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Version: v1.4.2

Get the mod template

A Plexus Mod project starts from the mod template: a small Gradle project with an example item, block, and game tests. The template for Plexus Mod Loader 1.4.2 is on the Plexus Mod Loader website's Maven repository, https://www.plexusmc.net/maven/.

Download and unzip​

Download the template zip for Plexus Mod Loader 1.4.2, unzip it, and rename the folder to your project's name. This tutorial calls it crystal-garden.

Invoke-WebRequest https://www.plexusmc.net/maven/dev/polymodloader/poly-mod-template/1.4.2/poly-mod-template-1.4.2.zip -OutFile plexus-mod-template-1.4.2.zip -UseBasicParsing
Expand-Archive plexus-mod-template-1.4.2.zip -DestinationPath .
Rename-Item plexus-mod-template crystal-garden
cd crystal-garden

You can also download the zip in a browser: the page https://www.plexusmc.net/maven/ links every published template version.

What is inside​

plexus-mod-template/
├─ settings.gradle.kts          project name, where Gradle finds Plexus Mod Loader
├─ build.gradle.kts             mod plugin dev.polymodloader.mod 1.4.2, polyResources
├─ gradle.properties            Minecraft version to run (optional)
├─ gradlew, gradlew.bat, gradle/   Gradle Wrapper 9.8.1
├─ .run/runClient.run.xml       IntelliJ run configuration
├─ src/main/java/com/example/mymod/MyMod.java   entrypoint (a ruby item, a ruby block, 2 game tests)
├─ src/main/resources/plexus.mod.json             mod metadata
└─ README.md

The names my_mod, My Mod, and com.example.mymod are placeholders. The next page renames them in one command.

What you do not need to install​

Besides JDK 25 (see Requirements), you install nothing else.

  • The Gradle Wrapper in the template downloads Gradle 9.8.1.
  • Gradle downloads the dev.polymodloader.mod plugin and Plexus Mod Loader itself from the website's Maven repository. The template's build.gradle.kts already names version 1.4.2.
  • Gradle downloads Minecraft 26.2 from Mojang on the first run and verifies it by hash. After that, it uses the cache.

So the first build needs an internet connection. If the website's repository cannot be reached, the build fails; it does not fall back to anything else. When everything is in the Gradle cache, you can build offline with --offline.

Test a local Plexus Mod Loader build​

This is only for contributors who have access to the Plexus Mod Loader source, which is private for now. Publish your local build to Maven Local in the Plexus Mod Loader source folder, then add -PpolyLocalSdk to the commands in the mod project. Without it, Gradle takes a version the website already has from the website, not from Maven Local.

Plexus Mod Loader source folder
.\gradlew.bat publishToMavenLocal                 # the Plexus Mod Loader modules
.\gradlew.bat -p build-logic publishToMavenLocal  # the Gradle plugin dev.polymodloader.mod
Mod project
.\gradlew.bat build -PpolyLocalSdk

Next step​

Go on to Create the project.

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