What's better: Java coding or MCreator?

Java.

if you don't know java and/or don't know minecraft modding, then it may be much easier to use mcreator to begin with. mcreator does all the project build/gradle setup for you if you don't know how to setup/build your project with gradle.

but mcreator is very limited in what it can do in terms of sophisticated modding, so you can start there and learn java/minecraft along the way in order to make more complex mods.

let's start with Java coding.

pros:

• you have more freedom over code, and your mod's code can be more efficient

• you can do cool & more complex stuff!
• successful things you do in coding actually make you feel accomplished
• you can fix bugs that are normally present in MCreator (and hey, no code is entirely perfect but that's ok as long as it works)
• you can apply Java knowledge in other fields/it is also applicable in things outside of modding such as software development

cons:

• it takes time to learn
• may get hard sometimes
• will probably use up a lot of your time

and now, MCreator.

pros:

• easy to use interface
• significantly speeds up mod development
• is now open-source
• you can add your own texture templates to the texture editor
• supports plugins! (which is honestly awesome as it opens up new possibilities)
• code reusability provided by procedures
• doesn't make complex modding too easy (coz making procedure systems, like programming, requires the user to have logical thinking too)

cons:

• many buggy and/or unoriginal mods were made with it (but I believe there are still good & original MCreator mods tho, like the ones that win/won MOTW)
• you have less control over the auto-generated code if you don't lock a mod element's code and edit it manually
• you are likely to be frowned upon by the Forge modding community for "using such a low-quality modding tool"
• workarounds for problems are usually clunky

that's just my take on the advantages & disadvantages of both, so you may take this with a grain of salt if you will. so, which one do you choose? which ever your choice is, have fun modding!

one more thing: I forgot to add that you can make configuration files for customizing your mod when you use Java!

With my plugin File manager, you can make something like a configuration file (even if it totally does not work like the Forge’s one).

true. I found out about the File Manager plugin recently and it's great how you can make text or JSON files (there are some Java coded mods that use text files for their configs btw; Starter Kit for example) with it for something similar to config files while MCreator still doesn't officially support them. dang, I forgot to mention it, but thanks for reminding me anyway. thanks for that plugin btw, Goldorion!

Java or MCreator. There is no better or worse. It solely depends on what you expect and want