Best The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition mods on GitHub
8 open-source mods and modding tools for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition, ranked by GitHub stars (a public count of users who bookmarked the repository). This is not a quality verdict and not a download count.
Source: GitHub REST API (public, no login). Fetched . Only mods with a public GitHub repository are included, so many popular mods hosted elsewhere are missing. Nexus Mods pages could not be read from our server because a browser challenge blocks them, so Nexus endorsements are not used. Descriptions are our own summaries. Download only from the linked author pages.
Game patch: Steam lists Update 1.7.99 (Aug 20, 2026, updated Aug 27). The SKSE site lists its Anniversary Edition build 2.3.1 for game version 1.7.104, so check your exe version before installing SKSE (official announcement on Steam). Mods can break after a patch, so check each mod's page for its supported version.
| # | Mod | Author (GitHub) | Stars | Last push | Fetched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | loot Utility that sorts your plugin load order and flags known issues. | loot | 1,798 | ||
| 2 | SkyCraft Changes the game to play with Minecraft-style physics, inventory and building. | chasmlol | 1,276 | ||
| 3 | TiltedEvolution Adds online co-op multiplayer (the Skyrim Together Reborn project). | tiltedphoques | 1,192 | ||
| 4 | skyrim-community-shaders Community-run graphics framework for advanced shader effects. | community-shaders | 1,138 | ||
| 5 | wabbajack Installer that rebuilds curated modlists automatically from their sources. | wabbajack-tools | 1,009 | ||
| 6 | Pandora-Behaviour-Engine-Plus Patcher that merges animation, behavior and skeleton changes from multiple mods. | Monitor221hz | 502 | ||
| 7 | Mantella Lets you talk to NPCs with your voice, with AI-generated replies. | art-from-the-machine | 420 | ||
| 8 | skse64 Source for the Script Extender that many Skyrim SE/AE mods require. | ianpatt | 358 |
How to install The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition mods
Written from this official or primary source; follow it if anything differs.
- Most framework mods need the Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE). The official SKSE site offers separate builds by game version.
- Pick the build that matches your exact game version. At fetch time the site listed AE build 2.3.1 for 1.7.104, GOG AE build 2.2.6 for 1.6.1179, and SE build 2.0.20 for 1.5.97.
- Follow the readme included with the download to install and launch it.
- The SKSE site posted a warning on 2026-08-14 about an incoming Bethesda update, so script-extender mods can break after game patches until they are updated.