Footprint
by JowhJy
Footprint is a server-side Fabric mod that saves only the chunks players have actually spent time in, which keeps world files from growing with every explored area.
What it does
Footprint decides which chunks get written to disk. A chunk is saved only after players have kept it loaded for a set number of ticks, and the default is 1200 ticks, about 60 seconds. Chunks that were only passed through quickly are not kept, so exploring large areas quickly, especially with Elytra, does not add much to the save. The mod is aimed at servers where the world file size is a concern.
Install it on the server only. Players join without any client-side installation. The first time the server starts with the mod, it generates a config file named footprint config.properties in the server's config folder. Conditions for saving a chunk are set there, and changes take effect after a server restart.
Footprint does not delete chunks that were already saved, so it never reduces the size of an existing world. Server admins who want to shrink an existing save can still prune old chunks manually with a tool such as MCA Selector. The mod is released under the MIT License and is open source; its source code and issue tracker are public. The latest file is 1.0.2-beta+26.3 for 26.3, published 2026-09-24 on the beta channel, and files cover 1.20.1 and the 1.21.5 – 26.3 range.
Key features
Automatic chunk saving
Chunks are saved automatically once they have been loaded long enough, so the server does not need manual pruning to keep them.
Configurable save conditions
Events such as blocks placed, blocks broken, entities hurt, and items picked up or dropped can each be set to count toward keeping a chunk.
Range and timing settings
Each event has a range and the time a chunk must stay loaded, with a default of 1200 ticks, and all are editable in the config file.
No world shrinking
Chunks saved before the mod was added are left as they are, so Footprint only limits growth from now on.
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
26.x5 of 5 versions with builds
1.21.x7 of 7 versions with builds
1.20.x1 of 1 version with builds
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
How it compares
Regenerate Chunks is also a server-side Fabric mod, released under the MIT License and open source, with files for 1.21 – 26.1.2. Footprint targets 26.3 and the 1.20.1 – 26.3 range instead, and it chooses which chunks to keep rather than regenerating them. Inhabitor is a server-side Fabric and Quilt mod under All rights reserved, with versions 1.21.4 – 26.3 and no open source code.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Footprint | Fabric | 1.20.1 – 26.3 | Server-side only | 2026-09-24 |
| Regenerate Chunks | Fabric | 1.21 – 26.1.2 | Server-side only | 2026-05-13 |
| Inhabitor | Fabric and Quilt | 1.21.4 – 26.3 | Server-side only | 2026-09-15 |
Questions
Does Footprint need to be installed on the client?
Does Footprint shrink an existing world?
How is the save condition changed?
In the catalog
Footprint is one of 3,545 Optimization mods on ModsFinder, and one of 2,575 Optimization mods for Fabric. 8,071 mods support Minecraft 26.3.
More from JowhJy
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What the author says
Footprint ================ Footprint is a server-side Fabric mod to help keep your world file size manageable when players explore lots of terrain quickly, especially using Elytra. Server admins often use (great) tools like MCA Selector to prune chunks that have only been loaded for a very short time. Footprint…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/footprint
- Owner
- JowhJy
- Published
- 2025-04-19
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-09-24
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15