Hi, I've been coding Spigot plugins for years and am now trying out modding with forge. The problem is : the only official documentation I could find is https://docs.minecraftforge.net/ which clearly doesn't describe every class and every function. Couldn't find JavaDoc to import either, so how do I know how I should use constructors or methods when the parameter names are p_11425_ or stuff like that ? I know there are lots of tutorials online but that's not how I learn my way into coding in general, and especially in Minecraft. Plus these people making the tutorials must've learnt the methods somewhere.

 

As I said, I'm new to this, so I'm sorry if there are obvious answers which I didn't see, but trust me I've searched the Internet (the wrong way perhaps).

These are some good resources:

https://www.mcjty.eu/docs/intro
https://forge.gemwire.uk/wiki/Main_Page

Mostly people learn by looking at vanilla code, I think. The parameter names are a bit weird, but they're usually accompanied by a type - e.g., int p_282557_ (so we know this parameter is an integer) - when you trace the parameter back to where it is first declared in a method/class.

This guy does great mc modding video tutorials:https://www.youtube.com/@ModdingByKaupenjoe

So for example if I look at the vanilla code for the HUDs (which is roughly what I want to do), I'll be able to create one myself ? (With the help of the wiki and the forge documentation for the mod, of course) ?

in theory, yes, you might be able to.

in reality, if you don't start with a simple mod first, you will give up completely.

you have a vision. i get it. i'm not saying forget it - just shelve it. write your plan in a text document and shelve it for a few days. now come up with something you can do in a few hours (it will take no less than a day for a first one but never mind that).

isn't there something small that you wanted to change? some tweak? for example detect a cow being hit and make all nearby cows freak out, not just that one. or detect a sheep being killed and if the perpetrator is a wolf, remove meat from the list of drops... whatever. something simple.

do not make big things until you make one tiny mod.