Modding:Content pack frameworks

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Content pack frameworks are SMAPI mods designed to simplify the process of creating content packs for Stardew Valley. While they aim to minimize the need for programming experience, some familiarity with coding concepts can be helpful. Creating mods directly in C# for SMAPI may offer insight into the way the game works. Content packs are one of the two main ways to mod Stardew Valley, alongside creating C# mods for SMAPI directly.

Here's a list of software for pixel art and JSON text editors we recommend. With software like VS Code and Sublime, you can set up the schema so it checks the formatting of your JSON file as you write your mod. In that way, it's like a built in json validator site. More details on setting up the schema here.

Content Patcher

The recommended framework mod to use is Content Patcher, which allows you to change how Stardew Valley loads its contents, assets, sprites, maps, and even much of its logic from its Content folder.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of new things you can add to the game using Content Patcher:

Items (including cooking, crops, trees, clothing, furniture, and new artisan machines that can process inputs)
Buildings, maps, and locations
Farm animals and pets
NPCs, including dialogue, sprites, schedule and events
Mail, shops, quests, and special orders

With Content Patcher you can also patch existing assets, which includes:

Retexturing sprites, including (but not limited to) item sprites, NPC portraits and map appearance
Changing NPC behavior, dialogue or even their name
Modify maps to add new locations or warps

See Modding:Content Patcher for a getting started guide.

Other popular frameworks

While you want to use Content Patcher in most cases, other frameworks can be useful if you need features that isn't supported by the game engine itself. These framework mods usually either extend Content Patcher by adding new assets to the game for content packs to edit (in which case they don't have their own content pack formats, but instead rely on Content Patcher's own), or define their own separate formats.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of framework mods used most often to create content packs. (The parenthesis next to each name is the conventional acronym used in the folder name for mods that do not use Content Patcher.).

Core (1000+ content packs)

mod	is CP extension	functionality
Json Assets (JA)	no	Create specific item types, with support for functionality specific to each item type (e.g., specifying crafting/cooking/recipes or gift tastes for new items). It currently supports creating objects, big craftables, crops, fruit trees, hats, weapons, shirts, pants, and boots. Content and images added by Json Assets can also be edited through Content Patcher. See its GitHub readme for documentation. Note: 1.6 adds the ability to add new items natively via CP, which should be the preferred method.
Alternative Textures (AT)	no	Enables texture variation for placeable objects, buildings and entities. This includes trees, animals, pets, farm buildings, plants, and more.

Popular (400+)

mod	is CP extension	functionality
Producer Framework Mod (PFM)	no	Add/change the inputs/outputs/behaviour of any machine in the game. That includes vanilla machines (e.g., keg), machines added by other mods, and adding machine logic to any big craftable. Note: 1.6 adds the ability to add new machine rules natively via CP, which should be the preferred method. PFM still provides several additional features not found in the base game (though most of them are covered by Extra Machine Config, an addon framework on top of CP).
Fashion Sense (FS)	no	Allows for bigger accessories, hairstyles, hats, shirts, sleeves and pants, as well as animation support and more.
SpaceCore	yes	A framework providing many features to content pack authors. Features include: Crafting/cooking recipes that can take ingredients based on context tags Extra item data, such as buffs on consumption Extra trigger actions, map actions and game state queries Extra yields on crop harvest Animated textures Custom spawnables and procedurally generated dungeons.

Common (100+)

mod	is CP extension	functionality
Better Artisan Good Icons (BAGI)	no	Add custom icons to artisanal items like honey or wine based on the item or flower used to make them. Note: The original Nexus version is not updated for 1.6. Use EBAGI if you want to make 1.6 content packs.
Farm Type Manager (FTM)	no	Add farm-like spawning logic to any map. That includes spawning stumps, debris, forage, meteors, monsters, ores, etc.
Mail Framework Mod (MFM)	no	Add new mail with functionality like custom backgrounds, repeating mail, a wider variety of mail attachments, and support for multiple attachments. Note: 1.6 adds the ability to add new mail natively via CP, which should be the preferred method. MFM still provides several additional features not found in the base game (such as attaching items with higher quality to mail).

