Mod is back for 1.20.6 with Forge and Fabric support. 1.21.x update planned for Neo-Forge and Fabric only. No plans to support Forge framework in future
Java Edition 1.12.2 and 1.16.5 with Forge offer most vibrant modded experience. These versions have been battle tested through years of real-world usage. Over 87,000 mods available as of March 2023. 1.19.3 release lacks maturity compared to legacy versions
Multiple downloads available for Minecraft Forge 1.7.10. Downloads include MD5 and SHA1 hashes for various versions. Downloads are direct downloads only
Minecraft Java edition is necessary for modding. Forge and mod versions must match. Mod files should be placed in .minecraft/mods folder
Minecraft Forge is an open-source modding API for Java edition. It simplifies compatibility between community-created games. Forge files must be placed in .minecraft/mods folder
Both Fabric and Forge are Minecraft Mod Loaders for adding modifications to vanilla game. Mods are modifications created by independent developers, not Mojang