Vanilla Item Groups

Vanilla item groups are the built-in creative tabs that come with Minecraft. Using vanilla tabs helps your mod’s items integrate seamlessly with the base game and makes them easier for players to find in familiar locations.

Available Vanilla Item Groups

fabricpy provides access to all vanilla creative tabs through the fabricpy.item_group module:

Core Vanilla Tabs

import fabricpy

# Building and resource tabs
building_blocks = fabricpy.item_group.BUILDING_BLOCKS
natural = fabricpy.item_group.NATURAL
functional = fabricpy.item_group.FUNCTIONAL

# Tool and equipment tabs
tools = fabricpy.item_group.TOOLS
combat = fabricpy.item_group.COMBAT

# Resource tabs
ingredients = fabricpy.item_group.INGREDIENTS

# Miscellaneous tabs
food_and_drink = fabricpy.item_group.FOOD_AND_DRINK
redstone = fabricpy.item_group.REDSTONE
spawn_eggs = fabricpy.item_group.SPAWN_EGGS

Complete List of Vanilla Groups

Here are all available vanilla item groups and their typical contents:

BUILDING_BLOCKS

  • Stone, wood, concrete, terracotta

  • Structural blocks for construction

NATURAL

  • Logs, dirt, ores, plants

  • Naturally occurring materials

FUNCTIONAL

  • Chests, furnaces, crafting tables

  • Blocks with game mechanics

REDSTONE

  • Redstone dust, repeaters, pistons

  • Redstone mechanics and components

TOOLS

  • Pickaxes, shovels, axes, hoes

  • Utility tools for gathering

COMBAT

  • Swords, bows, armor

  • Weapons and protective equipment

FOOD_AND_DRINK

  • Food items, potions

  • Consumable items

INGREDIENTS

  • Crafting components, materials

  • Items used to make other items

SPAWN_EGGS

  • Spawn eggs for entities

  • Entity summoning items

Using Vanilla Item Groups

Basic Usage

import fabricpy

# Create items using vanilla tabs
items = [
    fabricpy.Item(
        id="mymod:iron_hammer",
        name="Iron Hammer",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.TOOLS  # Tools tab
    ),

    fabricpy.Item(
        id="mymod:steel_sword",
        name="Steel Sword",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.COMBAT  # Combat tab
    ),

    fabricpy.Item(
        id="mymod:ruby_gem",
        name="Ruby Gem",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.INGREDIENTS  # Ingredients tab
    )
]

Item Type Examples by Tab

Building Blocks Tab

# Blocks for construction
building_items = [
    fabricpy.Block(
        id="mymod:marble_block",
        name="Marble Block",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.BUILDING_BLOCKS
    ),

    fabricpy.Block(
        id="mymod:steel_block",
        name="Steel Block",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.BUILDING_BLOCKS
    ),

    fabricpy.Block(
        id="mymod:reinforced_concrete",
        name="Reinforced Concrete",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.BUILDING_BLOCKS
    )
]

Natural Tab

# Naturally occurring materials
natural_items = [
    fabricpy.Block(
        id="mymod:copper_ore",
        name="Copper Ore",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.NATURAL
    ),

    fabricpy.Block(
        id="mymod:mystical_log",
        name="Mystical Log",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.NATURAL
    ),

    fabricpy.Item(
        id="mymod:crystal_shard",
        name="Crystal Shard",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.NATURAL
    )
]

Tools Tab

# Utility tools
tool_items = [
    fabricpy.Item(
        id="mymod:diamond_pickaxe",
        name="Diamond Pickaxe",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.TOOLS,
        max_stack_size=1
    ),

    fabricpy.Item(
        id="mymod:magic_shovel",
        name="Magic Shovel",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.TOOLS,
        max_stack_size=1,
    ),

    fabricpy.Item(
        id="mymod:multi_tool",
        name="Multi Tool",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.TOOLS,
        max_stack_size=1,
    )
]

Combat Tab

# Weapons and armor
combat_items = [
    fabricpy.Item(
        id="mymod:steel_sword",
        name="Steel Sword",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.COMBAT,
        max_stack_size=1
    ),

    fabricpy.Item(
        id="mymod:crossbow_enhanced",
        name="Enhanced Crossbow",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.COMBAT,
        max_stack_size=1,
    ),

    fabricpy.Item(
        id="mymod:plate_armor",
        name="Plate Armor",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.COMBAT,
        max_stack_size=1,
    )
]

Food and Drink Tab

# Consumable food items
food_items = [
    fabricpy.FoodItem(
        id="mymod:energy_bar",
        name="Energy Bar",
        nutrition=5,
        saturation=6.0,
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.FOOD_AND_DRINK
    ),

    fabricpy.FoodItem(
        id="mymod:healing_potion",
        name="Healing Potion",
        nutrition=0,
        saturation=0,
        always_edible=True,
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.FOOD_AND_DRINK,
        max_stack_size=16
    ),

    fabricpy.FoodItem(
        id="mymod:gourmet_steak",
        name="Gourmet Steak",
        nutrition=8,
        saturation=12.8,
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.FOOD_AND_DRINK
    )
]

Ingredients Tab

# Crafting materials
ingredient_items = [
    fabricpy.Item(
        id="mymod:steel_ingot",
        name="Steel Ingot",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.INGREDIENTS
    ),

    fabricpy.Item(
        id="mymod:magic_dust",
        name="Magic Dust",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.INGREDIENTS,
    ),

    fabricpy.Item(
        id="mymod:circuit_board",
        name="Circuit Board",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.INGREDIENTS
    )
]

