Launchers (Official, Custom: Lunar, Badlion, etc.)

Minecraft cannot be launched directly; it requires a launcher application to initialize the game environment and start the JVM with the correct parameters.

• Function: Launchers are responsible for managing different game versions, user profiles/accounts, memory allocation settings, and constructing the complex command-line arguments needed to start the specific Minecraft version selected by the user. They essentially execute the necessary java.exe/javaw.exe command (often a variation of java -jar <minecraft_version.jar> [numerous JVM arguments]) to initiate the game within the JVM.

• Variety: Players utilize a range of launchers:

  • Official Minecraft Launcher: The standard launcher provided by Mojang/Microsoft.

  • Third-Party Launchers: Numerous custom launchers exist, often popular within specific communities (PvP, modded, etc.). Examples include Lunar Client, Badlion Client, Feather Client, MultiMC, CurseForge Launcher, ATLauncher, and many others. These often bundle performance optimizations (like Sodium/Optifine), integrated mods, cosmetics, or unique features.

• Implications for Screensharing:

  • Logs & Settings: Each launcher maintains its own set of log files and configuration settings, stored in different locations (often within AppData or the launcher's installation directory). These logs can sometimes contain valuable contextual information (e.g., errors indicating mod conflicts, specific JVM arguments used, account login history).

  • Non-Standard Locations: Crucially, custom launchers frequently allow users to store Minecraft game instances (including the .minecraft folder) in locations other than the default AppData path. Relying solely on the standard path can lead to completely missing the relevant game files and evidence.