Mod manifest

Every mod needs a swofty.json file at its root. It describes the mod and lists the changes to apply.

Start with the mod template.

Example

{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "id": "author.my-mod",
  "name": "My Mod",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "author": "Your name",
  "compat": { "game": "f1_25" },
  "operations": {
    "database": ["db/example.json"]
  }
}

Main fields

Field	Meaning
schema_version	Use 1
id	Unique ID using lowercase letters, digits, ., _ or -. The swofty. prefix is reserved
name, author	Display name and author
version	Version such as 1.0.0
description, license, homepage	Optional description, licence identifier and link
kind	Optional categories: database, erp, ui, files, native
compat	Game and version requirements
requires	Required mods, as [{"id": "swofty.core", "version": ">=0.1.0"}]
conflicts	Conflicting mods, as [{"id": "author.other-mod"}]
load_after	Mod IDs or patterns that should load first
options	Settings shown in the launcher and in game

compat.game is f1_25. Optional fields are game_builds (for example [">=25251167"]), launcher (a version range) and seasons (for example ["f1_2026"]).

Options

options declares the mod's settings. The launcher shows them in the mod's row, and the game shows them in the mod's section of MOD SETTINGS. Values are stored per profile.

"options": [
  { "id": "show_panel", "type": "toggle", "label": "Show panel", "default": true, "binds": "native" },
  { "id": "ai_offset", "type": "slider", "label": "AI offset", "min": -10, "max": 10, "step": 1,
    "default": 0, "binds": "native" },
  { "id": "team_livery", "type": "choice", "label": "Team livery", "default": "titlesponsor",
    "values": ["titlesponsor", { "value": "tier01", "label": "Tier 1 sponsor" }, "replica"], "binds": "db" }
]

Field	Meaning
id	Lowercase letters, digits and _, starting with a letter, at most 40 characters
type	toggle, slider or choice
label, description	Text shown to players; label defaults to the id
default	true or false for a toggle, a number on the slider's steps, or one of the choice values
min, max, step	Slider range. All three are required, max - min must be a whole number of steps, and a slider has at most 100 steps. Whole-number ranges hold whole numbers
values	Choice values, 1 to 16. Each is a string, or { "value", "label" } to show a different name
binds	native: the plugin reads the value while the game runs. db: the value is built into the game files, so a change needs a rebuild and a restart

Database operations use db options through placeholders and when conditions.

Operations

Field	Contents
database	Paths to database operation files
erp	Paths to ERP operation files
ui	Paths to UI patches
files	File copies: [{"source": "files/example", "target": "game/path"}]
native	Plugin DLLs, with dll and capabilities

Source paths are relative to the mod folder and use /. Target paths are relative to the game folder.

The installer checks the manifest and the files it names. Some operation types are still in development; see Current status.