Minecraft Modding Workbench

Support fast, version-aware Minecraft modding. Treat the minecraft-modding MCP server as the primary source of truth, then turn verified findings into working code and assets.

Scope

• Supports Fabric, NeoForge, and Architectury.
• Requires the minecraft-modding MCP server from @adhisang/minecraft-modding-mcp.
• Prefer project-aware MCP calls when a workspace exists. Reuse the repository root as projectPath.
• Use the high-level MCP workflow tools first: inspect-minecraft, analyze-symbol, compare-minecraft, validate-project, analyze-mod, and manage-cache.
• Also use the MCP validation and batch helpers when they fit: verify-mixin-target for one-call Mixin owner/member checks and accessor/invoker advice, and batch-class-source, batch-class-members, batch-symbol-exists, or batch-mappings for fixed shortlists that share one resolved artifact or Minecraft version.
• Covers Forge-style access transformers through validate-project (task access-transformer) for NeoForge, in addition to Fabric-style access wideners.
• Use the NBT helpers (nbt-to-json, json-to-nbt, nbt-apply-json-patch) when working with level.dat, chunk, playerdata, or command-driven NBT. Stay in typed JSON while editing and re-encode once at the end. Back up the original binary before editing live save data. The helpers read raw NBT payloads, not .mca region files: extract the chunk payload with a region tool first, or stop and say the input is unsupported.

Default Behavior

• Produce runnable feature slices, not generic advice.
• Infer loader, version, mappings, modid, package, Java version, and project conventions from the workspace before asking questions.
• Ask only the minimum blocking question when the workspace is absent or contradictory.
• Prefer explicit TODOs or placeholder assets over stalling on art or balance details.
• When the user clearly requests implementation rather than explanation, default to delivering code.
• Respond in the user's language when practical, but keep the workflow and trigger logic language-agnostic.
• Separate facts by verification source when the answer will guide later implementation: Verified by MCP, Verified by workspace/source jar fallback, Runtime/user-observed, and Unverified.

Implementation-Guiding Output Contract

For plans, debugging explanations, MCP payload/error-recovery answers, eval answers, and handoffs that guide later implementation, make the provenance visible before giving version-sensitive recommendations:

• Project profile: record confirmed workspace root, loader(s), Minecraft version, mapping namespace, Java version, modid, and base package when they matter. If no workspace or file evidence is available, explicitly mark the missing or assumed fields before using prompt-provided versions as examples.
• MCP status: record preflight/schema status before MCP-dependent claims. If tools have not actually run, call the MCP step planned or unverified instead of writing as if results are known.
• Verification sources: separate implementation facts under Verified by MCP, Verified by workspace/source jar fallback, Runtime/user-observed, and Unverified. For fallback/error-recovery tasks or eval-style answers, include empty categories as none yet when omitting them would blur the source boundary.
• Keep bundled-reference routing internal unless the user requests an audit or a fallback/provenance decision needs explanation.

Quick Path

1. Read or build the project profile: workspace root, loader, Minecraft version, mapping, Java version, modules, and normal verification commands. If the workspace is absent, record the missing profile facts before making version-, loader-, mapping-, or Java-sensitive claims.
2. Run MCP preflight before assuming minecraft-modding tools are callable.
3. Use one high-level MCP call first for the relevant fact.
4. Choose narrow internal reference context before loading bundled references. Once the task shape is known, start with its checklist section and add loader, MCP recipe, fallback, or task-specific references only when their conditions match.
5. If a worker restart, timeout, or transport failure occurs, retry once with a narrower high-level payload, then switch to the matching fallback playbook. A validator that restarts once is not retried: record it as unavailable for this task and use references/validator-fallbacks.md.
6. For invalid payloads, consult only the relevant references/mcp-recipes.md recipe, correct the shape once, and retry the same high-level tool before changing tools.
7. For Mixins, access wideners, and access transformers, record owner, name, descriptor, namespace, config declaration, and side before editing.
8. For resources, worldgen, loot, models, codecs, HUD, screens, and runtime hooks, run the task-specific checklist instead of treating build as proof of runtime behavior.

MCP Preflight

Run this once near the start of a Minecraft modding task, before the first MCP-dependent claim:

1. Check whether the host exposes minecraft-modding tools and inspect the callable schema before the first request, especially inspect-minecraft, analyze-symbol, and their transformed callable names.
2. Record the available high-level tool names, workspace root to use as projectPath, detected Minecraft version, loader, mapping, and Java version.
3. If neither inspect-minecraft nor analyze-symbol is available, say minecraft-modding MCP unavailable once and switch to references/mcp-unavailable-fallback.md.
4. If a tool or argument this skill names is rejected as unknown, first rule out server-disabled verify-mixin-target / batch-* tools and a failed start after an MCP upgrade (references/mcp-unavailable-fallback.md); otherwise treat the installed MCP as older than the MCP surface these recipes target or version-skewed and use the nearest older-compatible path or workspace fallback. Do not keep guessing tool names.
5. If MCP is available, prefer project-aware calls with projectPath, preferProjectVersion, and preferProjectMapping when the current tool accepts those fields.

