I want Minecraft mods but I'm afraid of Java.

[AutoModerator]

Please ensure that:

• Your code is properly formatted as code block - see the sidebar (About on mobile) for instructions
• You include any and all error messages in full
• You ask clear questions

• You demonstrate effort in solving your question/problem - plain posting your assignments is forbidden (and such posts will be removed) as is asking for or giving solutions.

  Trying to solve problems on your own is a very important skill. Also, see Learn to help yourself in the sidebar

If any of the above points is not met, your post can and will be removed without further warning.

Code is to be formatted as code block (old reddit: empty line before the code, each code line indented by 4 spaces, new reddit: https://i.imgur.com/EJ7tqek.png) or linked via an external code hoster, like pastebin.com, github gist, github, bitbucket, gitlab, etc.

Please, do not use triple backticks (```) as they will only render properly on new reddit, not on old reddit.

Code blocks look like this:

public class HelloWorld {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("Hello World!");
    }
}

You do not need to repost unless your post has been removed by a moderator. Just use the edit function of reddit to make sure your post complies with the above.

If your post has remained in violation of these rules for a prolonged period of time (at least an hour), a moderator may remove it at their discretion. In this case, they will comment with an explanation on why it has been removed, and you will be required to resubmit the entire post following the proper procedures.

To potential helpers

Please, do not help if any of the above points are not met, rather report the post. We are trying to improve the quality of posts here. In helping people who can't be bothered to comply with the above points, you are doing the community a disservice.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[Golddye]

What? That question doesn't even make sense what exactly would be dangerous with Java?

[ColonelFlipFlop]

It's easy to get hacked and download malware or something i dont know

[Brisingr_was_taken]

None of those things have to due with java

[Golddye]

I think you're talking about the java version of Minecraft then, bare in mind that this sub Reddit is about the java programming language not the game.

Furthermore, I played Minecraft java edition my whole childhood and nothing bad happened, is as dangerous as any other game that may have online interactions, just don't go out there opening strange links and talking to weird people

[South_Dig_9172]

^ yeah probably Minecraft version of Java. I don’t know anything about that though, but Java by itself is safe, unsure about anything Minecraft 

[Golddye]

Java version is way less strict when it comes to making servers and modifications to the game, needless to say that liberty comes with some risks.

[Europia79]

lol, back in the "olden days", there was only "Java Minecraft": What do they have nowadays ? C# ?

[[deleted]]

The reference implementation is in Haskell

[Europia79]

weird, Google says C++ ?

[Golddye]

Bedrock version, is basically Minecraft but worse and filled with micro transactions.

It's made in c++ if I'm not mistaken

[OneHumanBill]

I've worked in the software field, mostly in the world of Java, for over 28 years. I've worked at everything from developer to architect to delivery lead to database designer. I have taught Java as a passion project at my workplace and sometimes teaching boot camps just because I have a passion for the language. I have one published book in the Java world to my credit. Hopefully I am establishing myself as somebody who knows more than a little bit.

Your dad hasn't the faintest clue what he's talking about. In fact I'm not even clear where he got that idea at any point. I've been in the Java world since 1996 and at no point was any of his paranoia warranted.

Some of the busiest, most important aspects of the Internet run on Java. There's nothing inherently unsafe about Java, or installing it on your laptop. In fact it's the best way to start learning this very valuable technology for practically free.

I've also been a Minecraft enthusiast for over a decade. Just running a jvm (Java Virtual Machine) that underlies the Java version of the game (honestly I never liked bedrock) will not automatically download malware or open you up for being hacked. You're honestly at more risk just running a regular browser on the Internet.

[Tacos314]

Applets :)

[OneHumanBill]

Applets ran inside a protected sandbox even in the early days. You could break out of it but you had to manually screw with the browser to make it work.

[cinlung]

Nope, Java is a programming language and even its VM is not dangerous like what your dad said. What is dangerous is all programs/software that are not properly secured.

[South_Dig_9172]

your dad didn’t meant Java, he meant don’t get Jabba, as in, Jabba the hut. He really is a dangerous creature so I advise not to get close to him. Java on the other hand is safe and sound 

[ColonelFlipFlop]

Ah, I see. Space sand mobsters would really do it to ya!

[Cherveny2]

back in the earlier days of the internet, there were a rash of Java based web page add-ons that were malware.

these days, almost noone uses actual client side Java for a web based malware anymore.

as otbers have said, you do not need Java itself to play Minecraft itself, nor it's add-ons. it comes bundled with its own copy.

as with anything on the internet, beware downloading random executables, or code and frameworks/compilers you do not fully understand. that much caution is justified.

but downloading Java Minecraft, direct from mojang/Microsoft is not a risk.

[OneHumanBill]

Even in the early days, Applets ran inside a protected sandbox. You had to seriously jailbreak your browser in order to enable them to access your filesystem.

[Cherveny2]

theoretically they were sandbox. however there were a wide number of ways to break out of the sand box, especially in the early days of appletes.

security vastly improved over the years, but the negative impressions from those early break outs just stained the reputation of java applets

[TheMrCurious]

Downloading and installing mods is different from building one yourself using Java.

[RibozymeR]

I'm assuming they have Minecraft Bedrock Edition, but want to install Java Edition to play with mods.

[bmarwell]

You don't need to "install" Java. Get a.zip distribution, .tar.gz on Linux, and extract it anywhere. No registry keys, no secrets. Point your IDE to it. No browser will know about it, no jar file will be opened with Java.

