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Open-source animation engine for Minecraft

GeckoLib — Bring Your Minecraft Mods to Life

GeckoLib is the animation library behind thousands of Minecraft Java mods, adding smooth keyframed animations to entities, armor, items and blocks on Forge, NeoForge and Fabric.

Find your GeckoLib download

GeckoLib 4.2+

GeckoLib 4.2 Forge and Fabric builds are the most used choice for modpacks on 1.20.1.

Download GeckoLibGitHub Source
git clone https://github.com/bernie-g/geckolib.git
3Loaders
1.16 → 1.21Versions
100%Open source
Features

Why Modders Choose GeckoLib

GeckoLib turns Blockbench models into living, moving content with a small, friendly API.

Bone-based keyframe animation

GeckoLib reads bones, pivots and keyframes exported from Blockbench, so every limb, tail and wing moves exactly as you animated it — with easing, looping and blending between states.

Entities, armor & items

GeckoLib animates mobs, worn armor, held items and block entities using one shared system.

Three loaders

GeckoLib ships builds for Forge, NeoForge and Fabric across many Minecraft versions.

Animation controllers

GeckoLib controllers pick walk, idle or attack animations every tick based on simple predicates.

Sound & particle keyframes

GeckoLib fires sounds, particles and custom events at exact frames of an animation.

MCreator friendly

GeckoLib MCreator plugins let non-coders build animated mobs and armor in a visual editor.

Free & open source

GeckoLib code is public on GitHub, with an active issue tracker and a detailed wiki.

GeckoLib banner with a blocky green gecko mascot
The GeckoLib mascot
About GeckoLib

One library, endless creatures

GeckoLib started as a way to give Java Edition mods the kind of fluid animation that Bedrock creators already enjoyed. Today it is one of the most depended-on libraries in the Minecraft modding scene.

GeckoLib works alongside Blockbench: you model and animate visually, export JSON files, then register a renderer with a few lines of code.

  • Works on client and dedicated server
  • Smooth interpolation between animations
  • Glowing layers and custom render layers
  • Molang-style math in keyframes
Showcase

GeckoLib in Action

GeckoLib powers farm helpers, armor sets, decorative creatures and full boss fights in community mods.

GeckoLib animated entity working on a Minecraft farm
Animated entitiesMobs that walk, work and react with smooth keyframes.
GeckoLib animated armor sets on Minecraft players
Animated armorWearable sets with moving parts on any player model.
GeckoLib animated yellow duck floating on Minecraft water
Creatures & itemsSmall decorative mobs that bob, swim and idle naturally.
Versions

Pick the Right GeckoLib Version

GeckoLib major branches follow Minecraft's big updates — match the branch to the mod you are installing.

3

GeckoLib 3

MC 1.16.5 – 1.19.2

GeckoLib 3 is the classic branch that older modpacks still rely on. Read more

4

GeckoLib 4

MC 1.19.3 – 1.20.x

GeckoLib 4 introduced a cleaner API with instance caches and builders.

4.2

GeckoLib 4.2 Forge

MC 1.20.1

GeckoLib 4.2 Forge is the go-to build for huge 1.20.1 modpacks. Read more

5

GeckoLib 5

MC 1.21.x

GeckoLib 5 adds render-state rendering for modern Minecraft. Read more

Install

How to Install GeckoLib

GeckoLib takes about two minutes to set up for players, and one Gradle line for developers.

  1. Install a mod loader

    GeckoLib needs Forge, NeoForge or Fabric installed for your Minecraft version first.

  2. Download the matching jar

    GeckoLib files are loader- and version-specific, so use the picker above, then grab the file from GeckoLib.

  3. Drop it in the mods folder

    GeckoLib goes into .minecraft/mods alongside the mod that lists it as a dependency.

  4. Launch and verify

    GeckoLib shows up in the in-game Mods list once the loader profile starts correctly.

For mod developers

GeckoLib is added through its maven repository in build.gradle.

repositories {
  maven { url "https://dl.cloudsmith.io/public/geckolib3/geckolib/maven/" }
}
dependencies {
  implementation "software.bernie.geckolib:geckolib-<loader>-<mc>:<version>"
}
Full install guide
Workflows

GeckoLib MCreator & GeckoLib Bedrock

GeckoLib fits both no-code and Blockbench-first workflows.

GeckoLib MCreator

GeckoLib MCreator plugins add animated entity, armor and item templates to MCreator, so you can ship animated mobs without writing Java.

MCreator guide

GeckoLib Bedrock formats

GeckoLib reads Bedrock-style .geo.json and animation files, which makes Blockbench and add-on models easy to reuse in Java mods.

Bedrock explained
Resources

GeckoLib GitHub, Wiki & Downloads

GeckoLib resources are all in the open — code, docs and builds.

GeckoLib GitHub

GeckoLib source, branches per version and the issue tracker.

Open repository →

GeckoLib wiki

GeckoLib tutorials, upgrade guides and maven coordinates.

Read the wiki →

Downloads

GeckoLib builds for Forge, NeoForge and Fabric in one place.

Get GeckoLib →
FAQ

GeckoLib Questions, Answered

GeckoLib questions players and developers ask most often.

What is GeckoLib?

GeckoLib is an open-source animation and rendering library for Minecraft Java Edition mods. It lets developers animate entities, armor, items and block entities with keyframes made in Blockbench.

Is GeckoLib free to download?

GeckoLib is completely free. You can grab builds from GeckoLib or the source code from GitHub.

How do I install GeckoLib?

GeckoLib installs like any mod: download the jar that matches your loader and Minecraft version and place it in your mods folder next to the mod that needs it.

What is the difference between GeckoLib 3, 4 and 5?

GeckoLib 3 serves older versions up to 1.19.2, GeckoLib 4 covers 1.19.3 through 1.20.x, and GeckoLib 5 targets modern 1.21 releases with a render-state pipeline.

Does GeckoLib work with MCreator?

GeckoLib works with MCreator through a community plugin that adds animated entity, armor and item templates.

Is there a GeckoLib Bedrock version?

GeckoLib is Java-only. It uses Bedrock-style model and animation files, but Bedrock Edition has its own native animation system.

Where is the GeckoLib wiki?

GeckoLib documentation is on the GitHub wiki at https://github.com/bernie-g/geckolib/wiki, with pages for each major version.

Why does my game crash after installing GeckoLib?

GeckoLib crashes almost always come from a version mismatch, such as a Fabric jar on Forge or a GeckoLib 3 jar for a mod that needs GeckoLib 4 or 5.

Guides

Latest GeckoLib Guides

GeckoLib walkthroughs for every version and workflow.

View all guides

Ready to animate your mod?

GeckoLib is free, open source and ready for Forge, NeoForge and Fabric.

Download GeckoLib