---
title: "Sodium & Iris Shaders — Prism Launcher & Modded Minecraft Glossary"
description: "The modern open-source rendering engine and shader loader for Fabric and NeoForge that replaces legacy OptiFine. Learn how Sodium & Iris Shaders works in Prism Launcher on Windows."
canonical: https://prismlauncher.ink/words/sodium-and-iris-shaders
updated: 2026-10-17
---

# Sodium & Iris Shaders

The modern open-source rendering engine and shader loader for Fabric and NeoForge that replaces legacy OptiFine.

## Facts (2026-10-17)

- **Term:** Sodium & Iris Shaders
- **In Short:** The modern open-source rendering engine and shader loader for Fabric and NeoForge that replaces legacy OptiFine.
- **Applies To:** Prism Launcher on Windows 10 & 11

## Definition: Sodium & Iris Shaders

The modern open-source rendering engine and shader loader for Fabric and NeoForge that replaces legacy OptiFine.

Install both directly in Prism Launcher's **Mods** tab, then drop `.zip` shaderpacks (Complementary, BSL, Bliss) into the **Shader Packs** tab.

## How Prism Launcher handles this on Windows

Every instance in Prism Launcher exposes its version stack, mod list, resource packs, shader packs, and JVM settings in one clean Edit Instance window.

Grab the latest Windows installer or portable ZIP from [/download](https://prismlauncher.ink/download) to manage all your Minecraft versions in one place.

## FAQ

### What does Sodium & Iris Shaders mean in Prism Launcher?

The modern open-source rendering engine and shader loader for Fabric and NeoForge that replaces legacy OptiFine. Install both directly in Prism Launcher's **Mods** tab, then drop `.zip` shaderpacks (Complementary, BSL, Bliss) into the **Shader Packs** tab.

### Where can I configure this inside the launcher?

Right-click any instance on the Prism Launcher dashboard and select **Edit** (or open global **Settings** on the top toolbar).

## Related

- [Prism Launcher Technical Glossary](https://prismlauncher.ink/words)
- [Prism Launcher Instance Management](https://prismlauncher.ink/instances)
- [Prism Launcher Java & JVM Configuration](https://prismlauncher.ink/java)
- [Prism Launcher Mod Loaders](https://prismlauncher.ink/loaders)
- [Instance (Isolated Minecraft Environment)](https://prismlauncher.ink/words/minecraft-instance)

## Download

Free and open source: [Download Prism Launcher](https://prismlauncher.ink/download)

Markdown mirror: https://prismlauncher.ink/words/sodium-and-iris-shaders.md