evoker create "My Pack" fabric 1.21.4      # write the pack
evoker add lithium                         # content from Modrinth or Hangar, dependencies included
evoker install server <pack-url>           # on the server
evoker install <pack-url>                  # on a player's computer: a Prism Launcher instance

Running a modded server usually means hunting down jars, matching versions by hand, and sending every player a zip that is out of date by next week. evoker treats the whole setup as one project:

• One pack, both sides. evoker.json lists the game, the loader and the content. evoker knows what runs where (Modrinth says which mods are client-only, server-only or both), so the server gets the server's files and players get theirs.
• Reproducible. evoker.lock pins every file to an exact version and hash, like package-lock.json or Cargo.lock. Every server and every player ends up with the same files.
• Updates reach everyone. Push a change to the pack's repo: servers pick it up on their next evoker server start, and players on their next launch, because evoker runs before Prism starts the game. A new game version stops that launch once, with a message, and the next one plays.
• Dependencies handled. Required dependencies are resolved recursively and dropped again when nothing needs them.
• Optional content. Mark something optional and players choose whether they want it.
• Configs that stay yours. Packs can ship config files. Once a server owner or player changes one, evoker never overwrites it.
• Safe upgrades. evoker upgrade list 1.21.5 shows what a new game version would change. Anything without a compatible release keeps its current version instead of breaking the pack.
• Bring your modpack. evoker import turns a Modrinth .mrpack or a packwiz pack into an evoker pack, configs included.

Loaders: Vanilla · Fabric · Quilt · NeoForge · Paper · Purpur · Spigot (built with BuildTools). Plugin servers pair with vanilla clients.

Content: Modrinth (mods, plugins, data packs, resource packs, shaders, modpacks) · Hangar (Paper plugins) · any URL

Clients: Prism Launcher

Runs on Windows, Linux and macOS with Java 21 or newer.

# Linux / macOS
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gavinhsmith/evoker/main/install.sh | bash

# Windows (PowerShell)
irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/gavinhsmith/evoker/main/install.ps1 | iex

This installs the latest release and an evoker command. You can also download evoker.jar from the releases and run java -jar evoker.jar. More options: Getting Started.

Make a pack, in an empty folder:

evoker create "My Pack" fabric 1.21.4 --git
evoker add lithium                       # server-side
evoker add sodium                        # client-side: evoker works the sides out
evoker add distant-horizons --optional   # players choose
evoker list

Commit evoker.json and evoker.lock (and an icon.png, and any configs in overrides/) and push them to GitHub. The folder's raw URL is the pack URL, e.g. https://raw.githubusercontent.com/you/my-pack/main/.

Run the server, in an empty folder:

evoker install server https://raw.githubusercontent.com/you/my-pack/main/
evoker config jvmArgs '["-Xmx4G"]'
evoker server start

Play: players install evoker and Prism Launcher, then

evoker install https://raw.githubusercontent.com/you/my-pack/main/

and launch the new instance from Prism.

evoker config [setting] [value] changes evoker's own settings. Full reference: Commands · evoker.json · Servers · Clients · Overrides · Content Sources

evoker is young (0.x). If something doesn't work with your pack, server, a mod, or a plugin, please open an issue. Ideas and questions are welcome in Discussions. A ⭐ helps others find it.

Prerequisites: JDK 21 and git. Maven is not needed; use the wrapper.

./mvnw verify                  # build + unit and integration tests (offline)
./mvnw verify -Plive           # only the tests against the real Modrinth/Hangar/server APIs
java -jar target/evoker.jar    # run the build

On Windows use mvnw.cmd. JAVA_HOME must point at the JDK folder (not its bin).

• Branch from main, open a PR; CI must pass on Linux and Windows.
• Commit messages: [tag] summary, e.g. [modrinth] resolve required dependencies.
• New logic needs a unit test; a new API client needs fixtures and an integration test.
• Docs live in wiki/ and are synced to the GitHub Wiki on every push to main. Update them with behavior changes.
• Releases: a maintainer pushes a tag (git tag v0.3.0 && git push origin v0.3.0) and CI publishes evoker.jar to GitHub Releases.

Coding agents: see AGENTS.md.

Apache 2.0. evoker is not affiliated with Mojang, Microsoft, Modrinth or PaperMC.