This list is meant to be a comprehensive offering of what the modding community has achieved to make the game better. This collection represents a collection of mods that are included because they either fill in a gap in gameplay, mechanics, UI, or some other aspect of the game, or, they expand upon gameplay, mechanics, UI, or some other aspect of the game. Mods that I have disqualified include "cheaty" mods like infinite sources, no dupe operation, etc... that attempt to subvert or simplify the dynamics of the game.

Compatibility Notes: This list is compatible with release version ~~661174~~ aka 2025 March QOL Hotfix #1 (Release Date: 03/20/25). As game updates break many mods, this list will get updated as the mods return to working order or get abandoned.
All but one of the mods on this list worked together as of the posting of this list. I currently play ONI with this list, so it does work together for me. Notify me if this collection does not work with Mac or Linux as I cannot test those situations.

KNOWN CONFLICTS:
More Plants conflicts with iloveslicksters. Pick One or else the game WILL CRASH.

Note: If you plan to play with 400+ mods, please consider using Romen's Mod Launcher (RML) to manage your mods.json outside of launching the game. Available from this link: https://github.com/romen-h/ONI-ModLauncher/releases

MISSING from Steam:
FAST TRACK (Local Install Only)
Obtainable at: https://forums.kleientertainment.com/forums/topic/138444-beta-fast-track-performance-mod-for-oxygen-not-included/?ct=1653876554

01/08/2024 Dupes Cuisine from steam is broken, but a fixed version (and a rebalanced version) by RealWiseSerpents posted on the mod's steam page. Available from this link: https://github.com/realwiseserpent/ONI_Mods_byRonivan/releases

Palmera and Fervine from steam is broken, but a fixed version (and a rebalanced version) by RealWiseSerpent is available on his github here: https://github.com/realwiseserpent/ONI-Mods/tags

Other Good mods available AVAILABLE on ONI DISCORD: Dangerous Worlds Updated (don't forget to disable aggressive critters), Liquid Scrubber by Hex Revived, Floatation

CRASH NOTES:
Mod load order doesn’t matter. Except for the mod "help all of my mods are crashing" by Sgt Imalas, which should be always be first. I generally put Mod Updater second.

If you are experiencing crashes on your first run of the game after downloading this whole list, here is what is happening:
Freshly downloaded mods can sometimes be out of date. Make sure Mod Updater has a chance to verify all mods are up to date before enabling them because Steam doesn’t do that. Mod Updater will automatically scan and update out-of-date mods after reaching the game main screen. If your game crashes before the main game screen, it will not finish updating mods. Click on the mods button on the main screen and verify everything is up to date before enabling all the mods.

Sometimes after a crash steam can stealthily redownload a mod and wipe your mod settings (and download an out of date mod). If you are unsure if you have the newest mod version, load the game with only mod updater (& mod profile manager & mod preset manager) active, open mod updater settings, and click “Reset Defaults.” This option will force a recheck of all currently downloaded mods and WILL fix Steam’s stealthy downgrades. Be prepared to manually reconfigure some mod settings after doing this (such as Configurable Build Menu, Dupe Lifecycles Updated, or Darkness not Excluded Fixed, and ConfigurableBuildMenus [recommend you store ConfigurableBuildMenus.Config in (mods\PreservedModsFile)] ).

TLDR:
If you are experiencing crashes on your first run of the game after downloading this whole list,Here is what to do:
1) If you experience crashes, disable crashing mods for now until you get a stable colony made and saved.
2. Install Stock Bug Fix mod , and manually enable "pause mod menu while updating mods" option to prevent nasty bug which wipes your mod configuration and causes silent downgrades.
3) Use Mod Updater to ensure your now stable mod configuration is up to date. Use Mod Updater "reset to default" option to ensure that all updates updated successfully.
4) Try loading the game again.
5) Add back any previously crashing mods one-at-a-time.
6) Play the game.

Of course if you download this list of mods but don’t use mod updater to verify that the downloaded mod files are up to date, and as a result have out of date mods, you will experience crashes guaranteed.

Known Issues:
RTG Generator does not work in Vanilla. just don't enable it for vanilla. Vanilla does not have radiation. Mod unfortunately crashes in Vanilla.

Chemical Processing should not be enabled at the same time as Mineral Processing. Chemical Processing is superior at this time.

05/08/2023 Ethanol Fermentor is vanilla & dlc compatible. Simply move the mod folder named (2787109631) from /steam to /local, and edit the mod’s configuration file (modinfo.yaml) from DLC1 to ALL.

05/08/2023 Bleachstone and Slime Refineries is vanilla & dlc compatible. Simply move the mod folder named (1886699455) from /steam to /local, and edit the mod’s configuration file (modinfo.yaml) from DLC1 to ALL.

Currently-Out-of-Date-but-Hopefully-Returning-Soon-Because-I-Like-Them-Mods
CURRENTLY BROKEN BUT STAY TUNED
{
01/08/2024 OmniFlora from steam is broken, but a fixed version by wise serpent is posted on the mod's steam page.
Copy omniflora mod folder named (2029450933) from /steam to /local, replace (sharlesplants.dll) with the (sharlesplants.dll) from this link: https://github.com/realwiseserpent/Oxygen-Not-Included-Mods/releases
}

Some notes on some of my more controversial choices:
Element Capture Capsule -> is essentially a sandbox tool that sandbox doesn’t have. Super overpowered if abused. I prefer to have it around to end the endless cycles of microgram vacuuming or capturing a single tile of murderous chlorine without building an entire gas filtering setup for my entire base. Very handy.
Televault -> Sweeping up bases really isn't fun.
Buildable natural tile ->IMHO all the tricks to get natural tiles are no less exploity than this mod.
Bathroom Ports Swapper -> Swapping inputs for outputs to make the fittings match real life gravity is great in a game that doesn't actually have gravity affected pipes. Breaks existing bases/blueprints builds.
Realistic Carbon Skimmer -> It is interesting to incorporate real world processes into ONI. Will break existing builds and blueprints if enabled/disabled.
Ronivan’s High Pressure Mod -> Default settings are unbalanced in storage capacities. You can configure the mod to more appropriate storage limits.
Darkness Not Excluded Fixed -> Recommend you check settings as the default is quite dark and the fog of war quite punishing.
Duplicant Lifecycles Updated -> Default settings are unbalanced at 750 cycles which is rather long. You can configure the mod to more appropriate settings.
Happy digging:Dwarf edition (fixed, fixed) -> Default settings are quite powerful. You can configure the mod to be less overpowered.
Customize geyser can be as overpowered as you like, or not. Bring on the glass geysers! Make your own geysers