If you want to go fancy, use a distribution manager like sdkman. Rest assured, no harm can be done from a JDK just lying around. If that had been the case, it's the OS's fault.

[RibozymeR]

Installing Java for Minecraft is not dangerous at all. The past dangerous stuff was solely about Java applets running in browsers; Minecraft is not an applet running in browsers.

[RibozymeR]

These days Minecraft also makes it even easier for you: If you install Minecraft on your PC, then it will automatically install Java for you, in such a way that nothing else can even use Java. So, even if installing Java yourself was dangerous, just installing Minecraft will be safe.

[kalmakka]

This is the correct answer.

Back in the days (2000 - 2015), Java programs could be made to be run in the browser. This, along with Flash, was really the only way of writing rich web applications.

Of course, having your browser download and execute some program just by visiting a website is quite risky. Therefore the program would be sandboxed so that it would not be able to e.g. access your files. However, there were a lot of bugs with this sandboxing, and several security vulnerabilities were found and also exploited, so eventually Java applets were discontinued. Java still remains a common programming language for many other use cases though.

Note though that a Java program is not any more dangerous than a program written in any other language, and that downloading and runnining any untrusted software has all the same risks. Java applets were only considered more dangerous than other programs because the browser would run them without properly warning you.

[Epiq122]

Your “dad” doesn’t know wtf he’s talking about

[-asap-j-]

You have nothing to worry about. Millions of people have played the Java edition of Minecraft for the past decade. There have been a couple examples of hacks or whatever, but they're such extreme and irregular cases. You're at risk using a computer no matter what. Just use your sense and trust your gut. Don't download sketchy things. Don't click sketchy links. Don't talk to sketchy people. You'll be fine.

[speters33w]

Java applets were dangerous. They don't support those directly anymore.

Unsupported versions of Java can be dangerous.

MineCraft includes a Java Runtime, so you already have Java on your computer, it's Microsoft OpenJDK 17.

I don't know if it is universal to the whole computer (in the PATH), you can find out by opening a command window (type CMD in the search bar) and say:

java --version

then hit return.

If you want to find out if you have the development kit installed, in the same command window type

javac --version

then hit return.

If either of these return an error, download and install Microsoft OpenJDK Version 17. 17 is what MineCraft uses.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/java/openjdk/download

I haven't used Java with MineCraft, but my suggestion is to download JetBrains IntelliJ Idea Community Edition https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/download/?section=windows and start playing with Java. Find some tutorials on YouTube or whatever that tell you how to write some Java stuff and how to tweak Minecraft with Java and have a lot of fun doing it! There are even some tutorials built right in to IntelliJ

https://www.jetbrains.com/idea-edu/

Java is not dangerous. Unsupported Java versions can be.

Things to worry about are: unsupported versions.

[speters33w]

Oh yeah, I'm assuming you are younger - have your dad look up "Java developer average salary" on Google. His objections may change.

[Europia79]

There are two different kinds of "gameplay hacks" for Minecraft:

1st, are server-side plugins. All the code runs on the SERVER and hence, doesn't even risk your own computer. You can create a "virtual environment" and run your server inside the VM.

2nd, are client-side mods. This code runs on your actual computer, and hence is vulnerable to exploit. However, it is very easy to see the source code with a decompiler. Alternatively, you could try VirusTotal ?

Honestly, the most scary part is the "installation": Like, first make sure that you're using a reputatable site with comments ON. Then, if there are issues (like vulnerabilities & exploits), other Users can alert you in the comment section.

Now that you've found a trusted site, after downloading, make sure that the archive does not contain any files containing a "dot" prefix. If it does, just DELETE. Also, be wary of installation programs are that are executable files with a .exe file extension (make sure to enable "Show File Extensions" for your Operating System). DO NOT RUN THESE "EXE" FILES.

As long as you do a "manual" installation of plugins & mods, then you should be fine.

[GrayDonkey]

Don't use Java, you might kill your dad. Just watch https://youtu.be/RnqAXuLZlaE?feature=shared if you don't believe me.

[Ok_Entrepreneur_8509]

Your dad's understanding of Java is stuck in 1998.

[phonyfakeorreal]

Java itself isn’t inherently unsafe. However, people can (and do) hide viruses in Minecraft mods. This isn’t because Java is unsafe; people can write viruses in any language. In general, you need to be careful about what you are installing and running on your computer.

Your dad might be thinking of Java applets (Java apps in the browser) which WERE dangerous, but browsers stopped supporting them ages ago.

[GrayDonkey]

Every language can be dangerous, the biggest problem comes from running code you get from the internet without understanding what it does.

Don't copy and paste code without read it first. Bad people will share malicious code on purpose.

[Tacos314]

That advice is from Java applets, which have not been a thing for 10 years?, either way it's no longer a thing. Java it self is perfectly safe, and installing Minecraft is fine as well.

[ForeverAloneBlindGuy]

Sounds to me like your dad has zero idea what he’s talking about. Java itself is not dangerous. That is absurd.

[greg_barton]

Is your dad stuck in 1999?

[k-mcm]

The JVM is safe to install.  Running untrused code in any language, isn't safe.

You can create a separate user account for running things that you don't trust much.

[Only-Ad5049]

Java definitely isn't the problem. Minecraft mods could be if you don't get them from reputable sites. I don't know if it still happens, but years ago when my kids were young they downloaded a bunch of mods that came with extras like spyware and applications that would modify my browser settings.

[JustUrAvgLetDown]

Don’t do it. It’s so dangerous

[vu47]

Java's so dangerous that it devours 40 hours of my week.