Install a Minecraft datapack

Datapacks modify the game (recipes, advancements, functions) server-side without installing a mod. They work on Vanilla and most modded servers (Fabric, Forge, NeoForge) — provided the datapack is compatible with the version.

Cause / The problem

A datapack placed in the wrong folder or never reloaded won’t apply. On a modded server, some datapacks can also conflict with recipes already overridden by mods.

Solution

1. Download the datapack as a .zip (do not unzip it) from a trusted source (Vanilla Tweaks, PlanetMinecraft, Modrinth).
2. Check version compatibility: a datapack for 1.21 won’t work on 1.20 and vice versa. The pack.mcmeta file inside the zip specifies the format.
3. Drop the .zip into the world/datapacks/ folder via the panel file manager or over SFTP:

   /world/datapacks/my-datapack.zip

   If you have multiple worlds, place it in the one you actually play on (usually world).
4. Reload the datapacks in-game (as operator):

   /reload

   Or restart the server if no one is connected.
5. Verify it’s enabled:

   /datapack list

   The datapack should appear with [file/...]. If it’s marked disabled, enable it:

   /datapack enable my-datapack

6. To remove a datapack, delete the .zip and run /reload.
7. On a modded server (Forge/Fabric), test first on a copy of the server: a datapack that overrides recipes can break the ones added by a mod.

Datapacks are perfect for customizing recipes, adding /function commands, or modifying loot tables without relying on a plugin. They consume very few resources.