Colorful Lighting: Sodium/Embeddium Edition
by Camawama
Colorful Lighting: Sodium/Embeddium Edition makes each light source in the world emit its own color, which spreads through the world the way vanilla light does.
What it does
Different blocks emit different colors, and the color of a light changes when it passes through filters such as stained glass. Blocks can absorb colored light, which removes it from further propagation. Colors are set through resource packs, and block state NBT data can define a separate color for each state. Modded light sources that have no configuration sample their colors from their own textures automatically. Water filters light with the colors of the local biome. Light calculation runs on a background thread so gameplay stays smooth.
This project is a fork that builds on another author's version of the mod, extending it toward renderers, shader packs and larger modpacks. It is completely client-side, so players can enjoy the effect on a server without the server installing anything. Embeddium is required and must be installed alongside it. Files are published for Forge only, and the 2.7.0 build targets 1.20.1 and was published on 2026-08-05. The project is open source under the MIT License.
Ready-made addon packs add colored lighting entries for common mods, and setup guidance for custom resource packs is documented on the project's GitHub page. Incompatible mods can be reported through the GitHub Issues page, which also tracks the project's progress.
Key features
Colored light sources
Each light source emits its own color, and the light spreads through the world like vanilla light does.
Color filters and absorbers
Stained glass and other filters tint light passing through, while absorbing blocks stop colored light from propagating further.
Resource pack colors
Colors can be customized through resource packs, and block state NBT data can assign a separate color to each state.
Automatic texture sampling
Unconfigured modded light sources sample their colors from their own textures without manual setup.
Background light calculation
Light propagation runs on a separate worker thread, so frame pacing holds up during play.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Requirements
Dependencies declared by the latest file for each loader.
Required 1
Required by 1 mod
How it compares
Starlight (Forge) is open source under the GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 only, with Forge files for 1.17.1 – 1.20.2, and it works on either side, with neither side requiring it. Sodium Dynamic Lights is open source under the MIT License, covers Fabric, Forge and NeoForge for 1.20 – 1.21.5, and is client-side only. Sodium Options Mod Compat is client-side only under a custom license that is not open source, for 1.20 – 1.21.4.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorful Lighting: Sodium/Embeddium Edition | Forge | 1.20.1 | Client-side only | 2026-08-05 |
| Starlight (Forge) | Forge | 1.17.1 – 1.20.2 | Client or server, optional | 2023-10-27 |
| Sodium Dynamic Lights | Fabric, Forge and NeoForge | 1.20 – 1.21.5 | Client-side only | 2025-04-10 |
| Sodium Options Mod Compat | Fabric, Forge and NeoForge | 1.20 – 1.21.4 | Client-side only | 2025-08-26 |
Questions
Does Colorful Lighting need Embeddium?
Does the server need this mod?
Where can an incompatible mod be reported?
In the catalog
Colorful Lighting: Sodium/Embeddium Edition is one of 3,545 Optimization mods on ModsFinder, and one of 1,441 Optimization mods for Forge. 34,764 mods support Minecraft 1.20.1.
More from Camawama
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What the author says
This mod is a direct fork of erykczy's Colorful Lighting. The goal of this fork is to expand compatibility with mods, renderers, and shader packs, making colorful lighting practical for larger modpacks. If you find an incompatible mod, please report it on the GitHub Issues page. Every light source gets a color, and…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/colorful-lighting-sodium
- Owner
- Camawama
- Published
- 2025-11-10
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-08-05
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15