McSH Launcher

A fast, lightweight Minecraft launcher for the terminal.
No GUI. No bloat. Just Minecraft.

Download

Windows x64 — MSI Installer — No dependencies required

Latest v0.3.4 Windows x64 ~30 MB
Download McSH.msi
View all releases →

Features

Everything you need. Nothing you don't.

Fast Startup

Launches in under 200ms. No splash screens, no telemetry, no background processes phoning home.

Low Memory

The launcher itself uses under 30MB of RAM — leaving the rest for the game where it belongs.

Instance Management

Create, run, rename, and delete isolated instances. Switch between them instantly with a single command.

Microsoft Auth

Full Microsoft Device Code Flow with automatic token refresh. Authenticate once, stay signed in.

Modrinth Integration

Search, install, and manage mods, resource packs, shaders, and plugins directly from the terminal.

Modpack Search & Install

Search Modrinth for modpacks, pick any version from a grouped version picker, and install everything — mods, configs, resource packs — in one command.

Modpack Updates

modpack update checks all your modpack instances against Modrinth, shows what's outdated, and upgrades in one step — optionally copying your worlds.

Quick CLI Launch

Skip the REPL entirely: mcsh run <name> launches an instance straight from any terminal window.

Java Auto-Install

Missing Java or wrong version? McSH downloads and manages the exact JDK each modpack requires — no admin rights, no PATH changes.

Themes

Six built-in color themes — Crimson, Arctic, Forest, Amber, Violet, Steel. Switch instantly and it persists across restarts.

Command Reference

All commands available in the McSH REPL.

Instances

CommandDescription
instance createCreate a new Minecraft instance (guided wizard)
instance listList all instances with running status
instance run [name]Launch an instance — prompts if none selected
instance info [name]Show version, loader, RAM, mods, path
instance open [name]Open instance folder in File Explorer
instance clone <name>Duplicate an existing instance
instance rename <name>Rename an instance
instance delete <name>Delete an instance
instance import <path>Import a .mrpack modpack file

Playing

CommandDescription
instance run [name]Launch the active instance
run <name>Quick-launch from any terminal without entering the REPL
instance kill <name>Force-kill the running instance
consoleAttach to a running instance's console

Modpacks

CommandDescription
modpack search <query>Search Modrinth for modpacks
modpack install <#>Install with version picker — grouped by MC version
modpack updateCheck all modpack instances for newer versions on Modrinth
instance import <path>Import a local .mrpack file

Mods & Content

CommandDescription
mod search <query>Search Modrinth for mods
mod install <#>Install a mod from search results
mod details <#>View full mod details and install prompt
mod listList installed mods
mod updateUpdate all installed mods
mod toggle <#>Enable or disable a mod
resourcepack search <query>Search for resource packs
shader search <query>Search for shaders
plugin search <query>Search for plugins

Authentication

CommandDescription
auth loginSign in with Microsoft Device Code Flow
auth logoutRemove stored credentials
auth statusShow current authentication state

Get started in seconds

Download the installer, run it, and type mcsh in any terminal. That's it.

Terminal

C:\> mcsh

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v0.3.4 | Type 'help' to begin

 

> instance create

Version: 1.21.4

Loader: Fabric

Name: my-instance

Instance created.

[my-instance]> launch

Launching Minecraft 1.21.4 (Fabric)...

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