Kael looked at the glowing file on his screen: UltimateArrows.jar . "I have to make it portable. I have to make it work on the Bedrock. Where do I start?"
[Your_Mod_Name]_Addon/ ├── [Your_Mod_Name]_BP/ └── [Your_Mod_Name]_RP/ Use code with caution. Create the Manifest Files
Every Bedrock pack requires a manifest.json file to tell Minecraft how to load it. You must create one for both the RP and the BP.
As conversion technology continues to evolve—with AI agents like PortKit's multi‑agent pipeline and tools like PackConverter becoming more sophisticated—the gap between Java and Bedrock modding will continue to narrow. But for now, a hybrid approach—using automation where possible and manual work where necessary—remains the most reliable path from .jar to .mcaddon . how to convert jar to mcaddon portable
Always check if the original Java mod author has already released an official Bedrock version. Porting without permission is fine for personal use, but don't redistribute someone else's .jar assets as your own .mcaddon .
Once the behavior pack (with manifest.json defining UUIDs, version, and dependencies) and resource pack (with its own manifest.json ) are prepared, they are placed into a single folder. That folder is zipped, then renamed from .zip to .mcaddon . When double-clicked, Minecraft Bedrock will import both packs simultaneously. This is the only "portable" aspect—an .mcaddon can be shared and installed on any Bedrock platform (Windows, iOS, Android, Xbox) without additional tools.
After asset extraction, the core Java classes must be read (by a human) to understand what the mod actually does. For a simple mod (e.g., adding a new sword with double damage), the logic is straightforward. For a complex tech mod (e.g., an energy system with machines), this step can take weeks. The porter must answer: Kael looked at the glowing file on his
Before converting any mod, consider the original creator's license:
To convert the mod, you first need to extract its visual and structural components.
You cannot simply "convert" a complex Java mod (like Create or Optifine ) to Bedrock. The code is fundamentally different. However, for simpler mods (like new items, blocks, or entities), conversion is possible. Where do I start
Inside BP/items/ , create my_sword.json . This tells Bedrock how the item behaves (damage, durability, etc.).
Portable conversion is rarely perfect on the first try due to the mechanical differences between the game engines.
Create another manifest.json (different UUIDs). Then create: