# FAQ 🙋 ## Is APTweaks a server-side or client-side mod? APTweaks is mainly a **server-side** optimization mod. That means the logic runs where Minecraft manages entities, spawning, gamerules, and ticking. This is not limited to dedicated servers. It also applies to the integrated server used by single-player worlds and by worlds opened to LAN. ## Do I still need separate APTweaks modules? No. That was the older 11.x-and-earlier model. APTweaks 12.x is one unified mod, not a set of individual gameplay downloads. ## What kind of lag does APTweaks help with? APTweaks is strongest when lag comes from: - mob pressure - repeated spawn attempts - dropped items - XP orbs - stuck arrows - high chunk activity - servers that need adaptive behavior instead of one fixed limit It is not the main fix for: - heavy redstone logic - broken mod logic - disk or storage issues - world corruption ## Should I enable every feature immediately? Usually no. Defaults are the best first test because they already cover the most common cases. A good rule of thumb is: 1. Start with defaults. 2. Tune spawn if mobs are the main issue. 3. Tune item, orb, and arrow cleanup if entity clutter is the issue. 4. Only enable advanced throttles if you still need more protection. ## What changed in 12.x compared to 11.x? The biggest visible change is the unified layout. You now get one codebase, one main mod, one shared config folder, and one command surface. The spawn system is also more flexible, especially around presets, load-aware handling, and compatibility-driven tracking or exclusion rules. ## How do spawn presets work? Spawn presets are JSON files that describe how groups of entities should be handled. They can define: - allowed or denied entity lists - fallback limits per player, world, server, or chunk - different load factors by server load level - dimension filters - compatibility-focused tracking or exclusion hints APTweaks loads them from: - `config/adaptive_performance_tweaks/spawn_presets/` - `data//aptweaks/spawn_presets/` Use [Spawn Presets](SpawnPresets) if you want the full field-by-field guide, precedence rules, and copy-paste examples. ## Do I need to understand every spawn preset field? No. Most users only need to know where the files live and that they control detailed mob behavior. Modpack developers and advanced server owners are the main audience for deep preset editing. ## Will APTweaks conflict with other optimization mods? Sometimes it can overlap with them. That does not always mean a hard crash, but it can mean duplicated behavior, weaker results, or more confusing tuning. Common overlap areas: - spawn limiting - AI throttling - item merging - XP orb merging - dynamic view or simulation distance When possible, avoid stacking several mods that try to solve the same exact problem. APTweaks tries to handle these conflicts automatically: features set to `auto` will detect known overlapping mods at startup and disable themselves, logging a warning so you know what was turned off and why. Forcing a feature to `true` bypasses this safety net. ## How do I see what APTweaks is doing? Useful commands: - `/aptweaks status` - `/aptweaks load` - `/aptweaks stats` - `/aptweaks stats items` - `/aptweaks stats xp_orbs` - `/aptweaks stats arrows` - `/aptweaks stats reset` - `/aptweaks debug` - `/aptweaks benchmark` - `/aptweaks benchmark start scenario ` If something feels wrong, start with: - `/aptweaks status` - `/aptweaks load` - `/aptweaks stats` - `/aptweaks debug true` ## Can I test whether APTweaks helps my server? Yes. APTweaks includes a built-in benchmark suite that compares a clean baseline block against an active block across multiple scenarios on the same setup. See [Benchmark](Benchmark) for the full workflow.