Better Shulkers

About

Better Shulkers is an open-source Minecraft mod that enhances shulker boxes with powerful automation features. The mod works completely on the server side, requiring no client modifications, making it perfect for vanilla-compatible servers while also working seamlessly with modded content.

Key Benefits

• Server-side only – No client mod required, works with vanilla clients
• Vanilla compatible – Players don’t need to install anything
• Multiple platforms – Available for Fabric, Quilt, Forge, NeoForge, Sponge, and PaperMC
• Configurable – Extensive configuration options for server administrators

This is Tater Certified’s entry in the 2025 NeoForge Server-side Summer competition!

Features

This is a brief list of features. More can be found on our website:

• Open shulker boxes from anywhere – Right-click shulker boxes in your hand or inventory to open them without placing them
• Automatic item pickup – Shulker boxes can automatically pick up items that match their assigned material
• Material assignment – Assign materials to shulker boxes using either crafting recipes or enchantments
• Visual material display – See what material a shulker box is assigned to via visual displays on the box
• Server-side only – Works completely on the server with no client mod required
• Vanilla compatible – Works with vanilla Minecraft clients

Compatibility

The mod is compatible with Minecraft 1.21 and above.

Showcase Video

Configuration Options

The mod utilizes gamerules for configuration

| Option | Default | Description |
|———————————|———|—————————————————————————————————————————–|
| insert_into_shulker_on_pickup | true | If true, items can go into material shulkers when picked up |
| open_shulkers_from_inventory | true | If true, players can open shulker boxes by right-clicking them in their inventory |
| open_shulkers_from_hotbar | true | If true, players can open shulker boxes by right-clicking while holding them |
| shulker_display_animations | true | If true, material displays will be animated when opening and closing a shulker. Disable this if the animation appears laggy |
| shulker_material_displays | true | If true, shulker boxes will have item displays above them showing what material it is |
| shulker_material_enchantment | true | If true, shulker boxes can be enchanted with the Material Collector enchantment for material assignment |
| shulker_material_recipe | false | If true, shulker boxes can be assigned materials using the crafting recipe mentioned below |

How It Works

Material Assignment Methods

Recipe Method:

• Place a shulker box in the center of a crafting table
• Surround it with 4 obsidian blocks in the corners
• Place the desired material item in the remaining 4 slots
• This creates a shulker box that will automatically pick up that material

Enchantment Method:

• First, obtain the “Material Collector” enchantment through these methods:
• Trading: Librarian villagers may offer enchanted books with this enchantment
• Loot: Found in various loot chests throughout the world
• Apply the enchantment to a shulker box using an anvil
• Then use the anvil to combine the enchanted shulker with the desired material item
• This creates a shulker box that will automatically pick up that material

Supported Platforms (As of v2.0.0)

• Fabric/Quilt (1.21 – 1.21.6, 26.1.x)
• Forge (26.1.x)
• NeoForge (1.21 – 1.21.6, 26.1.x)
• PaperMC/Spigot/Folia (26.1.x)
• Sponge (26.1.x)

Installation

Fabric, Quilt, Forge, NeoForge

Simply put the mod in the mods folder

Sponge

Simply put the plugin in the plugins folder

Spigot/PaperMC

1. Install the Ignite Mixin loader
2. Run the ignite jar alongside the paper/spigot jar
3. Put the mod in the mods folder and restart

Folia

1. Install the Ignite Mixin loader
2. Rename the Folia jar to “paper.jar”. Alternatively, you can launch the game with the following JVM args: -Dignite.locator=paper -Dignite.jar=./folia.jar
3. Run the ignite jar alongside the folia jar
4. Put the mod in the mods folder and restart

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