MOD DEVELOPMENT
Mod Development Guide
Create your own mods using tModLoader's powerful C# API.
Prerequisites
Development Tools
- Visual Studio 2022 (recommended)
- JetBrains Rider (alternative)
- VS Code with C# extension
- .NET 6.0 SDK or newer
Required Knowledge
- C# programming fundamentals
- OOP concepts (classes, inheritance)
- Terraria gameplay knowledge
- Basic game dev understanding
Creating Your First Mod
Step 1: Setup Development Environment
Install Visual Studio and .NET SDK from official sources.
View detailed setup guide →Step 2: Create Mod Project
- 1. Launch tModLoader
- 2. Go to "Workshop" → "Develop Mods"
- 3. Click "Create Mod"
- 4. Enter unique mod name (no spaces)
- 5. Click "Create"
Step 3: Understand Mod Structure
YourModName/
├── build.txt # Metadata
├── description.txt # Description
├── icon.png # 64x64 icon
├── YourModName.cs # Main class
├── Items/ # Custom items
├── NPCs/ # Custom NPCs
├── Projectiles/ # Projectiles
└── Tiles/ # Blocks/tiles
Understanding tModLoader API
tModLoader provides extensive hooks into Terraria's systems through C# classes.
Core Classes
- • Mod (base mod class)
- • ModItem (items/weapons)
- • ModNPC (enemies/NPCs)
- • ModProjectile (bullets)
World Content
- • ModTile (blocks/tiles)
- • ModWall (walls)
- • ModBiome (biomes)
- • ModWorld (world gen)
Effects & UI
- • ModBuff (buffs/debuffs)
- • ModDust (particles)
- • ModSound (sounds)
- • UIState (custom UI)
Learning Resources
Official GitHub Wiki
Most comprehensive resource with hundreds of examples and tutorials.
Coverage: All API classes with examples
Updates: Regularly maintained
Examples: 200+ code snippets
Community: Open for contributions
Video Tutorials
Learn visually with community tutorials on YouTube.
- • Basic mod creation
- • Advanced techniques
- • Live coding sessions
Example Mods
Study source code from popular open-source mods.
- • ExampleMod (official template)
- • Community mod repositories
- • Well-commented projects