You install one mod
On our test server we installed Chunky 1.5.3 and nothing else.
Fabric hosting
Fabric server hosting that installs the dependencies too
Fabric is the light mod loader. Choose a Minecraft version and the panel installs the loader, picks the Java it needs, and pulls in the libraries a mod depends on so you are not chasing a missing Fabric API at midnight.
Written and reviewed by YiorasHost technical team · Last tested
Mods, not plugins
Everyone installs the same thing
A plugin changes only the server, so players join with an unmodified client. A mod usually changes the game itself, which means every player installs it too. That is the real trade-off, and it is worth settling before you buy a plan.
There is a useful exception. Server-side-only mods — mostly performance and utility ones — run entirely on our side and ask nothing of your players. Modrinth marks every project with whether it is required, optional or unsupported on the client and on the server, and that label is the fastest way to tell which kind you are looking at.
If nobody in your group wants to install anything, Paper is the better fit. If you want a published modpack rather than a handful of mods, start from the modded guide.
A trap we removed
Some famous Fabric mods cannot run on any server
Mod listings are ranked by downloads, and the most downloaded Fabric mods are client mods. On 25 July 2026 the first six results our own panel returned for Minecraft 26.2 looked like this — half of them unusable on a server.
| Result | Server side | Usable on your server |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric API | Optional | Yes — and most mods require it |
| Sodium | Unsupported | No, it is a client rendering mod |
| Iris Shaders | Unsupported | No, it is a client shader mod |
| Cloth Config API | Optional | Yes, when a mod depends on it |
| Entity Culling | Unsupported | No, it is a client mod |
| FerriteCore | Optional | Yes, it reduces memory use |
Three of the six could not run on a server at all. Writing this page is what made us notice, so we changed the panel: it now filters out mods marked unsupported on the server, and those three no longer appear. Mods with no stated server support are still listed, because missing metadata is not proof a mod is client-only — so it is still worth a glance at the mod page.
Dependencies
The part people usually get wrong
Most Fabric mods will not load without Fabric API, and a missing dependency is the most common reason a modded server fails to start. The panel resolves required dependencies and installs them with the mod.
We resolve what it needs
Fabric API 0.155.2 was fetched automatically and recorded against the mod that required it.
Fabric loads the lot
The next start reported 42 loaded modules — Chunky plus Fabric API and its parts.
The tab is still called Plugins in the sidebar on a Fabric server; it searches mods and installs them into the mods folder. You can also upload a .jar yourself, up to 50 MiB, or use the Files tab and SFTP for anything larger.
What the install produced
Recorded from a real install
We installed Fabric on a disposable test server on 25 July 2026 and wrote down what the panel actually did.
| Step | Recorded result |
|---|---|
| Loader installed | Fabric Loader 0.19.3 on Minecraft 26.2, reported by the server on every start |
| What lands on disk first | A 179 KB launcher. The Minecraft server and loader libraries are fetched on the first start, which is why that boot takes longer than later ones |
| Java runtime | Java 25 selected automatically for this Minecraft version |
| Mod folder | mods/ created, and the panel installs Fabric mods into it |
| Dependency handling | Installing Chunky 1.5.3 also installed Fabric API 0.155.2 without being asked |
| Shutdown | Every stop from the panel shut the server down cleanly rather than killing it |
What we measured
Startup, and why the console number misleads
Fabric prints a startup time like every Minecraft server does. On our test server that number was under a third of a second — while the restart actually took about eight.
7.591s
First boot, console figure
Generating the world. About 14 seconds from the first console line.
0.253s
Restart, console figure
Median of three runs, 0.230s to 0.268s. Not what it feels like.
7s
Restart, wall clock
First console line to ready. This is the honest number.
What the plan includes
The rest of the service
RAM is the thing to get right
Mods raise memory use quickly. Treat 4 GB as a starting point for a light set and 6 GB as more comfortable; large collections need more. Changing plan later keeps your files and address.
How upgrades work →Helsinki, one location
Java servers run on our production node in Helsinki, Finland. Plan RAM is dedicated; CPU, storage I/O and network capacity are shared. NVMe storage and L3/L4 DDoS mitigation are included.
See the location evidence →Back up before you experiment
Mod changes are the risky moment, not the restart. Take a panel backup and download a copy first. A 7-day first-order money-back guarantee applies under the published policy.
Read the refund policy →
FAQ
Fabric hosting questions
What is the difference between Fabric and Paper?
Fabric runs mods; Paper runs plugins. A plugin changes only the server, so players join with an unmodified client. Many Fabric mods change the game itself and have to be installed by every player as well. If nobody wants to install anything, Paper is usually the better choice.
Do my players need to install the same mods?
It depends on the mod. Mods that add blocks, items or mechanics normally have to be on every client too. Server-side-only mods, typically performance and utility ones, do not. Each Modrinth page states whether the mod is required, optional or unsupported on the client and on the server — check that before you install.
Do I have to install Fabric API myself?
No. Most Fabric mods require Fabric API, and the panel installs required dependencies automatically. When we installed Chunky on a test server, Fabric API 0.155.2 was fetched and installed alongside it without being asked for.
Why do popular Fabric mods not work on my server?
Several of the best-known Fabric mods are client-only and cannot run on a server at all — Sodium, Iris Shaders and Entity Culling among them. The panel now hides mods that Modrinth marks as unsupported on the server side, so they no longer appear in your results. Mods that state no server support either way are still shown, so it is worth a look at the mod page when you are unsure.
Which Java version does Fabric need?
The panel selects it. It reads the Java version required by the Minecraft version you chose and sets the matching Java image. Our Fabric install on Minecraft 26.2 selected Java 25 with no manual step.
Can I install a modpack instead of individual mods?
Yes. The Modpacks tool installs Modrinth packs for Fabric, Forge and NeoForge, pinning the loader build the pack expects. Use it for a full pack; use the Mods tab when you want to add a handful of mods to your own world.
Can I switch to Fabric without losing my world?
A version change keeps your files unless you ask for a clean install, but a world built on Paper with plugins will not carry its plugin data across to Fabric. Take a backup and download it first, and ask support before switching an established world.
Check the mod runs on a server, then install it
Fabric is the right choice when you want mods and your players are willing to install them too. Start with the version your mods support and ask us if you are moving an existing world.
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