Inside The Block (ITB)
by zkryle
Inside The Block changes how vanilla container blocks look, so the contents of a furnace or smoker can be seen from outside the block.
What it does
The mod replaces the opaque cube of several vanilla container blocks with a 3D hollow model, letting players watch items cook inside a furnace in real time. The model is synced with the furnace's internal state, so the display follows what the block is actually doing. Its changes are purely visual and leave vanilla mechanics untouched.
The server must run Inside The Block, while players may leave it out and still join. Files are published for Forge and NeoForge across 8 release versions, 1.20.1 – 1.21.11, and the code is under the MIT License, though the project is not open source. Latest builds are 1.1.0 for 1.20.6 on Forge and 1.1.0 for 1.21.11 on NeoForge.
Key features
Hollow furnace model
A furnace is drawn as a 3D hollow block instead of a solid cube, so its interior stays visible.
Blast furnace and smoker models
The blast furnace and smoker receive the same hollow 3D treatment, with textures fixed inside the model.
Real-time cooking display
Items visibly cook inside the furnace, and the display follows the block's internal state.
More detailed item animations
Items moving through the container are animated in more detail than the vanilla rendering shows.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Use cases
Watching a smelting line
Players running several furnaces can check which slots are cooking without opening each block's interface.
Building display rooms
Builders who want a visible kitchen or workshop can leave the containers open to view.
Who it’s for: Players and builders who want the contents of vanilla containers to stay visible, and server owners who want the change on their world.
How it compares
Wandering Hollows Official Signs is a Forge client and server mod under the MIT License, published for 1.20.1 only. HammerMicroblocks is a Forge and NeoForge client and server mod for 1.20.1 – 1.21.1 under All rights reserved. More Furnaces Variants is open source under the MIT License, runs on client and server, and covers 1.20 – 1.21.1 across Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt, so it reaches more loaders than Inside The Block.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inside The Block (ITB) | Forge and NeoForge | 1.20.1 – 1.21.11 | Server required, client optional | 2026-02-09 |
| Wandering Hollows Official Signs | Forge | 1.20.1 | Client and server | 2025-04-10 |
| HammerMicroblocks | Forge and NeoForge | 1.20.1 – 1.21.1 | Client and server | 2026-07-01 |
| More Furnaces Variants | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.20 – 1.21.1 | Client and server | 2024-07-10 |
Questions
Does Inside The Block need to be installed on the client?
Which loaders does Inside The Block support?
Which game versions have files?
In the catalog
Inside The Block (ITB) is one of 12,078 Decoration mods on ModsFinder, and one of 6,149 Decoration mods for Forge. 19,862 mods support Minecraft 1.21.11.
Similar mods
What the author says
Inside The Block is a visual-focused mod that reimagines vanilla container blocks by making them 3D, hollow, and interactive. Blocks like the furnace are no longer opaque cubes — you can actually see what’s happening inside them in real time.
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/inside-the-block-itb
- Owner
- zkryle
- Published
- 2026-02-02
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-02-09
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15