NeoForge
A Minecraft mod loader forked from Forge in 2023; many newer modpacks and mods target it instead of Forge.
NeoForge is a mod loader for Minecraft Java Edition. It was created in 2023 when most of the Forge development team forked the project and continued work under a new name. Early NeoForge releases were close to Forge; since then both projects have changed their internals separately.
Why it matters for server owners
The practical question is simply which loader your modpack or mods need. On newer Minecraft versions a large part of the modding community has moved to NeoForge, and many modpacks list it as their loader. Mods built for Forge and NeoForge are, in general, not interchangeable on those versions, even when they come from the same author.
Everything else works like a Forge server:
- Mods go into the
modsfolder, and content mods must match between server and client. - The installer has a server option that creates start scripts and a
user_jvm_args.txtfor memory and other JVM flags. - Bukkit plugins do not run on it; for permissions or utilities, look for mod versions (for example LuckPerms has a NeoForge build).
Finding NeoForge mods
Both platforms compared in CurseForge vs Modrinth let you filter by loader. Filter for NeoForge and your exact Minecraft version rather than guessing from a file name.
Practical tip
If a modpack’s server pack is available, use it. It contains the correct NeoForge version and leaves out client-only mods. When you update the modpack, update the server and every player’s client together, otherwise players get disconnected for mismatched mods.