JsonForge

JsonForge is a visual editor for Minecraft Bedrock JSON UI, offered in a browser and as an Electron desktop application. It fits creators who want to compose resource-pack interfaces graphically while retaining access to the underlying JSON. The focused workflow is compelling for screen layout and pack export, but game-supplied data and form-grid rules limit projects that require entirely new behaviour.

Overview

JsonForge puts a Toolbox, Hierarchy, Canvas, Properties, Textures, Bindings and JSON Preview into a dockable workspace. You can place components on a canvas, tune their properties and inspect the resulting JSON without constantly switching between separate tools. Its .jfproject format keeps the element tree, bindings and textures together, while raw Bedrock UI JSON can be imported or exported as .json. That combination suits teams or individuals moving between visual authoring and hand-edited files, and autosave with IndexedDB persistence helps preserve ongoing work.

Key features

Visual layout

Ten element categories cover essentials such as panels, images, labels, buttons, toggles and custom elements. The canvas follows Minecraft's nine-slice texture behaviour and supports scale and anchors, with an Edit/Preview switch for checking an arrangement. This is a useful way to reason about game-style positioning and reusable interface pieces, especially for authors who find raw JSON opaque. It remains a layout editor rather than a way to add arbitrary game data: a resource pack can restyle what the game already draws, but cannot invent new values.

Assets and bindings

Five ore-UI preset texture sets and Minecraft fonts provide ready-made visual material. Textures can be dropped onto elements or property fields, reducing repetitive asset assignment. Per-element binding modes connect the interface to available data sources, but live text still has to come from a form script or scoreboard. Builders should therefore plan the data path before designing a screen.

Pack export and installation

Export targets cover form screens, HUD overlays and a restyled vanilla scoreboard, producing .mcaddon or .mcpack files as appropriate. The scoreboard target supports live names and scores, while the desktop application can locate worlds and place exported packs in their resource- and behavior-pack folders. That is a practical end-to-end route for local iteration. Script-filled form button grids have a specific constraint: the drawn layout determines capacity, and every cell uses the first drawn button's style. Designs needing independently styled buttons across a grid will need another approach.

Pricing

JsonForge is free and open source under the MIT license. The single “Free and open source” plan costs nothing and includes the web and Electron applications. There is no trial period because the product is already free, and no paid tier or seat schedule is stated. This makes it suitable for hobbyists, educators and small addon teams that want to inspect or modify the code as well as use the editor.

Platforms

Use JsonForge in a modern web browser or install the native Electron app on Windows, macOS or Linux. Pack work covers resource packs and behavior packs, with scripting support for workflows that supply form data.

Who it's for

Choose JsonForge if you build Bedrock resource-pack interfaces and prefer visual composition, bundled textures and direct exports over editing every structure by hand. It is particularly well matched to creators targeting forms, HUD overlays or a customized vanilla scoreboard, and to users who want projects packaged in a portable format. Look elsewhere if your design depends on values the game does not expose, or if form buttons need unique styling throughout a grid; those requirements run into the documented rendering and data boundaries.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Visual-to-JSON workflow: Canvas editing, hierarchy and JSON preview support both graphical layout and file-level control.
• Useful project packaging: .jfproject keeps elements, bindings and textures together for easier handoff.
• Targeted pack output: Form, HUD and scoreboard exports can create installable .mcaddon or .mcpack files.
• Open licensing: MIT licensing permits use and contribution without a subscription.

Cons

• Game-data ceiling: Resource packs cannot generate new values, so dynamic text requires a form script or scoreboard.
• Uniform form-grid styling: All cells inherit the first drawn button's style, restricting varied button designs.
• Narrow target scope: The export workflow is centered on specified Bedrock UI targets rather than unrestricted interface behaviour.

Alternatives

Blockbench is a free, broadly available editor when your priority is modelling and asset creation across many project types rather than Bedrock UI screens. Pick Minecraft Launcher for installing and launching Minecraft; its download is free, but game access requires ownership or a time-limited demo. Snowstorm offers a free version across desktop, web, mobile and extension environments. Visual Studio Code is the better fit for text-centric development and extension-based workflows. mcblend is a free Blender add-on for creators already working in Blender. Bedrocken and Blockception Minecraft Bedrock Development are free VS Code extensions aimed at Bedrock addon development. bridge. is another free option for addon authoring across a wide range of platforms. For a wider category view, see Minecraft Add-on Editors.

Verdict

JsonForge is a strong choice for Bedrock creators who want a visual canvas, coherent project files and one-click paths to common UI pack targets without paying for software. Its main reason to look elsewhere is equally clear: projects requiring novel live data or individually styled form-grid buttons will outgrow its game-imposed limits.