What is Arbiter?

Arbiter is an open-source, server-side Fabric mod that automatically clears ground item entities on a configurable schedule — no client install required and vanilla game mechanics unchanged. It replaces blunt /kill @e[type=item] scripts with intelligent item clear logic: scheduled clears, TPS-aware emergency sweeps, per-dimension auto clear rules, and a protection system that ensures item despawn never takes something that matters.

Compatibility

Side	Status	Notes
Server	Required	All features run server-side only
Client	Not needed	Players do not need to install Arbiter to join
Java	21+ required	Fabric Loader + Fabric API also required

Features

Smart Item Protection — Named (anvil-renamed) and enchanted items are never cleared; rarity-based protection defaults to RARE and above (protect_rarity_minimum: "RARE").
TPS-Aware Emergency Clear — Monitors server TPS and triggers an accelerated sweep when TPS drops below emergency_tps_threshold (default: 15.0), with a emergency_clear_cooldown_seconds (default: 60) to prevent rapid-fire clearing.
Bossbar Countdown — Color-graduated bossbar (green → yellow → red) broadcasts a warning_start_seconds (default: 30) warning to all players, including late joiners, before each scheduled clear.
Per-Dimension Configuration — Each dimension carries independent clear_interval_seconds, item_count_threshold, and protection overrides; unset fields inherit from global config.
10-Rule Protection Priority Chain — Item fate is resolved by a deterministic chain: item_overrides BLACKLIST beats PROTECT beats protected_items list beats protected_namespaces beats rarity beats proximity. No item is cleared unexpectedly.
Mod Namespace Protection — Add any mod's registry ID to protected_namespaces to protect all of its items with one line; assign priority tiers (LOW / NORMAL / HIGH) via namespace_tiers.
Hot-Reload JSON5 Config — File changes apply within ~1 second via file-watch; /arbiter reload forces an immediate reload. Invalid values are clamped to safe ranges on load.

Quick Start Modes

Arbiter ships with three built-in presets. Apply any preset with a single command — the config is rewritten and hot-reloaded automatically.

Mode	Interval	Item Threshold	Protection Level	Command
`aggressive`	60 s	0 (always clear)	EPIC rarity only; named/enchanted/namespace disabled	`/arbiter mode aggressive`
`warden`	180 s	50 items	Named, enchanted, RARE+, namespace list	`/arbiter mode warden`
`calm`	600 s	200 items	Named, enchanted, UNCOMMON+, namespace list, extended protected items	`/arbiter mode calm`
`custom`	from config	from config	Hand-tuned; all values from config file	`/arbiter mode custom`

Commands

Command	Effect	Permission Node	Default OP Level
`/arbiter force [dimension]`	Force-clear all worlds or a specific dimension	`arbiter.force`	4
`/arbiter status`	Show TPS, time until next clear, item counts per world	`arbiter.status`	2
`/arbiter reload`	Reload config from disk without restarting	`arbiter.reload`	4
`/arbiter stats`	View session statistics (clears run, items removed)	`arbiter.stats`	2
`/arbiter dryrun [dimension]`	Preview what would be cleared without removing anything	`arbiter.dryrun`	2
`/arbiter testbar [seconds]`	Run a bossbar countdown test	`arbiter.testbar`	4
`/arbiter mode <preset>`	Apply a preset: aggressive / warden / calm / custom	`arbiter.mode`	4

LuckPerms integration is automatic — falls back to OP level if LuckPerms is not installed.

dryrun output example: Would CLEAR: 47 items — Would protect: 12

Configuration

Arbiter works out of the box. config/arbiter.json5 is generated on first run and is fully annotated — every setting is documented inline.

Setting	Default	Description
`clear_interval_seconds`	`300`	Time between scheduled clears
`warning_start_seconds`	`30`	Bossbar countdown starts this many seconds before clear
`item_count_threshold`	`100`	Skip clear if fewer item entities than this exist
`emergency_tps_threshold`	`15.0`	Trigger emergency clear when TPS drops below this; `0` disables
`emergency_clear_cooldown_seconds`	`60`	Minimum seconds between emergency clears
`protect_named_items`	`true`	Protect anvil-renamed items
`protect_enchanted_items`	`true`	Protect enchanted items
`protect_rarity_minimum`	`"RARE"`	Minimum vanilla rarity to auto-protect (EPIC / RARE / UNCOMMON / COMMON)
`player_proximity_radius`	`10`	Protect items within N blocks of any player
`protected_namespaces`	`["mod_namespace"]`	Protect all items from listed mod namespaces
`protected_items`	`["minecraft:nether_star", ...]`	Exact item IDs always protected
`item_overrides`	`{"minecraft:dirt": "BLACKLIST"}`	Per-item PROTECT or BLACKLIST — overrides all other rules
`bossbar_enabled`	`true`	Show bossbar countdown
`actionbar_warnings_enabled`	`false`	Show countdown in actionbar alongside bossbar
`broadcast_clear_results`	`true`	Announce clear results to all players

