What is packwiz?

Updated

packwiz is a command-line tool for creating Minecraft modpacks. Rather than managing JAR files directly, it stores modpack information as TOML metadata files that can be version-controlled and shared with Git. You can export the result to a CurseForge or Modrinth modpack, or use packwiz-installer to keep a MultiMC instance automatically updated.

It fits you if you want a Git-friendly, text-based way to build and distribute modpacks, especially for private server packs or for publishing to CurseForge and Modrinth. It does not fit you if you want a GUI, or if your main goal is managing mod JAR files you have already downloaded.

How packwiz works

The core idea is separating metadata from binaries. Instead of committing mod JARs to a repository, packwiz writes TOML files describing which mods belong in the pack and where they come from. Those small text files are what you track and share.

The pack format uses three kinds of TOML files:

File Role
pack.toml Top-level pack definition
index.toml Index of pack contents
mod.pw.toml Metadata for an individual mod

Because the metadata is plain text, changes show up cleanly in diffs, and collaborators can review mod additions or removals the same way they review code.

What you can do with it

  • Distribute private modpacks for servers — a common use case, since the pack definition can live in a repo while the installer pulls the actual files.
  • Create modpacks for CurseForge and Modrinth — export directly to either platform's pack format.
  • Import from CurseForge packs — bring an existing CurseForge pack into the packwiz workflow.
  • Install and update many mods at once from CurseForge and Modrinth.
  • Handle server-only and client-only mods so each side gets the right set.
  • Generate remote file metadata from JAR files for CurseForge mods.

Features worth knowing

  • Git-friendly TOML-based metadata format.
  • A Java-based pack installer/updater that works with MultiMC and ATLauncher, with support for optional mods and fast automatic updates — useful for servers.
  • Pack distribution over HTTP servers, including a built-in local server for testing.
  • Easy installation and updating of multiple mods at once from CurseForge and Modrinth.
  • Exporting to and importing from CurseForge and Modrinth packs.
  • Server-only and client-only mod handling.

When packwiz is not the right tool

packwiz is not designed for managing downloaded mod files — for that, use CurseForge, GDLauncher, or another CLI. It is also not aimed at people who want a GUI, though some third-party efforts exist. If your workflow depends on a graphical interface or on organizing JARs you already have, packwiz will add friction rather than remove it.

Getting started

The documentation is organized into a few paths:

  • Installation — set up the tool itself.
  • Tutorials — creating a modpack, getting started, adding mods, using packwiz with Git, installing/distributing a modpack, installing with packwiz-installer, and publishing to CurseForge or Modrinth.
  • Reference — additional options and the full command list, including packwiz init, packwiz add (via curseforge and modrinth subcommands), packwiz refresh, packwiz update, packwiz serve, packwiz pin/unpin, packwiz remove, packwiz migrate, and packwiz settings.

If you need help, the project points to its Discord server.