Specialized frameworks

These have fewer than 100 content packs, but provide useful functionality for specific cases.

Items

These mods add new functionalities to items, including machines, furniture, and tools.

mod	is CP extension	functionality
Better Crafting (BC)	yes	Create custom recipes more advanced than those supported by the base game including support for controlling availability and ingredients via game state queries, running trigger actions when a player crafts the recipe, and multiple possible ingredients or outputs using item queries and spawn fields. Create custom crafting stations with a limited selection of recipes, which can optionally be excluded from other crafting menus. These crafting stations can be opened via map tile actions or trigger actions. Allows assigning map tile actions to big craftables, which allows using them with the custom crafting stations feature.
Custom Crafting Stations (CCS)	no	Add customized crafting stations which opens menus with a limited selection of recipes, without those recipes cluttering up the vanilla crafting menus. The stations can be big craftables that are vanilla or added using Json Assets (JA). The stations can also be added via tiledata added to the map. Note: This mod is in maintenance mode for 1.6 - Using Better Crafting might be a better idea.
Expanded Storage (XS)	yes	Adds custom storages (chests, cabinets, etc.) that support capacity at vanilla levels and beyond.
Furniture Framework (FF)	no	A Framework to make "Furniture Packs" with much more freedom that what a simple Content Pack allows: with it you can define seats, table slots, layers, shops, and much more.
Item Extensions (IE)	yes	Gives modders the ability to create custom resources, custom mixed seeds, and interactions between objects in-menu. (1.6)
Extra Machine Configs	yes	Adds extra functionalities to machine input/output rules, such as additional fuels/byproducts for specific recipes or copying color and flavor of input to the output.
Machine Terrain Framework	yes	Adds the ability to define big craftables that can be placed on trees and water, as well as aquatic crops.
Calcifer	yes	A core mod providing various useful features. Current feature include custom offset for items displayed on furniture, Custom actions when interacting with furniture, custom item category names, and NPC swimming as part of their schedules.
Secret Note Framework	yes	A framework mod for adding custom Secret Notes to the game. Includes the ability to specify complex eligibility conditions or specific locations, use a different item for the note object, specify custom content and formatting (including images and text, or both), and set any trigger actions to be run when a note is first read.
Custom Bush	yes	Allows custom bushes to be added to the game which work like the tea sapling.
Craft Anything Framework (CAF)	yes	Extend crafting recipes to allow crafting furniture, weapons, tools, and anything else.
Advanced Melee Framework (AMF)	no	A framework for creating custom special attacks and enchantments for individual weapons and weapon types.
Glow Buff	yes	Adds a way for authors to apply a real glow effect to food buffs.
Prismatic Valley Framework	yes	Framework to allow mod authors to specify a texture color override, including Prismatic and custom prismatic palettes, to their content using custom fields in Content Patcher. Currently supported: farm animals, objects, big craftables, and boots.
Trinket Tinker	yes	Framework for making custom trinkets with special abilities and trinket companions via content patcher. Also allows trinkets to be summoned without requiring the slot via trigger actions.
Furniture Machine	yes	Allows furniture items to accept machine rules, notable input-output rules. Essentially allows machine dimensions bigger than 1x2.

