🐯

Ember says: a tidy mod is a kind mod. Someone else should be able to unzip it, drop the folder into Mods, and have it just work. That is the goal of this episode.

🛠️

Try it right here: build your manifest and content files, then download the mod. This is the real Stardew Mod Studio, live in this page. Open it full size →

🧹

Tidy the Folder

One clean mod folder

Active

🎯

Goal for this step

Make your mod folder clean and predictable.

1Your mod should be one folder, with the manifest at the very top, not buried.
2Delete anything you do not need: old test files, spare copies, screenshots.
3Keep maps in assets/maps and images in assets/images.
4Check there is no folder inside a folder by mistake. ContentPatcher/ContentPatcher is the classic slip.

A tidy, shareable mod

MyFirstFarm/
├── manifest.json
├── content.json
├── icon.png            (optional)
└── assets/
    ├── maps/
    │   ├── Farm.tmx
    │   └── SecretGarden.tmx
    └── images/
        └── CustomSign.png

✏️

Fill in the Blanks

+15 XP

The manifest.json must sit at the of the mod folder. Maps belong in assets/.

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

Where must the manifest.json sit in a mod folder?

ANested inside the assets folder

BAt the very top of the mod folder

CAnywhere, the game searches for it

🏷️

Fill in Every Manifest Field

Name, Author, Version, UniqueID, ContentPackFor

Locked

🎯

Goal for this step

Write a complete, correct manifest.

1Name and Author: what people see.
2Version: start at 1.0.0.
3UniqueID: YourName.YourWorld. One of a kind, never reused.
4ContentPackFor: Pathoschild.ContentPatcher, so SMAPI routes it correctly.
5Optional: Description for a friendly blurb.

manifest.json

{
  "Name": "My First Farm",
  "Author": "You",
  "Version": "1.0.0",
  "Description": "A custom farm and a secret garden.",
  "UniqueID": "You.MyFirstFarm",
  "ContentPackFor": { "UniqueID": "Pathoschild.ContentPatcher" }
}

✏️

Fill in the Blanks

+15 XP

A first release is normally version 1.0. . The one-of-a-kind field is the .

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

What should ContentPackFor point to?

AYour own UniqueID

BPathoschild.ContentPatcher

CThe game version number

🔢

Get Into the Version Habit

1.0.0, then 1.0.1, then 1.1.0

Locked

🎯

Goal for this step

Understand why versions matter and how to bump them.

1A version has three parts: major.minor.patch, like 1.2.3.
2Small fix: bump the last number (1.0.0 to 1.0.1).
3New content: bump the middle (1.0.1 to 1.1.0).
4Bump the version every time you share an update, so people know they are current.

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

You fixed one small bug. Which version bump?

AJump to 2.0.0

BLeave the version alone

CThe patch number, 1.0.0 to 1.0.1

🖼️

Add an Icon (Optional)

A friendly face for your mod

Locked

🎯

Goal for this step

Give your mod a thumbnail.

1If your manifest has an UpdateKeys or you list it somewhere, an icon makes it stand out.
2Put a square icon.png in your mod folder.
3Use Pixel Studio to draw a 64 by 64 icon that matches your world.
4Icons are optional. A clear Name and Description matter more.

✏️

Fill in the Blanks

+15 XP

An optional mod thumbnail is a file named .png in the mod folder.

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

Is an icon required for your mod to work?

ANo, it is optional, the manifest is what matters

BYes, without it the mod will not load

COnly for maps

🗜️

Zip It the Right Way

The mod folder must be the root

Locked

🎯

Goal for this step

Make a zip that unzips into a working mod folder.

1Right-click your mod folder (not the files inside it) and choose Send to, Compressed zip or your zip tool.
2The zip's top level must be your mod folder name, so unzipping gives MyFirstFarm/manifest.json.
3If the zip opens straight onto manifest.json with no folder, that is wrong. Rezip the folder itself.
4Name the zip after your mod, like MyFirstFarm-1.0.0.zip.

Inside the zip

Good:  MyFirstFarm-1.0.0.zip
       └── MyFirstFarm/
           ├── manifest.json
           └── content.json

Bad:   MyFirstFarm-1.0.0.zip
       ├── manifest.json     (no folder, unzips a mess)
       └── content.json

✏️

Fill in the Blanks

+15 XP

Zip the mod itself, so unzipping creates one tidy folder inside Mods.

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

What should be at the top of the zip?

Amanifest.json straight away

BThe assets folder

CThe mod folder, which then contains the manifest

🧪

Clean-Install Test

Prove it works somewhere fresh

Locked

🎯

Goal for this step

Confirm the zip installs like a stranger would install it.

1Make a test Mods folder somewhere, or temporarily move your mod out.
2Unzip your shared zip into it, just as a player would.
3Launch through SMAPI and check the console lists your mod by name.
4Load a save and confirm the world is there. If it is, your mod is truly shareable.

🧠

Knowledge Check

+15 XP

Why test the zip instead of your working folder?

AThe zip is faster

BIt catches zip mistakes like a missing folder, so players do not get a broken install

CIt changes the version number

🎉📦🗜️✨🎉

Your Mod Is Shareable!

A tidy folder, a full manifest, a proper zip and a clean-install test. Episode 10 is the last one: reading the log like a pro, fixing the common problems, then your own world challenge.

Total XP

Level

Best Streak

Accuracy

🏆 Episode 10: Fix It & Finish →
⭐ View My Progress & Certificates

This workshop was free and took many hours to build. If it helped you learn something new, consider supporting the project.

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Wrap It UpEpisode 9: Package Your Mod

Wrap It Up
Episode 9: Package Your Mod