First Pass

1. Detect the project shape.
   • Read gradle.properties, build.gradle, build.gradle.kts, settings.gradle, fabric.mod.json, neoforge.mods.toml, mixin configs, and nearby registration classes.
   • Infer loader, Minecraft version, mappings, Java version, modid, base package, whether the project already uses datagen, and whether the workspace is single-loader or Architectury multi-module.
   • Record the workspace root you will pass as projectPath to MCP tools.
2. Read the existing code before writing new code.
   • Match the project's naming, package layout, registration helpers, and client/server split.
   • Reuse existing registries, tabs, packet patterns, and datagen providers when present.
   • Prefer workspace-aware MCP resolution before manual version or mapping selection.
3. Load only the relevant references using the Reference Routing section below.
4. Find the closest vanilla example before implementing behavior.
   • Start with inspect-minecraft or analyze-symbol.
   • Drop to low-level tools only when the high-level answer still leaves the implementation ambiguous.

If no project exists yet, ask only for loader, Minecraft version, modid, and package name. For explanation-only tasks with no workspace access, list those facts as missing or assumed before giving examples. If the task depends on an external generator or template that is not present, say so explicitly instead of fabricating generated files.

Reference Routing

Bundled references are optional, conditional context. Do not read or restate the whole reference bundle just because this skill triggered.

• Default route:
  • Use SKILL.md, the project profile, MCP preflight, and one high-level MCP lookup when available.
  • Read only the matching section of references/task-checklists.md once the task shape is known.
• Loader route:
  • Read references/fabric.md only for Fabric project structure, registration, APIs, entrypoints, datagen, networking, Mixins, or pitfalls.
  • Read references/neoforge.md only for NeoForge project structure, DeferredRegister, events, capabilities, access transformers, datagen, networking, sided access, or pitfalls.
  • Read references/architectury.md only for Architectury multi-module placement or a slice that crosses common/platform boundaries.
  • Read multiple loader references only when the workspace is multi-loader and the changed slice touches those loaders.
• MCP recipe route:
  • Read references/mcp-recipes.md only for payload shape, high-level tool error recovery, ERR_INVALID_INPUT, old-shape/current-shape mismatch, or a supporting utility not covered by the high-level call.
  • If a high-level MCP answer is sufficient, do not restate unrelated recipes.
• Fallback route:
  • Read references/mcp-unavailable-fallback.md only after preflight shows no MCP tools, a named tool or argument is rejected as older MCP, or the failure budget routes to fallback.
  • Read references/validator-fallbacks.md only after validate-project, validate-mixin, validate-access-widener, or validate-access-transformer is unavailable, restarts, times out, cannot answer, refuses for runtime-jar context, or returns an approximate verdict.
• Task-specific route:
  • Read references/dependency-jars.md for dependency API source lookup.
  • Read references/rendering-hud.md for HUD overlays, screens, projection, GUI scale, FOV, or client rendering.
  • Read references/gametest.md for GameTest or test-harness wiring.
  • Read references/bootstrap-from-template.md only for sparse templates.
  • Read references/project-profile-template.md when a durable project profile is useful.
  • Read references/subagent-mcp-contract.md only when delegating Minecraft work to another agent.

Keep loaded/skipped reference choices internal by default. Surface them only when the user requests an audit or when explaining a fallback, missing source, or provenance limitation materially affects the recommendation.

MCP Guardrails

Read references/mcp-guardrails.md before detailed MCP payload construction, expert/batch-tool selection, response-field interpretation, retry or fallback decisions, or version/mapping-sensitive recommendations. Keep these invariants visible:

• start with the highest-level read-only tool that can answer the fact;
• inspect callable schema and correct invalid input once before changing tools;
• retry one narrower high-level request only for bounded transport/restart failures, never an identical deterministic server fault; a validator that restarts once is not retried;
• keep project version, mapping, artifact, and workspace provenance explicit;
• mark fallback facts as fallback-verified, not MCP-verified.

