I’m talking about “pure” vanilla (no optimization mods or tweaks like Sodium or Vanilla+ mods) rather the base game itself unaltered (default resource packs), is the game boring without mods or does the base game lack any expansive content since the objective remains the same (getting to the end killing the ender dragon).
Modded minecraft meanwhile, adds content not found in the main game or QoL changes to both the HUD or interface as well as including animations modders programmed (better combat, epic fight) or mods that overhaul world generation (biomes o’plenty, better nether, better end) and adding dimensions (the aether, eternal starlight).
Weapons from the base game are kind of boring in my opinion (the only thing they added are spears and maces), bows remained unchanged but there are mods that completely add new weapon types not conventional to minecraft (TaCZ, Point Blank, SBW, etc). as those mods dwell more on firearms and explosives.
Vanilla minecraft is the default, but mods enhance the experience. The drawback for modded minecraft is that it’s RAM intensive (like suggest having 12-16GB for a larger modpack with the right java arguments on the parameters for dealing with garbage collection). However, for most lighter modpacks 8GB should be enough.
Technically speaking, yes – depending on how you define “better”. Minecraft, as software, is a nightmare. It’s not well made in so many ways. Mods like Sodium and Lithium provide optimizations Mojang could have done themselves (though I think it’s not really in their control what they work on, since Microsoft took over).
I also consider mods like “No Telemetry” to be a necessity.