curseupdate.com

What it is

CurseUpdate is an update-link/API service for CurseForge projects. Its goal is to automatically map Minecraft Mod projects into JSON usable by Forge Update Checker or NeoForge Update Checker. Developers do not need to change code or host a website themselves: once project files are published on CurseForge, the service queries project versions, downloads the JAR, and parses metadata to build the structure needed for update checks.

Core capabilities and ecosystem

Its core value is reducing the burden on Mod authors to maintain update JSON. The service reads the mod id and version from Forge’s mods.toml, also supports the legacy Forge mcmod.info, and can read Fabric/Quilt metadata from fabric.mod.json and quilt.mod.json. Although loaders such as Fabric do not necessarily have the same built-in update system, CurseUpdate still provides a similar JSON structure, making it easier for developers to implement their own check logic. The API format is straightforward: send a GET request with projectId, modid, and loader; passing the loader via a subdomain is also supported.

Pricing, openness, and documentation

The main text does not disclose pricing, payment methods, an open-source license, or self-hosting options, so its business model and level of user control are unclear. The documentation explains how it works, the API endpoints, where parameters come from, and its dependency on third-party downloads. The basic integration information is clear; however, it lacks common production details such as response examples, error codes, rate limits, caching behavior, and availability commitments, so the documentation is only moderately complete.

Pros and cons

The advantages are low integration cost, especially for Forge/NeoForge Mods already published on CurseForge. It does not depend on a specific filename structure and can support multiple mod ids within one project. The downside is its strong dependency on CurseForge and on the project allowing third-party downloads; otherwise, it cannot parse the JAR. Its scope is also highly vertical, making it unsuitable for general-purpose software update distribution.

Who it is for and access from China

It is suitable for Minecraft Mod authors, small Mod teams, and developers who do not want to maintain separate hosted update JSON. Access from mainland China is not covered in the main text and should be tested against the service domain and related CurseForge resources. If connectivity is unstable, alternatives include self-hosted JSON, GitHub Pages, or using the CurseForge API directly.