Functional Tab

# Functional blocks with mechanics
functional_items = [
    fabricpy.Block(
        id="mymod:auto_smelter",
        name="Auto Smelter",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.FUNCTIONAL
    ),

    fabricpy.Block(
        id="mymod:enchanting_altar",
        name="Enchanting Altar",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.FUNCTIONAL,
    ),

    fabricpy.Block(
        id="mymod:storage_crate",
        name="Storage Crate",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.FUNCTIONAL
    )
]

Decorations Tab

# Decorative items
decoration_items = [
    fabricpy.Block(
        id="mymod:crystal_lamp",
        name="Crystal Lamp",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.DECORATIONS,
    ),

    fabricpy.Item(
        id="mymod:wall_banner",
        name="Wall Banner",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.DECORATIONS
    ),

    fabricpy.Block(
        id="mymod:decorative_pillar",
        name="Decorative Pillar",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.DECORATIONS
    )
]

Complete Vanilla Integration Example

Here’s a complete mod that uses various vanilla tabs appropriately:

import fabricpy

# Create mod
mod = fabricpy.ModConfig(
    mod_id="integrated_mod",
    name="Integrated Mod",
    version="1.0.0",
    description="Seamlessly integrates with vanilla Minecraft",
    authors=["Integration Expert"]
)

# Items organized by vanilla tabs
all_items = [
    # Building materials
    fabricpy.Block(
        id="integrated_mod:marble_block",
        name="Marble Block",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.BUILDING_BLOCKS,
    ),

    fabricpy.Block(
        id="integrated_mod:granite_bricks",
        name="Granite Bricks",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.BUILDING_BLOCKS,
    ),

    # Natural resources
    fabricpy.Block(
        id="integrated_mod:tin_ore",
        name="Tin Ore",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.NATURAL,
    ),

    # Crafting ingredients
    fabricpy.Item(
        id="integrated_mod:tin_ingot",
        name="Tin Ingot",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.INGREDIENTS
    ),

    fabricpy.Item(
        id="integrated_mod:bronze_ingot",
        name="Bronze Ingot",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.INGREDIENTS
    ),

    # Tools
    fabricpy.Item(
        id="integrated_mod:bronze_pickaxe",
        name="Bronze Pickaxe",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.TOOLS,
        max_stack_size=1
    ),

    fabricpy.Item(
        id="integrated_mod:tin_shovel",
        name="Tin Shovel",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.TOOLS,
        max_stack_size=1
    ),

    # Combat items
    fabricpy.Item(
        id="integrated_mod:bronze_sword",
        name="Bronze Sword",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.COMBAT,
        max_stack_size=1
    ),

    # Food items
    fabricpy.FoodItem(
        id="integrated_mod:tin_can_food",
        name="Canned Food",
        nutrition=6,
        saturation=7.2,
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.FOOD_AND_DRINK
    ),

    # Functional blocks
    fabricpy.Block(
        id="integrated_mod:bronze_furnace",
        name="Bronze Furnace",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.FUNCTIONAL,
    ),

    # Decorative items
    fabricpy.Block(
        id="integrated_mod:tin_lantern",
        name="Tin Lantern",
        item_group=fabricpy.item_group.DECORATIONS,
    )
]

# Register all items
for item in all_items:
    if hasattr(item, 'nutrition'):  # FoodItem
        mod.registerFoodItem(item)
    elif hasattr(item, 'block_texture_path'):  # Block
        mod.registerBlock(item)
    else:  # Item
        mod.registerItem(item)

# Compile and run
mod.compile()
mod.run()

Best Practices for Vanilla Tabs

  1. Choose Appropriate Tabs

    • Tools go in TOOLS tab, not MISCELLANEOUS

    • Building materials go in BUILDING_BLOCKS

    • Ores and natural materials go in NATURAL

    • Food items go in FOOD_AND_DRINK

  2. Follow Vanilla Conventions

    • Study where similar vanilla items are placed

    • Maintain consistency with game expectations

    • Don’t put items in unexpected locations

  3. Consider Player Experience

    • Players expect to find tools in the tools tab

    • Building blocks should be with other building blocks

    • Keep related items together

  4. Balance Tab Population

    • Don’t overload any single tab

    • Spread items appropriately across tabs

    • Use MISCELLANEOUS sparingly

When to Use Vanilla vs Custom Tabs

Use Vanilla Tabs When: * Items fit naturally into existing categories * You want seamless integration with vanilla * You have few items of a particular type * Your mod extends vanilla functionality

Use Custom Tabs When: * You have many themed items (8+ items) * Items form a cohesive collection * You want prominent mod branding * Items don’t fit well in vanilla categories

Common Mistakes

  • Wrong tab choice: Putting decorative blocks in TOOLS tab

  • Overusing MISCELLANEOUS: Should be last resort

  • Ignoring item type: Food items not in FOOD_AND_DRINK

  • Inconsistent placement: Similar items in different tabs

Tab Reference Quick Guide

# Quick reference for common item types

# Raw materials and ores
item_group=fabricpy.item_group.NATURAL

# Processed materials and components
item_group=fabricpy.item_group.INGREDIENTS

# Structural blocks
item_group=fabricpy.item_group.BUILDING_BLOCKS

# Blocks with mechanics
item_group=fabricpy.item_group.FUNCTIONAL

# Aesthetic blocks
item_group=fabricpy.item_group.DECORATIONS

# Utility tools
item_group=fabricpy.item_group.TOOLS

# Weapons and armor
item_group=fabricpy.item_group.COMBAT

# Edible items
item_group=fabricpy.item_group.FOOD_AND_DRINK

Next Steps