Mods Downloading addons in the game Addons are the parent term for mods. While mods are exclusive to the Java Edition of Minecraft, addons can be installed and used for other versions, such as ...

Java Edition users of Minecraft will need Java installed. After doing that, you’ll need to download the version of Minecraft Forge that matches your server version.

To install these mods, you'll need to use a free add-on called Minecraft Forge. This will let you customize Minecraft: Java Edition with mods.

Importantly, Minecraft Java mods tend to be free, while Bedrock add-ons can be either free or paid downloads in the Minecraft Marketplace.