# Auto-download from Modrinth

[Modrinth](https://modrinth.com/) is an open source modding platform with a clean, easy to use website for finding [Fabric, Forge, etc mods](https://modrinth.com/mods) and [Paper, etc plugins](https://modrinth.com/plugins), and [datapacks](https://modrinth.com/datapacks). At startup, the container will automatically locate and download the newest versions of mod/plugin files that correspond to the `TYPE` and `VERSION` in use. Older file versions downloaded previously will automatically be cleaned up.

- **MODRINTH_PROJECTS** : comma or newline separated list of project slugs (short name) or IDs. The project ID is located in the "Technical information" section. The project slug is the part of the URL that follows `/mod/`, `/plugin/`, or `/datapack/`. For example:
  ```
    https://modrinth.com/mod/fabric-api
                             ----------
                              |
                              +-- project slug
  ```
  Also, a specific version (or release type) can be declared adding a colon and then the version id, version number/name, or release type after the project slug. The version ID or number can be found in the 'Metadata' section. Valid release types are `release`, `beta`, `alpha`.
  
  To select a datapack from a Modrinth project, prefix the entry with "datapack:". When running a vanilla server, this is optional since only datapacks will be available for vanilla servers to select.
  
  You can also reference a file containing project entries by prefixing the **container path** path with `@`.
        
  | Description                     | Example projects entry                                |
  |---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------|
  | Select latest version           | `fabric-api`                                          |
  | Select specific version         | `fabric-api:bQZpGIz0`<br/>`fabric-api:0.119.2+1.21.4` |
  | Select latest beta version      | `fabric-api:beta`                                     |
  | Latest version using project ID | `P7dR8mSH`                                            |
  | Latest version of datapack      | `datapack:terralith`                                  |
  | Specific version of datapack    | `datapack:terralith:2.5.5`                            |
  | Projects Listing File           | `@/path/to/modrinth-mods.txt`                         |

!!! info "More about listing files"

    Each line in the listing file is processed as one of the references above; however, blank lines and comments that start with `#` are ignored.
    
    Make sure to place the listing file in a mounted directory/volume or declare an appropriate mount for it.
    
    For example, `MODRINTH_PROJECTS` can be set to "@/extras/modrinth-mods.txt", assuming "/extras" has been added to `volumes` section, where the container file `/extras/modrinth-mods.txt` contains
    
    ```text
    # This comment is ignored
    fabric-api
    
    # This and previous blank line are ignore
    cloth-config
    datapack:terralith
    ```

## Version from Projects

When the environment variable `VERSION_FROM_MODRINTH_PROJECTS` is set to "true" the Minecraft [`VERSION`](../versions/minecraft.md) will be automatically determined by looking at the most recent version of Minecraft that is supported by all the projects provided in `MODRINTH_PROJECTS`.

!!! example

    Given the environment variables
    
    ```yaml
        MODRINTH_PROJECTS: |
          viaversion
          viabackwards
          griefprevention
          discordsrv
        VERSION_FROM_MODRINTH_PROJECTS: true
    ```
    
    Let's say all are supported on Minecraft up to 1.21.8 except griefprevention, which is only supported up to 1.21.7. In that case, `VERSION` will be automatically set to 1.21.7.

## Extra options

`MODRINTH_DOWNLOAD_DEPENDENCIES`
: Can be set to `none` (the default), `required`, or `optional` to download required and/or optional dependencies.

`MODRINTH_ALLOWED_VERSION_TYPE`
: The version type is used to determine the newest version to use from each project. The allowed values are `release` (default), `beta`, `alpha`. Setting to `beta` will pick up both release and beta versions. Setting to `alpha` will pick up release, beta, and alpha versions.

`MODRINTH_LOADER`
: When using a custom server, set this to specify which loader type will be requested during lookups