Tab Customization

Reliable Advancements lets you customize the appearance of advancement tabs: rename them, change the background texture, control how the background is tiled, and set up randomized pre-1.12 Achievements style backgrounds with multiple textures.

Opening the Tab Editor

With edit mode enabled, right-click on empty space in the advancements screen and choose Edit Tab Properties.

Tab Properties

The better_tab JSON Field

Tab properties are stored directly inside the root advancement's JSON file under a better_tab key. You can set these by hand if you prefer not to use the in-game editor:

{
  "display": { ... },
  "criteria": { ... },
  "better_tab": {
    "title": "My Custom Tab",
    "background": "minecraft:textures/block/stone.png",
    "bg_width": 16,
    "bg_height": 16,
    "static_background": false,
    "width": 252,
    "height": 140,
    "index": 0,
    "background_rules": "[]"
  }
}

Note: background_rules is stored as a JSON string inside the better_tab object. When editing by hand, the rules array must be a string value with escaped quotes.

Custom Background Textures

Any texture loadable by the resource manager can be used as a background. Common vanilla backgrounds:

minecraft:textures/gui/advancements/backgrounds/stone.png
minecraft:textures/gui/advancements/backgrounds/adventure.png
minecraft:textures/gui/advancements/backgrounds/end.png
minecraft:textures/gui/advancements/backgrounds/nether.png
minecraft:textures/gui/advancements/backgrounds/husbandry.png

You can also reference block textures or any other .png in a loaded resource pack:

minecraft:textures/block/deepslate.png
minecraft:textures/block/grass_block_side.png

When Tex Width and Tex Height match the texture's actual pixel dimensions, the background tiles correctly. Block textures are typically 16×16.

Randomized Background Rules

The Random Block Rules system lets you layer multiple textures to create pre-1.12 Achievements style backgrounds.

Rules are applied per background tile. Each tile gets a deterministic seed from its grid position, then a random Y offset and a random float are generated. Rules are checked in order; the first matching rule is used.

Rule Fields

How chance Works

Each tile generates a random float between 0 and 1. A rule matches if that float is less than or equal to chance. Since rules are checked in order and the first match wins, you can layer rules for mixed probabilities:

• Rule A with chance: 0.4 — 40% of tiles use texture A
• Rule B with chance: 0.7 — 30% of remaining tiles use texture B (tiles where random float was 0.4–0.7)
• No rule matches — 30% of tiles use the default background texture

Example: Grass / Dirt / Stone Layers

This creates a background that looks like a side-view terrain cross-section. Rows 0 and above are grass, rows 1–4 are dirt, and rows 5 and below are stone. Natural edge blending is on by default (absolute_y: false).

[
  {
    "texture": "minecraft:textures/block/grass_block_top.png",
    "max_y": 0
  },
  {
    "texture": "minecraft:textures/block/dirt.png",
    "min_y": 1,
    "max_y": 4
  },
  {
    "texture": "minecraft:textures/block/stone.png",
    "min_y": 5
  }
]

In the in-game Tab Editor, paste the rules as a plain JSON array in the text box.

Example: Random Scattered Gravel

Mix gravel into a stone background with a 20% chance per tile, with no Y restriction:

[
  {
    "texture": "minecraft:textures/block/gravel.png",
    "chance": 0.2
  }
]

The default background (set in the Background Texture field) fills in the remaining 80%.

Example: Nether Terrain

A Nether-themed layered background with lava at the bottom and netherrack everywhere else. Sharp edge at row 6:

[
  {
    "texture": "minecraft:textures/block/lava_still.png",
    "min_y": 6,
    "absolute_y": true
  },
  {
    "texture": "minecraft:textures/block/netherrack.png"
  }
]

Since netherrack has no Y restriction and chance: 1.0 (default), it matches everything not already matched by the lava rule. The absolute_y: true on lava gives a sharp horizontal cut at row 6.

Example: Random Cave Mossy Blocks

Mix stone, cobblestone, and mossy cobblestone randomly:

[
  {
    "texture": "minecraft:textures/block/cobblestone.png",
    "chance": 0.25
  },
  {
    "texture": "minecraft:textures/block/mossy_cobblestone.png",
    "chance": 0.45
  }
]

Result per tile:

• 25% cobblestone (random float ≤ 0.25)
• 20% mossy cobblestone (random float 0.25–0.45)
• 55% default background texture (random float > 0.45)

Custom Line Colors

Individual advancements can have custom connection line colors set in their display JSON. These are custom fields from Reliable Advancements: they are not part of vanilla advancements.

"display": {
  "icon": { "id": "minecraft:diamond" },
  "title": { "text": "Example" },
  "description": { "text": "" },
  "frame": "task",
  "completed_line_color": "#00FF00",
  "uncompleted_line_color": "#555555",
  "completed_icon_color": "#FFD700",
  "uncompleted_icon_color": "#AAAAAA",
  "completed_title_color": "#FFD700",
  "uncompleted_title_color": "#FFFFFF",
  "draw_direct_lines": false,
  "hide_lines": false
}

Default colors for all advancements can be set globally in the config.