It's no secret that Minecraft's enduring success has been in part thanks to the dedication of its modding community. All this time though, mods have largely been the territory of Minecraft Java ...

Minecraft: Java Edition is made better with mods, and we have everything you need to know to install and play with mods on Windows PCs.

Minecraft players can modify their gameplay experience in a multitude of ways and across different editions, thanks to Java Edition mods and Bedrock Edition add-ons.

To install these mods, you'll need to use a free add-on called Minecraft Forge. This will let you customize Minecraft: Java Edition with mods.

Just note that mods and resource packs only work with the "Java Edition" of "Minecraft," available for Mac, Windows, and Linux computers.

Importantly, Minecraft Java mods tend to be free, while Bedrock add-ons can be either free or paid downloads in the Minecraft Marketplace.

Like Bedrock, mods, realms and skins can be used in the Java version of Minecraft, and the servers are always packed with people looking to play alongside you.