ModsFinder

Sodium

by CaffeineMC

Sodium swaps the rendering engine of the Minecraft client for its own, with builds for Fabric, NeoForge and Quilt for 1.16.3 – 26.3.

FabricNeoForgeQuiltClient-side onlyCustom license1.16.3 – 26.3

What it does

Sodium replaces the code the game uses to draw the world. Its scope is limited to rendering on purpose: game logic, lighting and server-side work are left alone, so other mods handle those parts. All optimizations that the hardware supports are switched on by default, and the options appear in the game's Video Settings screen.

The mod is client-side only, so servers run without it. Official support covers desktop graphics cards with up-to-date drivers for OpenGL 4.5 or newer. Android devices and other systems that rely on OpenGL translation layers such as GL4ES or ANGLE are not supported.

Files exist for 37 release versions, and snapshot builds are published too. The license is a custom license; the source code, an issue tracker, a wiki and a Discord server are linked from the project page.

Key features

  1. Replacement renderer

    The client's world rendering runs through Sodium's own engine instead of the built-in one, while blocks and textures keep their usual look.

  2. Defaults that need no tuning

    Every optimization the system supports is enabled out of the box. Changing video settings is meant for troubleshooting or advanced options.

  3. Rendering only

    Sodium stays out of game logic and server code, so it can be combined with separate mods that cover those areas.

  4. Base for other mods

    110 catalog mods require Sodium, among them Iris Shaders, Sodium Extra, Reese's Sodium Options and Indium.

  5. Documented hardware floor

    Listed examples of supported hardware start with the Intel HD Graphics 500 (Skylake), NVIDIA GeForce 400 (Fermi) and AMD Radeon HD 7000 (GCN 1) generations.

Compatibility

Latest build for each game version and loader.

26.x5 of 5 versions with builds
26.3mc26.3-0.9.3-beta.1-fabricmc26.3-0.9.3-beta.1-neoforgeNot available
26.2mc26.2-0.9.2-fabricmc26.2-0.9.2-neoforgeNot available
26.1.2mc26.1.2-0.9.2-fabricmc26.1.2-0.9.2-neoforgeNot available
26.1.1mc26.1.1-0.8.9-fabricmc26.1.1-0.8.9-neoforgeNot available
26.1mc26.1.1-0.8.9-fabricmc26.1.1-0.8.9-neoforgeNot available
1.21.x12 of 12 versions with builds
1.21.11mc1.21.11-0.8.15-beta.1-fabricmc1.21.11-0.8.15-beta.1-neoforgeNot available
1.21.10mc1.21.10-0.7.3-fabricmc1.21.10-0.7.3-neoforgeNot available
1.21.9mc1.21.10-0.7.3-fabricNot availableNot available
1.21.8mc1.21.8-0.7.3-fabricmc1.21.8-0.7.3-neoforgeNot available
1.21.7mc1.21.8-0.7.3-fabricmc1.21.8-0.7.3-neoforgeNot available
1.21.6mc1.21.8-0.7.3-fabricmc1.21.8-0.7.3-neoforgeNot available
1.21.5mc1.21.5-0.6.13-fabricmc1.21.5-0.6.13-neoforgeNot available
1.21.4mc1.21.4-0.6.13-fabricmc1.21.4-0.6.13-neoforgeNot available
1.21.3mc1.21.3-0.6.13-fabricmc1.21.3-0.6.13-neoforgeNot available
1.21.2mc1.21.3-0.6.13-fabricmc1.21.3-0.6.0-beta.5-neoforgeNot available
1.21.1mc1.21.1-0.8.13-fabricmc1.21.1-0.8.13-neoforgeNot available
1.21mc1.21.1-0.6.13-fabricNot availableNot available
1.20.x7 of 7 versions with builds
1.19.x5 of 5 versions with builds
1.18.x3 of 3 versions with builds
1.17.x2 of 2 versions with builds
1.16.x3 of 3 versions with builds
ReleaseBetaAlphaNot available

This mod also publishes snapshot builds. Snapshots are not shown in the matrix.

Required by 110 mods

Iris Shaders1.16.5 – 26.3Sodium Extra1.16.2 – 26.3Reese's Sodium Options1.16.5 – 26.3Indium1.16.5 – 1.21.1Sodium Shadowy Path Blocks (SSPB)1.16.1 – 26.3Sodium Options API1.20 – 1.21.5

How it compares

Full comparison

Embeddium is also client-side only and adds Forge to the loader list, but its files end at 1.21.4, while Sodium reaches 26.3. Embeddium is open source under the GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 only. Reflex AntiLag covers 1.20.1 – 26.3 on Fabric, Forge and NeoForge, under All rights reserved.

ModLoadersGame versionsEnvironmentUpdated
SodiumFabric, NeoForge and Quilt1.16.3 – 26.3Client-side only2026-09-20
EmbeddiumFabric, Forge and NeoForge1.16.5 – 1.21.4Client-side only2025-01-24
Reflex AntiLagFabric, Forge and NeoForge1.20.1 – 26.3Client-side only2026-10-09

Questions

Does Sodium have a Forge version?

No. Files are published for Fabric, NeoForge and Quilt. The Quilt file stops at 1.20.1 (mc1.20.1-0.5.13-fabric, 2025-03-03), while Fabric and NeoForge builds reach 26.3.

Do servers need Sodium?

No. Sodium is client-side only and changes rendering on the player's computer, so a server neither needs it nor gains anything from it.

Which graphics hardware is supported?

Desktop graphics cards with current drivers for OpenGL 4.5 or newer get official support. Older cards that run the base game may work, but the team does not support them.

Are the latest Sodium files stable releases?

The newest Fabric and NeoForge files, mc26.3-0.9.3-beta.1, are in the beta channel and were published on 2026-10-15.

In the catalog

Sodium 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.

Optimization mods3,545Fabric modsMods for 26.38,071

More from CaffeineMC

All projects
Lithium1.16.2 – 26.3Phosphor1.16.2 – 1.19.4Hydrogen1.16.5 – 1.17.1

Similar mods

Iris Shaders1.16.5 – 26.3Entity Cullingb1.7.3 – 26.3FerriteCore1.16.5 – 26.3ImmediatelyFast1.18.2 – 26.3Sodium Extra1.16.2 – 26.3ModernFix1.16.4 – 26.1.2

What the author says

Sodium is a powerful optimization mod for the Minecraft client, which greatly improves frame rates and micro-stutter, while fixing many graphical issues in Minecraft. Unlike other rendering-focused mods, it boasts wide compatibility with the wider modding ecosystem. And it does so without compromising on how the game…
CaffeineMC, on the Modrinth page

Official listing

Owner
CaffeineMC
Published
2021-01-03
Updated on Modrinth
2026-09-20
Facts verified
2026-10-15

Tags

Optimization
Open on ModrinthCompare