How to Install NeoForge Mods on Your Minecraft Server
Install NeoForge mods from the Mods tab or by hand, keep client and server in step, and recover a server that stops starting after a mod is added.
What is NeoForge?
NeoForge is a mod loader that split from Forge in late 2023, starting with Minecraft 1.20.2. It is where most of the Forge ecosystem's active development went, and most modern Forge-ecosystem mods target it rather than legacy Forge.
NeoForge and Forge are not interchangeable. A NeoForge mod won't work on a Forge server, and vice versa. Make sure you're downloading mods labeled for NeoForge, not Forge.
NeoForge mods and Fabric mods are not interchangeable either. See the section below - this is the mistake that costs customers the most time.
On GameGrid, select the Minecraft NeoForge server type when creating your server. The platform installs the NeoForge loader automatically, and it installs and selects Java for you - Minecraft 26.2 needs Java 25, and you do not have to do anything about that.
Where Mods Go
Every NeoForge mod is a .jar file and goes in the mods/ folder at the root of the server. NeoForge loads everything it finds there on startup.
Mod settings live in config/. Most mods write their config file there the first time they load, so install and start once before looking for it. defaultconfigs/ holds the defaults copied into new worlds.
user_jvm_args.txt at the server root holds the JVM arguments NeoForge starts with.
One flag to leave out: -XX:+AlwaysPreTouch. It commits the whole maximum heap at startup, which on a shared host is a problem for you and for everyone else. See Aikar's Flags.
Nothing in mods/ is read while the server is running - adding or removing a mod always needs a restart.
Installing via the Mods Tab
Go to the Mods tab and click "Browse Marketplace." Search for the mod you want. The in-panel marketplace installs NeoForge mods from CurseForge.
The search is scoped to your server's loader, so a NeoForge server's results are NeoForge builds. This is the safest route, because it removes the chance of installing a build for the wrong loader.
Click "Install" to download the .jar and place it in mods/ for you.
The "Installed" tab lists what is on the server, with a "Remove" button that deletes a mod's files.
Restart the server after installing or removing anything.
Mods hosted only on other sites, such as Modrinth, are not in the marketplace. Download those yourself and upload them by hand.
Installing Manually
1. Download mods from CurseForge or Modrinth. Filter by "NeoForge" as the loader and your exact Minecraft version.
2. Stop your server before installing mods.
3. Upload the mod .jar files to the mods/ folder using the file manager, or over FTP if you are moving a whole pack.
4. Start the server. NeoForge loads all mods in the mods/ folder on startup.
5. Check the server console for any errors. If a mod fails to load, the console shows the error and which mod caused it.
Many NeoForge mods depend on library mods (GeckoLib, Cloth Config, and similar). Install every dependency the mod's page lists, or it won't load.
The file manager accepts any .jar you upload - it does not check the loader. Read the loader label on the download page every time.
Why a Fabric Mod Will Not Load on NeoForge
Fabric and NeoForge are separate mod loaders. A mod is compiled against one of them and only runs on that one. There is no compatibility layer and no setting that makes it work.
Nothing about the file tells them apart. Fabric, Forge and NeoForge mods are all .jar files, they all go in a folder called mods/, and the filenames look identical.
A Fabric mod in a NeoForge server's mods/ folder either does nothing at all or stops the server from starting. Neither result names the real problem, which is why this trips up so many people.
The same applies in reverse, and to legacy Forge: a NeoForge mod will not load on Fabric or on Forge.
Fix: check the loader label on the download page and take the NeoForge build. If a mod has no NeoForge build, it does not exist for your server - find an equivalent instead of installing the wrong file.
Do not copy a mods/ folder from a server of a different type. It will bring the wrong builds with it.
Client Installation
Players need to install NeoForge and the same mods on their client. The mod loader version, Minecraft version, and mod versions must all match exactly between server and client.
Players can install NeoForge from neoforged.net. Download the installer, run it, and select "Install Client".
For modpacks, players can use the CurseForge App or Prism Launcher to automatically install the correct loader and mods.
If a player connects without the right mods, they'll see an error like "Connection lost: Internal exception" or a mod mismatch screen.
Version Matching Rules
All three must match between server and client:
1. Minecraft version (e.g., 26.2)
2. NeoForge loader version
3. Mod versions (each mod must be the same version on both sides)
A mismatch in any of these will prevent connection. If you update a mod on the server, all players need to update it on their client too.
Some mods are server-side only (they don't need to be installed on the client). Check the mod's documentation - it will say if client installation is required.
The Server Won't Start After Adding Mods
Assume it is the mod you added last. That is usually correct, and it is the cheapest thing to check.
1. Open the Console tab and read the startup output from the top. The first error is the cause; everything below it is fallout.
2. The error normally names the mod. Missing-dependency messages, "Incompatible mod set", and mixin errors all carry a mod id you can act on.
3. Stop the server, open the Files tab, and remove the last mod you added from mods/. Start again.
4. If it starts, that mod was the problem. Check its page for the NeoForge build, the right Minecraft version, and any library mods it depends on.
5. If it still won't start, move everything out of mods/ into a folder like mods-disabled/ so nothing is lost, and start with an empty mods/. A clean start proves the server itself is healthy.
6. Add mods back a few at a time, restarting between batches, until the failure comes back. The last batch contains the culprit.
Common causes: a mod built for Fabric or legacy Forge, a mod for a different Minecraft version, a missing library mod, or two mods editing the same code (a mixin conflict).
The full output is in logs/latest.log and in crash-reports/, both downloadable from the Files tab. Attach the relevant one if you open a support ticket.