![](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Gormogon/SMAPI/master/docs/imgs/SMAPI.png) **SMAPI** is an [open-source](LICENSE) modding API for [Stardew Valley](http://stardewvalley.net/). It takes care of loading mods into the game context, and exposes events they can use to interact with the game. It's safely installed alongside the game's executable, and doesn't change any of your game files. ## For players * [How to install SMAPI & use mods](http://canimod.com/guides/using-mods#installing-smapi) * [Support forums](http://community.playstarbound.com/threads/stardew-modding-api-0-40-1-1.108375/) * [Stardew Valley Discord](https://discord.gg/KCJHWhX) (chat with players and developers) ## For mod developers * [How to develop mods](http://canimod.com/guides/creating-a-smapi-mod) * [Release notes](release-notes.md) * [SMAPI/Farmhand Discord](https://discordapp.com/invite/0t3fh2xhHVc6Vdyx) (chat with SMAPI developers) ## For SMAPI developers _This section is about compiling SMAPI itself from source. If you don't know what that means, this section isn't relevant to you; see the previous sections to use or create mods._ ### Compiling from source Using an official SMAPI release is recommended for most users. If you'd like to compile SMAPI from source, you can do that on any platform using [Visual Studio](https://www.visualstudio.com/vs/community/) or [MonoDevelop](http://www.monodevelop.com/). SMAPI uses build configuration derived from the [crosswiki mod config](https://github.com/Pathoschild/Stardew.ModBuildConfig#readme) to detect your current OS automatically and load the correct references. Compile output will be placed in a `bin` directory at the root of the git repository. ### Preparing a release To prepare a crossplatform SMAPI release, you'll need to compile it on two platforms. See _[crossplatforming a SMAPI mod](http://canimod.com/guides/crossplatforming-a-smapi-mod#preparing-a-mod-release)_ for the first-time setup. For simplicity, all paths are relative to the root of the repository (the directory containing `src`). 1. Update the version number in `AssemblyInfo.cs` and `Constants::Version`. Make sure you use a [semantic version](http://semver.org). Recommended format: build type | format | example :--------- | :-------------------------------- | :------ dev build | `-alpha-` | `1.0.0-alpha-201611300500` beta | `-beta` | `1.0.0-beta2` release | `` | `1.0.0` 2. In Windows: 1. Rebuild the solution in _Release_ mode. 2. Transfer the `bin/Release/~Package` directory to Linux or Mac. _This adds the installer executable and Windows files. We'll do the rest in Linux or Mac, since we need to set Unix file permissions that Windows won't save._ 2. In Linux or Mac: 1. Rebuild the solution in _Release_ mode. 2. Copy `bin/Release/~Package/Mono` into the package directory you transferred from Windows. 3. Open a terminal in your package directory and run `chmod 755 Mono/StardewModdingAPI`. 4. Rename your package directory to `SMAPI--installer`. 5. Compress it into a `SMAPI-.zip` file. If you did everything right, you should have a release file like this: ``` SMAPI-1.0.zip SMAPI-1.0-installer/ Mono/ Mods/* Newtonsoft.Json.dll StardewModdingAPI StardewModdingAPI.exe StardewModdingAPI.exe.mdb System.Numerics.dll steam_appid.txt Windows/ Mods/* StardewModdingAPI.exe StardewModdingAPI.pdb steam_appid.txt install.exe readme.txt ```