Note: protect_rarity_minimum: "EPIC" protects almost nothing in vanilla — enchanted golden apple is the only EPIC item. Use "RARE" or "UNCOMMON" for meaningful protection.

Full Example Config (click to expand)

// Arbiter configuration — changes are hot-reloaded automatically
{
  // ── Timing ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
  "clear_interval_seconds": 300,
  "warning_start_seconds": 30,

  // ── Thresholds ──────────────────────────────────────────────
  "item_count_threshold": 100,
  "emergency_tps_threshold": 15.0,
  "emergency_clear_cooldown_seconds": 60,

  // ── Item Protection ─────────────────────────────────────────
  "protect_named_items": true,
  "protect_enchanted_items": true,
  "protect_rarity_minimum": "RARE",
  "player_proximity_radius": 10,

  // ── Mod & Item Lists ────────────────────────────────────────
  "protected_namespaces": [
    "your_mod"
  ],
  "protected_items": [
    "minecraft:nether_star",
    "minecraft:elytra",
    "minecraft:dragon_egg",
    "minecraft:totem_of_undying"
  ],
  "namespace_tiers": {
    "minecraft": "NORMAL",
    "create": "NORMAL"
  },

  // Per-item overrides — PROTECT or BLACKLIST specific items
  // These override ALL other rules
  "item_overrides": {
    "minecraft:dirt": "BLACKLIST",
    "minecraft:cobblestone": "BLACKLIST",
    "minecraft:netherite_ingot": "PROTECT"
  },

  // ── Display ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
  "bossbar_enabled": true,
  "bossbar_style": "NOTCHED_10",
  "bossbar_yellow_threshold_seconds": 15,
  "bossbar_red_threshold_seconds": 5,
  "actionbar_warnings_enabled": false,

  // ── Per-Dimension Overrides ─────────────────────────────────
  "dimensions": {
    "minecraft:the_nether": {
      "clear_interval_seconds": 180,
      "item_count_threshold": 50
    },
    "minecraft:the_end": {
      "clear_interval_seconds": 120
    }
  },

  // ── Logging ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
  "log_clears_to_console": true,
  "broadcast_clear_results": true
}

How It Compares

Feature	Arbiter	ICL	ClearLagg
Bossbar countdown	✅ Color-graduated	❌ Chat only	❌ Chat only
Named item protection	✅	❌	⚠️ Partial
Enchanted item protection	✅	❌	⚠️ Partial
Rarity-based protection	✅	❌	❌
Mod namespace protection	✅	❌	❌
Per-item PROTECT/BLACKLIST	✅	❌	⚠️ Whitelist only
TPS emergency clear	✅ With cooldown	❌	⚠️ No cooldown
Item count threshold	✅	❌	❌
Per-dimension config	✅	❌	❌
Hot-reload config	✅ File watch + command	❌	❌
Player proximity protection	✅	❌	❌
No `System.gc()` stutter	✅	✅	❌
Silent clears (no sounds)	✅	❌ Noteblock beep	✅
Server-side only	✅	✅	✅ (Bukkit)

Requirements

Minecraft 1.21.1
Fabric Loader (latest)
Fabric API
Java 21+
LuckPerms (optional — falls back to OP levels)

FAQ

Is Arbiter server-side only? Yes. Players connect to a server running Arbiter without installing anything client-side.

Will Arbiter be backported to older Minecraft versions? No backport is currently planned. Watch the GitHub repository for future version announcements.

Does Arbiter conflict with ClearLagg, ICL, or other item-clearing mods? Running two item-clearing mods simultaneously is redundant and not recommended. Arbiter is otherwise compatible with all Fabric mods.

Can I protect items from modded dimensions or custom registries? Yes — add any mod's registry namespace to protected_namespaces. Per-item overrides via item_overrides work for any item ID regardless of mod.

GitHub Issues | MIT License