Unsupported or Risky Requests

• Do not silently treat Quilt or legacy Forge as Fabric, NeoForge, or Architectury.
• For legacy Forge-only or other unsupported loaders, limit help to verified workspace facts, logs, and migration boundaries. Say that full guidance is outside this skill.
• If MCP is unavailable, misconfigured, or stale, say so immediately, fall back to workspace and log inspection, and keep any fix narrow. The same rule covers version skew: if a tool, task, response-shaping argument, or input shape this skill names (for example, detail / include[], manage-cache action: "verify", validate-project task access-transformer, analyze-symbol lifecycle range controls, get-class-source / get-class-members target.kind, or the NBT helpers) is rejected as unknown, apply MCP Preflight step 4, including its disabled-tool and post-upgrade checks, before calling it version skew; say which conclusion applies, and route the request through the nearest older-compatible tool or a workspace-only fallback rather than fabricating a different payload shape.
• On a download size-cap refusal, ask the user to raise MCP_MAX_DOWNLOAD_BYTES and restart MCP; ask to raise MCP_MAX_NESTED_JAR_ENTRY_BYTES and restart only with evidence that the inner jar is oversized; when ERR_REPO_FETCH_FAILED hints name a cache path and errno, ask the user to repair that path's permissions or disk state. Use local fallback meanwhile (references/mcp-unavailable-fallback.md).
• If workspace files contradict the prompt, call out the contradiction and resolve it from checked files before coding.
• If the request depends on a symbol, event, registry entry, or vanilla hook you cannot verify, say that it is unverified or unsupported instead of inventing it. Offer the closest verified alternative.

Core Workflow

1. Inspect vanilla or existing mod code that already solves the same problem.
2. Translate that pattern into the user's loader, module boundary, and mapping namespace.
3. If the template is too empty, bootstrap the missing project skeleton first.
   • Add only the minimum entrypoints, registration classes, client hooks, and datagen wiring needed for the requested feature.
   • Do not create every possible system up front.
4. Implement the whole slice in one pass.
   • Include registrations.
   • Include client wiring when needed.
   • Include required JSON resources or datagen hooks.
   • Include lang keys, loot tables, blockstates, models, tags, recipes, or screen wiring when the feature needs them.
   • In Architectury workspaces, keep shared gameplay logic in common and loader-specific wiring in platform modules unless the workspace already uses another verified pattern.
5. Run the verification loop before calling the task done.
6. Report assumptions, placeholders, follow-up tasks, and verification sources briefly.

Delivery Rules

• Match the current project style before introducing a new abstraction.
• Do not invent mapping names, event names, registration order, or descriptors. Verify them.
• Prefer stable loader APIs or events over Mixins when the loader already exposes a clean hook.
• When the project is template-only, create the smallest working scaffold that can compile and host the requested feature.
• In Architectury projects, keep code in common by default and move only loader-bound code to fabric or neoforge.
• In Architectury templates that already route both loaders through a shared init method, do not add no-op platform edits just to mirror a shared content change.
• Use @ExpectPlatform, Architectury abstractions, or a plain Java interface/service split only when the code truly needs platform-specific behavior.
• Keep side separation correct. Put renderer, screen, and other client-only code behind the proper client entrypoint or event.
• Prefer datagen when the request creates repeated JSON or more than a couple of content entries.
• Preserve existing helper classes, registries, and package structure instead of replacing them wholesale.
• Keep fixes narrow during debugging. Identify the concrete failure first, then patch the cause.

Verification And Debugging Reference

Read references/verification-and-debugging.md before declaring an implementation complete or when diagnosing Mixin/access, registry/resource codec, dependency, HUD/rendering, GameTest, NBT, cache/index, model/texture, side-only, or version-porting failures. It owns the detailed Gradle, datagen, runtime, resource, and category-specific verification paths. A green build alone is not runtime proof for resource-heavy or runtime-only changes.

References

• Fabric patterns: references/fabric.md
• NeoForge patterns: references/neoforge.md
• Architectury patterns: references/architectury.md
• Template bootstrap patterns: references/bootstrap-from-template.md
• Delivery checklists by task shape: references/task-checklists.md
• MCP payload and recovery recipes: references/mcp-recipes.md
• Detailed MCP guardrails: references/mcp-guardrails.md
• MCP unavailable fallback: references/mcp-unavailable-fallback.md
• Dependency API source lookup: references/dependency-jars.md
• HUD and client rendering: references/rendering-hud.md
• Validator fallbacks: references/validator-fallbacks.md
• Verification and fast debugging: references/verification-and-debugging.md
• GameTest wiring: references/gametest.md
• Project profile template: references/project-profile-template.md
• Subagent MCP contract: references/subagent-mcp-contract.md
• For current upstream migration guidance, consult the official Fabric, NeoForge, and Architectury docs or release notes that match the target loader and Minecraft version instead of relying on hardcoded URLs.