Forge vs Fabric vs NeoForge: loader guides, installs, and comparisons to get your modded setup running right.
Fabric is the lightweight mod loader and Sodium is its best-known FPS-boosting mod. Run the Fabric installer for your Minecraft version, drop the Fabric API and Sodium jars into your mods folder, and launch the Fabric profile to see the FPS gain.
NeoForge is the modern mod loader for Minecraft Java Edition. Download the official 26.3.0.95 installer from neoforged.net, install the client, and add NeoForge-compatible mods to your mods folder.
Pick NeoForge for modern content mods and big modpacks on current versions. Pick Fabric for max performance and fast updates. Pick Forge only for legacy 1.20.1 modpacks. You cannot mix loaders.