How to Install Minecraft Modpacks on Your Server — Forge, Fabric & CurseForge

Forge vs Fabric: Which Mod Loader Do You Need?

Before installing anything, you need to know which mod loader your modpack uses. You don't get to choose — the modpack dictates this. But here's what each one does:

Forge

• History: The original Minecraft mod loader, around since 2011. Has the largest mod library by far.
• Compatibility: Most large modpacks (All The Mods, RLCraft, Create, FTB packs) are built on Forge.
• Performance: Heavier than Fabric. Forge itself consumes more RAM and takes longer to load.
• Updates: Slower to update to new Minecraft versions. Often 1-3 months behind.

Fabric

• History: Newer, lightweight alternative. Growing rapidly since 2019.
• Compatibility: Smaller mod library, but it's catching up fast. Performance mods (Sodium, Lithium, Iris) are Fabric-first.
• Performance: Much lighter than Forge. Faster load times, lower base RAM usage.
• Updates: Usually updated within days of a new Minecraft release.

Quick Compatibility Check

Forge mods and Fabric mods are not interchangeable. A Forge mod will not work on a Fabric server and vice versa. When you download a modpack from CurseForge or Modrinth, it clearly states which loader it requires. Both your server and all players must use the same loader and the same version.

New to Minecraft servers? Our Minecraft server setup guide covers the basics of choosing server software, RAM allocation, and essential settings before you get into modpacks.

Installing a Forge Modpack — Step by Step

This process works for any Forge modpack (All The Mods, RLCraft, Create, Better Minecraft, etc.):

1. Download the server files.Go to the modpack's page on CurseForge or the modpack's website. Look for a "Server Pack" or "Server Files" download — this is different from the client download. It contains the Forge server jar plus all server-side mods preconfigured.
2. Upload to your server. Using your hosting panel's file manager (or SFTP), upload the server pack zip to your server directory. Extract it so the files are in the server root — you should see forge-*.jar, a mods/ folder, and a config/ folder at the top level.
3. Set the correct jar file. In your hosting panel, change the server's startup jar to the Forge jar (e.g., forge-1.20.1-47.2.0.jar). The exact name depends on the Forge version bundled with the modpack.
4. Allocate enough RAM. Set your server's minimum and maximum RAM allocation. Check the modpack's requirements (listed below for popular packs). As a rule, set -Xms and -Xmx to the same value to avoid garbage collection issues.
5. Run the server.Start it and watch the console. First boot takes 2-10 minutes as Forge loads all mods. You'll see a lot of log output — look for "Done" at the end to confirm it started successfully.
6. Accept the EULA. On first run, the server creates eula.txt. Edit it and change eula=false to eula=true, then restart.

Installing a Fabric Modpack — Step by Step

Fabric installation is similar but slightly different:

1. Download the server pack.Same as Forge — get the server-specific files from the modpack's page.
2. Upload and extract. Upload the server pack to your server root and extract. You should see a fabric-server-launch.jar (or similar), a mods/ folder, and a config/ folder.
3. Set the startup jar. Point your server's startup to the Fabric launcher jar. Some modpacks include a start script (start.sh or start.bat) — check if your hosting panel supports custom start commands.
4. Allocate RAM.Fabric packs generally need less RAM than equivalent Forge packs, but check the modpack's requirements to be safe.
5. Start and accept EULA. Same process as Forge — start once, edit eula.txt, restart.

Popular Modpacks and Their Requirements

Here are the RAM and resource requirements for the most popular modpacks in 2026. These are server-side minimums — the client also needs adequate resources. Check out our Minecraft hosting plans to find the right plan for your modpack.

All The Mods 10 (ATM10) — Forge

• RAM: 8-10 GB minimum. 12 GB recommended for 5+ players.
• CPU: Fast single-core performance essential. This pack loads 400+ mods.
• Disk: 5 GB for the pack itself, plus world file growth.
• Notes: One of the heaviest modpacks. First boot takes 5-10 minutes. Startup RAM usage alone is 6-7 GB before any players join.

RLCraft — Forge

• RAM: 4-6 GB minimum. 6 GB recommended.
• CPU: Moderate. The pack is combat-heavy but doesn't have the tech mod overhead of ATM.
• Notes: The combat difficulty mods add CPU load from entity processing. Expect TPS drops in areas with lots of spawned creatures.

