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Custom Tooltip API

Data-driven tooltip text creation.

FabricNeoForgeForge
Loaders
FabricNeoForgeForge
Downloads on Modrinth
286K
Followers on Modrinth
3
versions
50
Updated
October 19, 2026Oct 19
Published
in 2026
This is a library — other mods need it, and it adds nothing to the game by itself
Example custom tooltip · swipe

At a glance

A library: other mods need it
Runs on Fabric, NeoForge and Forge
For Minecraft 1.20.1, 1.21.1
Client only — no need to install it on the server
Latest version — 5.2.1+1.21.1 from October 19, 2026
Requires S-Lib
Where it's needed
In gamerequiredOn servernot needed

Install in the game only; not needed on the server

Game versions1.20.1, 1.21.1

Custom Tooltip API

Custom Tooltip API is a powerful client-side Minecraft mod and developer library that gives you full control over item tooltips. Add custom lore, dynamic real-time data, animated gradients, and custom backgrounds, all configurable in-game or through code.

No need to code for basic usage, as it features a powerful in-game interface and full JSON support. However, it also provides a robust Developer API for those who want to inject tooltips via code.


Key Features

  • Icon Alignment: Align tooltip icons from external resource packs to the start of the line so the position stays consistent!

  • Advanced Targeting: Target specific item IDs (minecraft:diamond_sword), tag groups (#c:swords), entire mod namespaces (minecraft:*), Regex patterns (regex:.*_sword), or every item at once (*).

  • Dynamic Placeholders: Embed real-time item data directly into your text using variables like %durability%, %max_durability%, %weapon_damage%, or %enchantments%. You can also embed keybind hints using the format <key:key.jump> -> [Space].

  • Multi-line Support (Lore): Add entire paragraphs of lore or skill descriptions.

  • Visual Effects & Gradients:

    • Rainbow: Animated rainbow effect.
    • Slide Gradient: Two-color gradients that flow through the text.
    • Breathing Gradient: A smooth pulse between two colors.
    • Static Gradient & Solid: Fixed gradients or traditional solid text.
    • Colors: Hex codes (e.g. #RRGGBB), legacy codes (e.g. &d) or Minecraft color names (e.g. blue).
  • Custom Backgrounds & Borders: Solid, Gradient, Texture (Stretch), or Texture (Framed / Nine-Slice) modes with full opacity control. Drop any background image into config/custom-tooltip-api/backgrounds/ and enable it per tooltip via the dynamically generated resource pack. Supports full compatibility with Tierify custom rendering.

  • Custom Fonts: Drop any font into config/custom-tooltip-api/fonts/ and enable it per tooltip via the dynamically generated resource pack.

  • Positioning: Decide exactly where your text appears:

    • Top: Right below the item's name.
    • Bottom: At the very end of all descriptions.
    • Prepend: At the start of a specific line.
    • Append: At the end of a specific line.
    • Replace Name: Swap the item's default name for your custom text.
    • Replace Line: Replace a specific line with your custom text.
    • Replace All: Completely clear the original tooltip and show only yours.
  • Visibility Conditions: Show a tooltip only when an item is Damaged, Enchanted, or Unbreakable. Use Require Keybind mode to hide tooltips until the player holds a configurable key.

  • Text Modifiers: Full support for Bold, Italic, Underlined, Strikethrough, and O̷͍̞͐͑b̷̻̌f̶̯̈u̸̲͗͐s̶̩̬͝c̵͎̊a̸̹̟̎ẗ̴͖̿e̴̟̪͊̈́ď̴̹̪ (obfuscated) text.

In-Game Interface (GUI)

  • Manage all your tooltips directly from the Mods Menu. No need to manually edit files unless you want to.

  • Hold CTRL in the edit screen for an instant Live Preview of your tooltip.

  • Copy/paste entries to clipboard, reorder, duplicate, enable/disable, and sort by creation date or alphabetically.

For Developers (API)

Developers can use the built-in API to register tooltips and custom placeholders directly through code, with full .dynamicText() support for live per-frame data like energy, mana, or any custom NBT.

  • Check out the project's README.md file on GitHub!
  • A code example can be found here

For Modpack Creators

The mod generates a custom_tooltip_api/config.json5 file in your config folder. It fully supports code comments, making it incredibly easy to document your modpack's systems for your development team or community.

Drop custom backgrounds into config/custom-tooltip-api/backgrounds/ and custom fonts into config/custom-tooltip-api/fonts/. Enable the dynamically generated resource pack to activate them.


Dependencies

Required on all platforms:

Fabric only:

FAQ

How to install Custom Tooltip API?

Install Fabric for your Minecraft version, download Custom Tooltip API for the same version and loader, put the file into the mods folder and launch the game with the loader profile.

Which Minecraft versions does Custom Tooltip API support?

Custom Tooltip API has builds for Minecraft 1.20.1, 1.21.1.

Is Custom Tooltip API needed on the server?

Client only — no need to install it on the server

License and source
MIT Licensefree to use and share with credit to the author
Original — Modrinth↗Files unchanged, verified with SHA-512Is this your mod? For rights holders

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