Links and information for the Minecraft tools I use. I play Minecraft on a Mac, so I don't have any Windows-specific information to impart.
NOTE: There is often a lag between when a new version of Minecraft comes out and when all the mods I use are updated for it. So, often I do not play the new version right when it comes out. If I do want to play the new version right away (or am forced to because of Realms) I have to disable incompatible mods until they are available. For that purpose, I maintain a "mods-disabled" folder along side the "mods" folder in my Minecraft folder and move things in and out of there.
NOTE: The search function on CurseForge does not work for me. I always use a search engine for "CurseForge" and the name of the mod.
Here's a list of the client mods I use: