How to Use a Guide Book to Learn a Mod's Progression

Start at the beginning

Open the guide and read the first category before you touch anything else. Guide-API books are written by the mod author in code, so the order of categories usually mirrors the intended progression: basic materials first, then machines or rituals, then advanced content. Do not skip ahead to late-game entries, because they often assume you already understand earlier mechanics.

Follow the recipes literally

The recipe pages are generated from the mod's actual registered recipes, so what you see is what the game will accept. Place ingredients in the exact pattern shown. If a recipe page shows a shapeless grid, the arrangement does not matter; if it shows a shaped grid, it does. For smelting or other custom page types, the guide shows the input and output the mod registered.

Use it as a reference, not a walkthrough

Because the book is generated from the mod's own constants and balance values, numbers you see in the text (costs, ranges, timers) match the version you have installed. If you change a config option that alters those values, reopen the book so the regenerated text reflects the change. Keep the book in your hotbar or a nearby chest while you build, and check the relevant entry whenever a machine refuses to accept an item.