Just Enough Items (JEI)

JEI (Just Enough Items) is a recipe viewer. A player presses a key and sees what a given item is made from and what it can be used for. On modded servers, it is essential — without it, a player is lost with new items and asks others how things are made.

Besides recipes, it can do the opposite: it shows everywhere an item is used. That is exactly what players appreciate with complex mods (technical or magical), where one item has ten uses.

JEI is a client-side mod — it belongs on the player's computer. The server does not need it and knows nothing about it. What is important, however, is that JEI only shows recipes from those mods that the player has installed on their side: if the server uses a mod and the player does not, they simply will not see recipes from it.

From this follows a practical procedure for a modded server: write players a list of mods they should have, and optionally add a link to them. Players who set up the correct setup see all recipes; others have to ask. It is not a bug of JEI, but a characteristic of modded servers.

For a server, JEI is beneficial in that it reduces the number of questions. When a player finds a recipe on their own, there is a greater chance that instead of leaving they will start building. It therefore pays off to recommend JEI and mention it on the server's website — along with a guide on how to install mods.

1. JEI is a client-side mod — it is installed on the player's computer, not on the server.
2. Install Fabric Loader or NeoForge for your game version (JEI also exists for Forge, mainly for older versions).
3. Download JEI from modrinth.com/mod/jei in the version for your game version and loader.
4. Put the .jar into the mods folder (on Windows %appdata%\.minecraft\mods).
5. Launch the game and find an item in your inventory — hover over it with your mouse and try the recipe key (for JEI, it is usually R).
6. Try the opposite direction too (key U) — item usage. This is the most valuable feature on modded servers.
7. Install the same mods that the server uses — JEI only shows recipes from mods you have yourself.
8. Verify that items from the server's mods also appear in the recipe list (for example, from tech mods).
9. In JEI settings, you can turn off the display of items you don't have — it will make things clearer.
10. On the server, write a list of recommended mods for players (JEI and others) and include versions. It will save half the questions.
11. If JEI does not load after installation, verify the mod version — it must match the game version and loader.

JEI belongs to players, not to the server. The server doesn't know about it and does nothing with it.
It shows recipes only from mods that the player has. Tell players what they need to install — it's the most common question on modded servers.
The keys can be changed in JEI settings; some players confuse them with other mods and then report that JEI isn't working.
The version must match the game version. After updating Minecraft, JEI needs to be replaced with a new version.
On older servers (1.12.2 and similar), JEI is still standard — on newer versions it's used the same way, it's just called the same and has a different menu.
When JEI displays too many items, the player can turn off the display of those they don't have. It will help clarity and put less strain on the computer.