Light Machine
by Pepsied
Light Machine is a block for players who want automatic torch placement: once placed and fed torches, it lights dark areas within a radius on its own.
What it does
Light Machine scans the blocks inside a 512-block horizontal and vertical radius for spots with a light level of 4 or lower. When it finds a dark spot it places one of its own torches there, so the area gets lit over time while the player is away. The machine adds a single block to the game, craftable from ordinary materials, and it opens a screen where a torch slot is loaded.
Each torch the machine places uses up one torch from its inventory, and it does not generate additional ones. Because the machine spreads light across a whole radius, it is useful for mob-spawn-proofing bases and farms, and it removes the need to walk around placing torches by hand. Server owners can run it on a shared world to light a large area without any player action beyond loading torches.
The mod is released under the MIT License and is not open source. It needs to be installed on the server, while clients can join without it. Files target 1.21.2 – 1.21.11 on Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt, and a data pack build is also available.
Key features
Automatic torch placement
The machine finds dark spots within its radius and places a torch in each one without any player input.
Single crafted block
Light Machine is one new block, crafted and placed in the world like any other block.
Torch loading screen
A GUI opens from the block so players can load torches into the machine's slot.
Spawn-proofing support
Lighting a large radius helps keep hostile mobs from spawning around bases, farms and creeper-prone areas.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
1.21.x10 of 10 versions with builds
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Use cases
Who it’s for: Server owners and survival players who want torches placed over a wide area without manual work, and who are prepared to load the machine with torches from time to time.
How it compares
Light Machine is server required and client optional, and is published for Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt. Placer is a NeoForge mod for 1.21.1, running on client and server, under All rights reserved and not open source. YCK's Auto Torch is a NeoForge mod for 1.21.1 – 1.21.4, client and server, also under All rights reserved and not open source. Gleam is a Fabric mod for 1.21.10 – 1.21.11 that runs client-side only and is open source under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light Machine | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.21.2 – 1.21.11 | Server required, client optional | 2025-05-10 |
| Placer | NeoForge | 1.21.1 | Client and server | 2026-01-28 |
| YCK's Auto Torch | NeoForge | 1.21.1 – 1.21.4 | Client and server | 2025-05-03 |
| Gleam | Fabric | 1.21.10 – 1.21.11 | Client-side only | 2026-05-21 |
Questions
Does Light Machine need to be installed on clients?
Which loaders does Light Machine support?
Does Light Machine use up torches?
In the catalog
Light Machine is one of 8,499 Technology mods on ModsFinder, and one of 4,201 Technology mods for Fabric. 19,862 mods support Minecraft 1.21.11.
More from Pepsied
Similar mods
What the author says
An autonomous, radius-wide torch placer for painless spawn-proofing. Torches are consumed one-for-one as they are placed—no duplicates, no infinity.
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/light-machine
- Owner
- Pepsied
- Published
- 2025-05-09
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2025-05-10
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15