Minecraft World Clock

World Clocks

This content applies only to Java Edition.

World clocks (clocks) manage different world clock instances. Definition files are their data-driven definitions in datapacks.

Definition format

World clocks use the WORLD_CLOCK registry; the datapack path is world_clock (definitions in data/<namespace>/world_clock, tags in data/<namespace>/tags/world_clock). Definition files are empty JSON objects {}.

Definition behavior

World clock data is loaded only once at server startup; /reload does not reload it — a server restart is required.

World clock behavior

A world clock itself carries no data; the game distinguishes clocks by ID. Each clock holds an internal time that increments every tick and can be paused; it is managed by /time. With the advance_time game rule false, clocks do not advance even when unpaused. Each dimension gets its world clock from its dimension type (default for /time, and time markers per the used timelines). Each timeline computes environment attribute tracks from its clock. Save run time (GameTime) is not managed by clocks.

Time markers

Time markers name specific clock times. They are defined in timelines' time_markers and registered to the timeline's clock at startup. Usable in /time. Game-defined markers: wake_up_from_sleep (time after sleeping; absent = no time change on waking) and roll_village_siege (zombie siege check time; absent = no sieges).

Built-in clocks

• overworld: used by the Overworld; all built-in timelines use it. Markers (from the day timeline): day 1000, noon 6000, night 13000, midnight 18000, wake_up_from_sleep 0 (hidden in /time), roll_village_siege 18000 (hidden). Also used for regional difficulty (0 without the clock) and fixed debug worlds (server crashes without it; no noon marker = no time changes).
• the_end: used by the End for end sky flash timing.