Better Log4j Config
by Pixelstormer
Better Log4j Config reconfigures Log4j automatically on Fabric and Quilt so that each log line shows the name of the mod that wrote it.
What it does
Minecraft writes its logs through Log4j, and most mods write there too, but the default format does not say which mod produced a given message. The mod replaces that formatting at startup, so the mod name is added to every entry and logs become easier to read without a reliable way to tell mods apart by hand. Some mods try to fix this one by one, and the screenshots in the author's notes show those attempts alongside this approach.
The format can be customised further through a config file, better-log4j-config.xml, placed in the mod config directory. The mod works from 1.14 onward on Fabric and Quilt. Forge already includes its own way to reconfigure Log4j, and the author plans to port the mod there. The code is open source under the Apache License 2.0, and files are published for 1.14 – 1.21.5.
Because the mod changes how logging is set up, it sits on the logging system itself rather than on any gameplay. Either side can run it, and neither a client nor a server needs it. It is not required by any other mod listed in the catalog.
Key features
Mod name in each log line
Every log message is prefixed with the name of the mod that produced it, so entries can be traced back to their source.
Automatic reconfiguration
Log4j is reconfigured when the game starts, without a manual change to the logging setup.
Custom format file
The log layout is set in a config file in the mod config directory, with a default better-log4j-config.xml included.
Readable logs
A small change to the output makes logs significantly easier to read, especially when many mods write messages at once.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
1.21.x6 of 6 versions with builds
1.20.x7 of 7 versions with builds
1.19.x5 of 5 versions with builds
1.18.x3 of 3 versions with builds
1.17.x2 of 2 versions with builds
1.16.x6 of 6 versions with builds
1.15.x3 of 3 versions with builds
1.14.x5 of 5 versions with builds
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
How it compares
no-clearchat-on-reconfigure is a Fabric mod for 1.20.2 – 1.20.4 that is client-side only and open source under the MIT License, so it covers a narrow version range and does not work on servers. Console Filter Next runs on Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Legacy Fabric for 1.8.9 – 26.3 and is not open source, since it is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 4.0. Book Formatting is a client-side only Fabric mod for 1.19.3 – 1.21.5 under the CC0 1.0 Universal license, a different kind of tool rather than a logging change.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Better Log4j Config | Fabric and Quilt | 1.14 – 1.21.5 | Client or server, optional | 2023-08-29 |
| no-clearchat-on-reconfigure | Fabric | 1.20.2 – 1.20.4 | Client-side only | 2023-12-09 |
| Console Filter Next | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Legacy Fabric | 1.8.9 – 26.3 | Client or server, optional | 2026-10-03 |
| Book Formatting | Fabric | 1.19.3 – 1.21.5 | Client-side only | 2024-04-15 |
Questions
Does Better Log4j Config need Fabric API?
Does the server need Better Log4j Config?
Which Minecraft versions does Better Log4j Config support?
In the catalog
Better Log4j Config is one of 36,990 Utility mods on ModsFinder, and one of 25,772 Utility mods for Fabric. 15,307 mods support Minecraft 1.21.5.
More from Pixelstormer
Similar mods
What the author says
A simple mod for Quilt and Fabric to automatically reconfigure Log4j to improve the formatting of log messages. This mod is no longer being developed. It will (almost) definitely continue working for future versions of Minecraft, but the supported versions list may become outdated.
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/better-log4j-config
- Owner
- Pixelstormer
- Published
- 2023-05-23
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2023-08-29
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15