Well over a decade has passed since the release of Mojang's monumental sandbox game Minecraft, with countless mods dropping in that time – but a new change to the Java Edition could mean more Minecraft mods than ever before.
That change is the removal of obfuscation – a process that sees bits and bobs of Java Edition's code obscured and inaccessible. Mojang details its plans to axe obfuscation in an exciting new announcement, one that comes mere days after its post unveiling more of the Mounts of Mayhem update. The developer opens by asking readers, "Do you like to mod Java, tinker with builds, or take deep dives into Minecraft's code?"
It continues with an explanation on obfuscation within the Java Edition: "For a long time, Java Edition has used obfuscation (hiding parts of the code) – a common practice in the gaming industry. Now we're changing how we ship Minecraft: Java Edition to remove obfuscation completely. We hope that, with this change, we can pave a future for Minecraft: Java Edition where it's easier to create, update, and debug mods."
Mojang goes on to recall how it previously cleaned up some of the code's obfuscation in 2019 and beyond. Now, however, the team is removing obfuscation altogether, starting with the first snapshot to arrive post-Mounts of Mayhem. This could present modders with difficulties, but the dev has a solution.
"We know that this change may pose challenges for existing modding tools, which are typically designed for obfuscated code, and we're going to help modders prepare for this change," Mojang admits.
"Starting with the next snapshot, we will provide un-obfuscated 'experimental release' versions alongside obfuscated ones. Modders will be able to use these to test their tools and workflows before we transition fully to non-obfuscated versions."
As for why Mojang is choosing to do this, it's simple. "Modding is at the heart of Java Edition – and obfuscation makes modding harder," the company says. "We're excited about this change to remove obfuscation, as it should make it quicker and easier for modders to create and improve mods. Now you won't have to untangle tricky code or deal with unclear names."
Mojang concludes: "What's more, de-bugging will become more straightforward, and crash logs will actually be readable!"
The dev adds that this change doesn't affect its current EULA at all – so, creative masterminds, get ready to mod.
