Minecraft Command

Command

Commands are advanced features invoked by typing text strings (chat, command blocks, server console, functions, clickable text components). Java Edition unless noted.

Usage

• Chat: press T or / (default) — / also types the leading slash. ↑/↓ browse history; Tab cycles suggestions/arguments (also fills block coordinates under the crosshair, or an entity's UUID when pointing at it); a value list shows above the input for the current argument.
• Command blocks and minecarts: the leading / is optional.
• Dedicated server console: no leading /.
• Execution sources: player chat, command block / command block minecart, server console, functions (data packs), script/animation controllers/block & entity events (Bedrock), run_command text component clicks (Java), WebSocket server (Bedrock), NPC dialogs (Bedrock).

Syntax Notation

• Java: [<size>] = optional argument; [size] = optional literal; (grant|revoke) = choose one literal; <targets> = required argument.
• Bedrock: <size: int> = required argument; bare words = required literals.
• Both: [b]/[c] optional parts only at the end; a [b] [c] allows a, a b, a b c.

Restrictions

Most commands need sufficient permission level (in single-player: cheats enabled; multiplayer: operator). Command blocks always execute regardless of cheats. Additional restrictions: none; "cheats enabled" (Bedrock: command blocks/console/scripts ignore the setting, others need it); dedicated-server-only; not-on-dedicated-server.

Cheats

• Java: "Allow Commands" at world creation only affects offline single-player and LAN owners; opening to LAN can temporarily enable commands; permanent enabling requires editing level.dat.
• Bedrock: toggled in settings (except hardcore-like cases); enabling cheats permanently disables achievements for that world.

Parameter Types

Arguments use formats like coordinates, target selectors, SNBT, and text components — see the parameter-types skill.

Parsing and Execution

Commands are parsed (identify command, validate completeness/arguments) then executed. Client-side parsing (chat/command blocks) provides suggestions and early errors — client-parseable does not guarantee server-parseable.

• Java: an unparseable argument turns it and everything after it red with a syntax message above the chat bar; multiple spaces between arguments get collapsed to one on execution/history.
• Bedrock: next suggestion turns white; command block input only autocompletes; closing a command block GUI parses immediately server-side and writes errors to the output box.
• Unparseable commands show an error (<--[here] marker in Java; "Unknown command" / "Syntax error" in Bedrock).
• Function commands are all parsed when the function loads — one bad line blocks the whole function. Java macro lines parse at run time with their arguments.
• Bedrock scripts throw when executing unparseable commands.

Output

Commands produce output values:

• Success count — the value passed to command blocks (readable by a comparator behind the block; retained until the next execution). Java: usually 0 or 1 (exception: /execute); commands not executable in command blocks have no success count. Bedrock: 0..2147483647 depending on the command.
• Stored values — Java: /execute store can store success (0 or 1) and result (integer, floored) from the executed command. Every command has both except /execute itself (without if/unless) and /function in certain cases.

Results

After attempting a command, the result is one of:

• Unparseable — restrictions not met, incomplete input, or unparseable arguments.
• Error — the command threw a non-CommandSyntaxException exception: "An unexpected error occurred trying to execute that command", possible side effects (crashes), /execute branches may stop midway.
• Void — only /function (without if/unless): no result/success values to store.
• Interrupted — only /execute: the number of execution branches became 0 before the trailing subcommand (e.g. /execute as @s run ... in a command block, which is not an entity).
• Success / failure — otherwise: success count 0 = failure, > 0 = success. (Unparseable/error/void/interrupted are NOT "failure" even though their success count is 0; a "successful" command need not change the world, and a "failed" one may still have done something.)

Command List

The complete list of Java commands (including upcoming ones) with per-command syntax: see the Minecraft Wiki "Commands" page. Java-specific notes: the wiki marks commands by game state (Java only, Bedrock only, Education only, etc.).

Debug Commands (Java)

Debug tooling should not be enabled during normal play (may crash or irreversibly damage saves). Some commands only exist with the MC_DEBUG_DEV_COMMANDS debug tool enabled; others with MC_DEBUG_CHASE_COMMAND.

Hidden Commands (Bedrock/Education)

Usually executable only via a WebSocket server, not in-game.

Removed Commands

• Bedrock developer commands — for development/testing; normally invisible to players.
• Agent commands (Education) — /attack, /collect, /createagent, /destroy, /detectredstone, /detect, /dropall, /drop, /getitemcount, /getitemdetail, /getitemspace, /inspectdata, /inspect, /move, /place, /till, /tpagent, /transfer, /turn — replaced by /agent.

April Fools Commands (Java)

Exist only in some April Fools versions: /debugdim, /transform, /vote, /warp. (26w14a's living block entity commands: see "Block entity commands".)