OverlayLib
by lugosieben
OverlayLib is a Fabric library for rendering live info-overlays, which other mods can build on rather than writing their own rendering code.
What it does
Developers who build an information display can use OverlayLib to draw it on the screen while the player plays. The library handles the drawing itself, using custom shaders and rendering pipelines, so a mod that depends on it does not need its own rendering setup. Configuration of the overlay data is kept simple, and computed values are cached so that they are not recalculated on every frame.
The library ships presets for overlay renderers and overlay managers, so a dependent mod can use them directly, and developers may also write their own. OverlayLib runs on the client only, and Fabric API is required, so it must be installed beside it. The mod is published for Fabric across six release versions, 1.21.11 – 26.3, and the code is released under the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 4.0 license, which means it is not open source. Public links for the source code and the issue tracker are available.
Key features
Custom rendering pipelines
Overlays are drawn with custom shaders and pipelines, so the calling mod does not write its own draw code.
Overlay data caching
Computed overlay data is cached so that it is not recalculated every frame.
Configurable overlay computation
The data shown in an overlay can be configured through a simple computing setup.
Renderer and manager presets
Ready-made renderers and managers can be used as they are, or replaced with custom ones written by the developer.
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 2 mods
Use cases
Library for dependent mods
Mods that show live information, such as Light Overlay or Crop Farming Helper, can depend on OverlayLib for their display layer.
Who it’s for: Mod developers who want to show live information on the screen, and players who use a mod that requires OverlayLib.
How it compares
Renderer is a Fabric client-side library under the GNU General Public License v3.0 only, with files for 1.18.2 – 1.20.4, and it is open source. OverlayLib covers 1.21.11 – 26.3 and is not open source. Phlox is a Fabric mod for client and server, open source under the GNU General Public License v3.0 only, published for 26.1.2 – 26.2.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OverlayLib | Fabric | 1.21.11 – 26.3 | Client-side only | 2026-10-02 |
| Renderer | Fabric | 1.18.2 – 1.20.4 | Client-side only | 2024-02-27 |
| Phlox | Fabric | 26.1.2 – 26.2 | Client and server | 2026-07-31 |
Questions
Does OverlayLib need Fabric API?
Does OverlayLib have to be installed on the server?
Which mods use OverlayLib?
In the catalog
OverlayLib is one of 3,514 Library mods on ModsFinder, and one of 2,348 Library mods for Fabric. 8,071 mods support Minecraft 26.3.
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What the author says
There isn't proper documentation for this mod (yet). If you wan't to learn how to use it to create your own mod, you can send me a DM on Discord: @lugosieben
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/overlaylib
- Owner
- lugosieben
- Published
- 2026-01-25
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2026-10-02
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15