Visual Workbench — a mod for Minecraft

Visual Workbench — a mod for Minecraft

• Minecraft version: 26.1.2

• Loader: Fabric

• Mod version: 26.1.0

• Dependencies: Fabric API, Forge Config API Port, Puzzles Lib
  

Visual Workbench solves one specific problem: items placed in a crafting table disappear from it every time you leave the menu. The mod keeps them in place — and not just in the slots, but also as 3D models displayed right on top of the block. The recipe is preserved between inventory closings and between sessions. 

demonstration of the mod in action 

Core mechanics 

When you lay out ingredients in the crafting table and close the inventory, the items stay in the grid. The next time you open the workbench, everything will be in its place. If you break the workbench, the contents of all slots will drop on the ground as separate items, just like with a chest. 

The saved recipe is tied to a specific block at a specific position in the world. In multiplayer, other players see the contents and can take items or add their own — the workbench behaves like a shared container. 

Item rendering

On top of the workbench, the mod renders miniature models of the ingredients, laid out across the 3×3 grid. By default the models are three-dimensional — each item is shown with its own standard 3D model. The config offers the option to switch to 2D rendering if the 3D display gets in the way or causes conflicts with other mods.  

2D crafting display after changes in the config file 

If the assembled recipe is valid, a model of the crafting result additionally appears above the ingredient grid. This lets you see the planned output without opening the inventory. The result display can be disabled separately in the config file. 

By default, the items on the workbench turn to face the nearest player — this is controlled by the rotate_ingredients = \"CLOSEST_PLAYER\" parameter. With the CRAFTING_PLAYER value the models orient only toward whoever last opened the workbench. NEVER disables rotation entirely — the items lie in a fixed position regardless of the player's location. 

demonstration of the crafting rotating toward the player

Installing on an existing world  

When you install the mod on a world that already has crafting tables, they remain vanilla blocks until first use. On opening, the workbench is automatically converted to the mod's version and starts saving its contents. This is controlled by the convert_vanilla_workbench_when_interacting parameter in visualworkbench-server.toml — true by default.  

With the false value, old workbenches are not converted and continue to work as ordinary ones. New workbenches placed after the mod is installed are immediately the mod's version without any conversion. 

comparison of a vanilla and a modded workbench  

Configuration 

The configuration files are located at the path .minecraft/config/. On Fabric the config reloads automatically after the file is saved — no game restart needed. 

visualworkbench-client.toml 

visualworkbench-server.toml 

Conclusion 

Visual Workbench adds recipe storage between closings, and you can see the contents of the workbench without opening the inventory. For a base with several specialized workbenches this removes unnecessary actions — you can see what is where.