Create: Above & Beyond — Forge

• RAM: 6-8 GB minimum. 8 GB recommended for groups.
• CPU: Create's mechanical systems are CPU-intensive. Large contraptions cause TPS drops.
• Notes: The questing structure is well-organized. Performance is good until players build very complex mechanical setups.

Better Minecraft — Forge/Fabric

• RAM: 4-6 GB minimum. 6 GB recommended.
• CPU: Moderate. Lighter than ATM or Create packs.
• Notes: Available in both Forge and Fabric editions. The Fabric version uses less RAM (~1 GB less) but has slightly different mod content.

Cobblemon / Pixelmon — Forge/Fabric

• RAM: 4-6 GB minimum.
• CPU: Moderate. Pokemon entity rendering and AI add some overhead.
• Notes: Cobblemon (Fabric) is the modern alternative to Pixelmon (Forge). Both add Pokemon to Minecraft. Cobblemon is lighter on resources.

Client-Side vs Server-Side Mods

This is where most beginners get confused. Not all mods in a modpack need to be on both the client and server:

• Server-side only: Mods that change world generation, recipes, mob behavior, or game mechanics. These must be on the server. Examples: recipe tweaks, world gen mods, mob AI mods.
• Client-side only: Mods that only affect visuals or UI. These go on the player's client but NOT the server. Examples: shaders, minimap mods (like JourneyMap), inventory sorting (like Inventory Tweaks), performance mods (Optifine, Sodium).
• Both: Most content mods (new blocks, items, machines, mobs) need to be on both. The server needs them to process the content; the client needs them to render it.

The rule of thumb:If the modpack provides a separate server pack, use it as-is. It already has the correct mods for the server. Don't copy your client's mod folder to the server — it will include client-only mods that crash the server.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

"Forge version mismatch" or "Mod missing" on Connect

This means the client and server have different Forge versions or different mod versions. The fix:

• Make sure players install the modpack through a launcher (CurseForge App, ATLauncher, Prism Launcher) rather than manually copying mods. The launcher ensures the correct versions.
• Verify the server is running the exact same modpack version. If you updated the client but not the server (or vice versa), they'll mismatch.
• Check for mods that players added manually on top of the modpack. Extra mods on the client that aren't on the server (or vice versa) cause this error.

Mod Conflicts and Crashes

• Check the crash log — it's in the crash-reports/ folder or in logs/latest.log. The log usually names the mod that caused the crash.
• If you added mods on top of the modpack, remove them one at a time to find the conflict. Official modpacks are tested for compatibility; the problem is almost always a mod you added.
• Update all mods to their latest versions for your Minecraft version. Mod authors frequently patch compatibility issues.

OutOfMemoryError

This means Java ran out of allocated RAM. Solutions:

• Increase RAM allocation. In your hosting panel or startup script, increase -Xmx (maximum heap). If you're running ATM10 with 6 GB, bump it to 10 GB.
• Don't over-allocate. Setting -Xmx higher than your server's physical RAM causes the OS to swap to disk, which is worse than the original problem. Only allocate what you actually have.
• Use the right Java version. Java 17 or 21 for modern Minecraft (1.18+). Java 8 for older packs (1.12.2 and below). Wrong Java versions cause memory management problems.
• Add JVM flags:Use optimized garbage collection flags. For Forge servers, Aikar's flags are widely recommended:

  -XX:+UseG1GC -XX:+ParallelRefProcEnabled
  -XX:MaxGCPauseMillis=200
  -XX:+UnlockExperimentalVMOptions
  -XX:+DisableExplicitGC
  -XX:G1NewSizePercent=30
  -XX:G1MaxNewSizePercent=40
  -XX:G1HeapRegionSize=8M
  -XX:G1ReservePercent=20
  -XX:G1MixedGCCountTarget=4
  -XX:InitiatingHeapOccupancyPercent=15
  -XX:G1MixedGCLiveThresholdPercent=90
  -XX:G1RSetUpdatingPauseTimePercent=5
  -XX:SurvivorRatio=32
  -XX:+PerfDisableSharedMem
  -XX:MaxTenuringThreshold=1

Server Takes Forever to Start

Large modpacks (300+ mods) can take 5-10 minutes to boot. This is normal for the first launch. Subsequent starts are faster because Forge caches some data. If it takes more than 15 minutes, check the console for errors — a broken mod might be causing infinite retries.