Maps/Locations

These mods add new functionalities to maps and locations, including extra tile actions and properties.

mod	is CP extension	functionality
Custom Farm Loader (CFL)	no	A simplified way of adding custom farms. Supports among other things spawning items/wild crops/resource clumps/beach drops and setting fishing rules within your farms context. Note: 1.6 adds the ability to add new farm types natively via CP, which should be the preferred method. CFL still provides several additional features not found in the base game.
Custom Critters (CC)	no	Add custom critters to the world, like butterflies and bees.
Central Station (CS)	no	Make new locations accessible through bus, train, or boat, so you don't need to patch paths/warps into existing maps. Has backwards compatibility for Train Station and Bus Locations, and adds a new location with randomized tourist/shops which can be populated further by other mods.
Esca's Modding Plugins (EMP)	yes	Adds miscellaneous new features for other mods to use. Current features include bed placement and kitchens/minifridges outside of a farmhouse, more Content Patcher Tokens, custom Special Order boards, destroyable bushes, multiple fishing zones, change water color.
Bush Bloom Mod (BBM)	yes/no	Allows creating custom bush blooming schedules to support whatever seasons, days, locations, and items you may want.
Unlockable Bundles (UB)	yes	Enables custom bundle creation and allow items to be registered as wallet currency.
Personal Indoor Farm (PIF)	yes	Adds new personal FarmHouse rooms. Modders can add room designs.
Solid Foundations (SF)	yes/no	A framework for adding custom buildings to the game. Note: 1.6 adds the ability to add new buildings natively via CP, which should be the preferred method. SF still supports several features not present in the base game, including custom light sources on building exteriors and auxiliary human door.
Mapping Extensions and Extra Properties (MEEP)	yes	Allow map authors to spice up their maps with the new custom tile properties and extra features. Features including spawning fake NPCs, closeup interactions, opening a letter and more.
Misc Map Action Properties (MMAP)	yes	Add features related to locations, maps, and buildings. Includes panorama backgrounds, various map wide visual effects, simple critter spawning, some fixes for custom farmhouse mods, building lights and draw layer rotation, and more.
Buildings Included	yes	Allows map makers to add pre-built buildings to their maps and conditionally add/upgrade buildings.
Carpentry Catalogue	yes	Allows custom builder NPCs that can construct buildings like Robin, with either their own list of buildings or shared with Robin.

Miscellaneous

These mods extend game functionality in other ways, or provide under-the-hood utilities for modders to use.

mod	is CP extension	functionality
Content Patcher Animations (CP-A)	yes	Animate any texture loaded through Content Patcher, including for textures that can't normally be animated (e.g., item sprites). Note: It's recommended that you use SpaceCore's animation feature instead.
Custom Companions (CC)	no	Allows creating custom entities that can be spawned on maps or follow the player around. This includes animals in the world or wandering NPCs.
More Nightly Events (MNE)	yes	Adds custom night-time events, using either configurable pre-made events, or by making your own with event scripting.
Cloudy Skies	yes	A framework for adding custom weather types to the game, with distinct visual and auditory styles. Includes a variety of trigger actions to simulate weather effects, both beneficial and harmful.
Extra Animal Configs	yes	Extends farm animal data with additional features, such as multiple harvest types, food other than hay, and multiple choices for hatching/births.
Special Power Utilities	yes	A categorized special items & powers tab. For mod authors working with powers and books, this mod provides the ability to add/specify tabs for their custom powers, change the "book read" message for custom books, add books that grant recipes, and extra Game State Queries, trigger actions and CP tokens.
Button's Extra Trigger Action Stuff (BETAS)	yes	Adds several extra triggers, actions, and game state queries for Content Patcher mod authors to utilize. See the documentation for a full list and instructions.
Cross-Mod Compatibility Tokens (CMCT)	yes	Adds some special, custom Content Patcher tokens that lets mods access the config values, translations, and dynamic tokens from other mods, including mods that are not made for Content Patcher specifically.
Livestock Bazaar	yes	Revamps the farm animal purchase menu, and adds ways for mod to create custom animal shops.
Nature In The Valley (NiTV)	yes/no	Framework for making catchable animals, creatures, critters and beasts with varying behaviors and temperaments. Creatures can either passively spawn according to conditions such as GSQs, or be spawned actively using trigger actions.