MelonLoader vs Satisfactory Mod Loader

MelonLoader is a free mod loader for Unity games using Mono or Il2Cpp. It injects mods and supports plugins, load-order control, and dependency handling. Mods and plugins are placed in separate folders in the game installation directory, and game logs are written to a MelonLoader/Logs folder. The project provides an installer guide and manual installation instructions for a release archive. For Il2Cpp games, the listed requirement is the.NET 6.0 Desktop Runtime; the repository says it is installed automatically on Windows. Windows startup loading uses a proxy DLL, a method the project identifies as Windows-only. Linux instructions cover WINE, Steam Proton, and native use, while Android and Oculus Quest support is marked as work in progress. Debug mode is intended for work on the loader, plugins, and mods. Configuration also includes a Mono debug server, and the Il2Cpp Assembly Generator can be set to run without contacting its remote API. MelonLoader is licensed under Apache License, Version 2.0 and listed at free.

Satisfactory Mod Loader is an unofficial tool for loading mods in Satisfactory. It provides a framework to help mods work with game systems and with one another, along with helper features for mod developers. Mods can be written in Unreal Blueprint or C++, and community libraries also support JSON files. The Satisfactory Mod Manager installs the loader, mods, and dependencies, and connects to the Satisfactory Mod Repository; the project recommends using the manager rather than installing SML manually. The repository says uploaded content is checked for malware before approval for download. SML is designed with multiplayer support in mind, and its developer says it makes no connections to external networks. The project also says uninstalling the loader will not cause loss of items or progression. No required dependencies are listed. The project includes source code, an ExampleMod demonstrating utilities, editor utilities, and the Unreal project used for mod development. Windows clients and servers are supported; Linux support is listed for servers, while Linux client support is marked N/A. Controller support is untested. The project displays a GPL-3.0 license and directs users to Discord for discussion.