Model Viewer
by swakoza
Model Viewer is a client-side Fabric tool that shows which item model Minecraft renders for a selected item, and which resource pack supplied it.
What it does
Players and resource pack authors select an item in the main hand, offhand, under the cursor in the inventory, or nearby in the world, including item entities, item frames and item displays. A detailed inspector window then lists the active minecraft:item model, the resource pack that won, the overridden variants from other packs, and the final model JSON parent chain.
The inspector also reports bound textures and any missing resources, along with the path Minecraft traverses to reach the selected model. It handles modern item model structures, including the minecraft:custom_model_data format, so custom items that use complex conditions and several model variants can be traced. Models found in a regular resource pack folder can be opened in Blockbench straight from the mod, which loads the original JSON file.
Model Viewer is published for Fabric only, with the 1.21.1 build and the 26.1 line, covering 1.21.1 – 26.1.2 across eight release versions. It is installed on the player's side alone, so servers need nothing. The code is under the MIT License and is not open source.
Key features
Inspect held and nearby items
Items in the main hand, offhand, under the cursor or nearby can be inspected, including item entities, item frames and item displays.
Trace the winning model
The active minecraft:item model is shown with the resource pack that supplied it and the overridden variants from other packs.
Full JSON parent chain
The final model JSON and its parent chain are listed, with the paths of overrides, textures and parent files.
Missing resource report
Bound textures and missing resources are flagged with their paths, so broken references are simple to locate.
Open models in Blockbench
A model in a regular resource pack folder opens directly in Blockbench, and models inside zipped packs are copied to a local working folder first.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
How it compares
Resource Pack Local Path is open source under the GNU General Public License v3.0 only, for 26.1 – 26.2, and runs server-side only. Item Model Browser is a Fabric mod for 1.21.10 – 26.3 that is not open source, is covered by All rights reserved, and is optional on either side.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model Viewer | Fabric | 1.21.1 – 26.1.2 | Client-side only | 2026-05-26 |
| Resource Pack Local Path | Fabric | 26.1 – 26.2 | Server-side only | 2026-08-14 |
| Item Model Browser | Fabric | 1.21.10 – 26.3 | Client or server, optional | 2026-09-29 |
Questions
Does Model Viewer need to be installed on the server?
Which loader does Model Viewer use?
Can Model Viewer open a model from a zipped resource pack?
In the catalog
Model Viewer is one of 8,499 Technology mods on ModsFinder, and one of 4,201 Technology mods for Fabric. 15,189 mods support Minecraft 26.1.2.
Similar mods
What the author says
ModelViewer is a client-side Fabric mod for Minecraft Java Edition that helps you understand which item model is actually being used in the game. The mod shows the model path, the active resource pack, the final model JSON, the parent chain, bound textures, missing resources, and the full path Minecraft followed to…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/modelviewer
- Owner
- swakoza
- Published
- 2026-05-18
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-05-26
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15