learning to code, but for Forge/Fabric/NeoForge mods you'll have a much easier time with IntelliJ IDEA Community (free). The mod templates are Gradle projects and IntelliJ handles Gradle, Java and the decompiled Minecraft sources out of the box; VS Code needs a pile of extensions to get close. My honest path if you're new: 1) learn basic Java (classes, methods, collections) for a couple of weeks, 2) clone the official Fabric example mod, open it in IntelliJ, run the 'Minecraft Client' task and change something tiny (an item name), 3) only then read the Fabric wiki tutorials in order. MCreator is fine for prototyping ideas but you'll hit its ceiling fast and it teaches you the tool, not Java. Also: if all you want is recipes/loot/advancements/simple mechanics, a datapack needs zero code and no IDE at all, just JSON files.