modde vs MO2
Truth-first comparison: what is fully shipped today (executables, conflict detection, Bethesda plugins), what is still partial, and which MO2 gaps remain — no Windows VM in sight.
modde-only features
Features that exist in modde but have no MO2 equivalent.
Git-backed save vaults
Full history, branching, and restore for game saves. Every snapshot is a git commit you can roll back to.
Save fingerprinting
SHA-256 fingerprint of save-breaking mods. Warns you before loading a save that's incompatible with your current mod setup.
Experiment stack
Try profile changes non-destructively. Stack experiments like git branches — rollback or commit when done.
Declarative FOMOD configs
TOML/JSON/Nix configs for reproducible, non-interactive FOMOD installations. No more clicking through wizards.
Wabbajack installation
Install complete Wabbajack modlists natively on Linux. MO2 is a target for Wabbajack, not an installer.
Nexus Collections
Install curated Nexus Collections directly. MO2 doesn't support Collections.
NixOS-native
Declarative profiles in home-manager. sops-nix compatible API key management. No Wine needed for the manager.
Profile forking with saves
Clone a profile including its entire save history. Fork locked Wabbajack profiles into freely editable copies.
Save auto-capture
Automatically snapshot saves when the game exits or via continuous polling. Never lose progress.
Stock game verification
Tree-hash your vanilla installation to detect unexpected modifications.
Multi-launcher detection
Auto-detect games across Steam and Heroic (GOG, Epic, Sideload) in a single scan.
Shipped today
This page no longer publishes a hand-maintained percentage. These are the areas that are actually trustworthy today.
| Area | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Profiles + save vaults | Done | Profile switching, experiments, git-backed save history, and fingerprints are shipped. |
| VFS deployment | Done | Symlink-farm deployment, rollback, and conflict resolution are strong differentiators on Linux. |
| Bethesda plugin pipeline | Done | LOOT parsing, plugin validation, real plugin-order backup/restore, and archive-aware conflict analysis are shipped. |
| Nexus / Wabbajack / Collections | Done | These are the first-class install flows today. |
| Executable management & external tools | Done | Named executables with arguments, working directory, environment, Wine DLL overrides, and a configurable output mod run with overwrite capture — in both the CLI and UI. |
| Data Files / Diagnostics / Tools / Downloads views | Partial | All are now reachable and data-backed, but they are not yet MO2-complete. |
| BAIN and non-Nexus source breadth | Partial | Core plumbing exists, but the UX and positioning are still incomplete. |
| Generic / user-defined games | Partial | `modde game add` registers arbitrary titles, but without a bespoke scanner or save tracker. |
| Starfield save tracking | Done | Starfield `.sfs` files use the shared save tracker path. |
Where MO2 is ahead
These are the gaps that still matter most for any serious “replace MO2/Vortex” claim.
- Mod Information Dialog — file tree, conflict tabs, image preview, text/INI editing, and optional plugin management (modde ships a Nexus-metadata side panel, not the full dialog)
- Durable download pipeline — transport-level pause/resume/cancel, ETA, concurrency, and update-all workflows
- Merged VFS browser — a true Data tab with archive visibility, overwrite workflows, and conflict navigation
- Sharper load-order UX — richer LOOT reports, plugin pinning, and clearer load-order governance
- Broader title depth — not by chasing every game first, but by being unquestionably solid for the supported Linux-first workflows