Modding:Content pack frameworks

Content pack frameworks are SMAPI mods which let you write content packs with little or no programming experience, and implement the functionality for you. Content packs are one of the two main ways to mod Stardew Valley, alongside creating C# mods for SMAPI directly.

Each framework mod defines their own content pack format; see their mod pages for usage.

Active frameworks

Core frameworks

These are the most popular frameworks (with at least 100 released content packs each) used to create a wide variety of mods.

mod	functionality
Content Patcher	Add/edit/replace any content asset in the game (i.e. assets normally read from your game's Content folder). It supports data/image/map files, has functionality like partial patches and prepend/append, and supports many different conditions and tokens (e.g. to make textures seasonal, data that changes by time of day, etc). A wide variety of mods can be created using Content Patcher, from simple portrait replacements to creating entire NPCs. See Modding:Content Patcher for a getting started guide.
Json Assets	Create specific item types, with support for functionality specific to each item type (e.g. specifying crafting/cooking/recipes or gift tastes for new items). It currently supports creating objects, big craftables, crops, fruit trees, hats, weapons, shirts, pants, and boots. Content and images added by Json Assets can also be edited through Content Patcher. See its GitHub readme for documentation.
TMXL Map Toolkit	Add/edit in-game locations and maps. It includes a wide variety of specialized map functionality like crop layers, water color, tile actions, and Lua scripting. See additional TMXL documentation.
Producer Framework Mod	Add/change the inputs/outputs/behaviour of any machine in the game. That includes vanilla machines (e.g. casks), machines added by other mods, and adding machine logic to any big craftable.

Other frameworks

Many other frameworks provide specific functionality for content packs.

mod	functionality
Content Patcher Animations	Animate any texture loaded through Content Patcher, including for textures that can't normally be animated (e.g. item sprites).
Custom Furniture	Add new furniture items to the game.
Custom Music	Replace or add music tracks and sound effects.
Custom Ore Nodes	Add rock/mineral types that can be broken get items, either custom or from the base game.
Custom Resource Clumps	Add new types of boulder-sized resource clumps you can break to get items, either custom or from the base game.
Expanded Storage	Adds custom storages (chests, cabinets, etc.) that support capacity at vanilla levels and beyond.
Farm Type Manager	Add farm-like spawning logic to any map in the game. That includes spawning stumps, debris, forage, meteors, monsters, ores, etc.
Mail Framework Mod	Add new mail to the game with functionality like custom backgrounds, repeating mail, a wider variety of mail attachments, and support for multiple attachments. (Simple mail without the custom functionality can also be added via Content Patcher.)
Shop Tile Framework	Add new shops or edit existing shop inventories with with a wide variety of conditions.
Train Station	Make new locations accessible through the railroad train station, so you don't need to patch paths/warps into existing maps.

See also

• Modding:Index for different ways to create mods, and more detailed documentation.