What's Client-Side in Minecraft? Everything You Need to Know.
Client-side refers to anything that runs on the player's own game client. This includes everything you see, hear, and interact with on your screen: graphics, sounds, UI elements, controls, and visual effects. Client-side changes only affect your personal experience and don't modify the actual game world or how the server operates.
What Is Client-Side?
In Minecraft, "client-side" describes the part of the game that runs locally on your computer or device. The client handles:
- Graphics rendering: Everything you see like textures, lighting, animations, particles
- Sound effects and music: All audio that plays during gameplay
- User interface: Menus, HUDs, inventory screens, chat display
- Player input: Keyboard and mouse controls, movement processing
- Visual settings: Video quality, render distance, FOV, brightness
Your client displays the game world and sends your actions (like breaking blocks or moving) to the server, which then validates and processes them. The client itself doesn't control game logic, it only shows you what's happening and relays your inputs.
Comparison: Client-Side vs. Server-Side
Understanding the difference between client-side and server-side is crucial for modding and troubleshooting:
| Aspect | Client-Side | Server-Side |
|---|---|---|
| Runs on | Your personal computer or device | The game server (remote computer) |
| Controls | Graphics, sounds, UI, input handling | Game logic, world state, rules, mob AI |
| Affects | Only your view of the game | Everyone on the server |
| Examples | Minimaps, shaders, OptiFine, UI tweaks | Gameplay mods, world generation, anti-cheat |
When you perform an action, the client-side sends a message to the server-side, which checks if it's allowed and then updates the game world for everyone. This keeps all players synchronized and prevents cheating.
Client-Side Mods
Client-side mods only modify what you see and experience. They don't change how the game actually works. These mods can be installed on your game without requiring the server to have them, and they work on any vanilla or modded server.
Common examples include:
- OptiFine or Iris: Performance optimization and visual enhancements
- Minimaps: Xaero's Minimap, JourneyMap, VoxelMap
- HUD mods: Armor status, potion effects, FPS counter
- Cosmetic changes: Custom textures, fonts, or item displays
- UI improvements: Better inventory management, enhanced menus
Since these mods only affect your screen, you can use them freely without server permission (unless the server has rules against certain features like minimaps).
When Client-Side and Server-Side Matter
Not all mods are purely client-side or server-side as some require both:
- Client-only mods work anywhere and don't need server installation
- Server-only mods run on the server and players don't need to install anything
- Shared mods must be installed on both client and server to work properly
If you try to join a server with a mod that changes gameplay (like adding new blocks or items), the server will reject you unless it also has that mod installed. However, visual mods like shaders or minimaps will work fine since they don't change the actual game data.
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