Look, I've been playing Minecraft since pigs could spawn in nether portals (that's a while). Back when I started, I spent hours digging through ancient forums just to find basic commands. Annoying? You bet. That's why I'm dumping everything I've learned into this ultimate Minecraft commands list. No fluff, just stuff that works.
Ever tried building a castle at night while creepers blow up your scaffolding? Yeah, me too. That's when I discovered /gamerule doDaylightCycle false. Game changer. But commands aren't just about cheating – they're about fixing glitches, testing builds, or rescuing your dog from a chunk error. Let's get into it.
The Bare Minimum Setup for Commands
First things first: You gotta enable these bad boys. If you're in survival mode, pause and hit "Open to LAN." Check "Allow Cheats." Boom, done. For servers, edit server.properties and set enable-command-block=true.
Pro tip? Memorize these three keys:
- Java: Press
Tfor chat - Bedrock: Press
/on keyboard or tap chat icon - Consoles: Hold right bumper + D-pad down
Ugh, this drives me nuts: On Bedrock edition, sometimes commands just don't save after closing the world. Always double-check cheats are enabled before building anything complicated.
Your Daily Driver Commands
These 10 commands solve 90% of problems. Bookmark this table:
| Command | What It Does | Example | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
/tp |
Teleports entities | /tp @s 100 64 -200 |
All |
/give |
Spawns items | /give @p diamond 64 |
All |
/weather |
Changes weather | /weather clear 100000 |
All |
/gamemode |
Switches game mode | /gamemode creative @a |
All |
/kill |
Deletes entities | /kill @e[type=creeper] |
All |
/gamerule |
Changes world rules | /gamerule keepInventory true |
All |
/effect |
Applies potion effects | /effect give @a regeneration 30 1 |
All |
/time |
Controls daylight cycle | /time set noon |
All |
/locate |
Finds structures | /locate bastion_remnant |
All |
/summon |
Spawns mobs/entities | /summon minecraft:fox ~ ~ ~ {Type:snow} |
Java Only |
Why /gamerule is Secretly OP
Last week, my nephew lost all his netherite gear to lava. Cue tears. We fixed it with two commands:
/gamerule keepInventory true (so death doesn't delete items)
/gamerule doFireTick false (stops fire spreading)
Other lifesavers:
- /gamerule mobGriefing false (stops creepers blowing holes in your lawn)
- /gamerule doInsomnia false (no phantom spawns)
- /gamerule doImmediateRespawn true (skip death screen)
The Dark Arts of Command Blocks
Command blocks? They're like redstone for coding. Place one with /give @p command_block, then right-click it. Three types:
- Impulse (orange): Runs once when powered
- Chain (green): Runs after another command block
- Repeat (purple): Runs every tick (20 times/second!)
I made a zombie defense minigame using chain blocks. Took forever to debug. Pro tip: Always set "Conditional" to OFF until your chain works. Trust me.
Target Selectors: Your New Best Friends
See those @p and @a things? Magic variables. Here's the breakdown:
| Selector | Meaning | Example Use |
|---|---|---|
@p |
Nearest player | /give @p diamond |
@a |
All players | /effect clear @a |
@r |
Random player | /tp @r 0 100 0 |
@e |
All entities | /kill @e[type=item] |
@s |
Yourself (in commands) | /effect give @s speed 10 |
Filters make these insane:
/give @a[distance=..10] cooked_beef 3 (feeds players within 10 blocks)
/tp @e[type=chicken] ~ ~5 ~ (levitating chicken army)
When Things Break (And They Will)
Commands failing? Check these first:
- Permissions: Ops only? Run
/op YourUsername - Coordinates: Bedrock uses
~0 ~0 ~0not0 0 0for current position - Updates: Java 1.17+ needs
minecraft:prefixes (e.g.minecraft:zombie) - Syntax: Missed a bracket?
/effect give @s speed 100≠/effect @s speed 100
Once spent two hours debugging why /fill wasn't working. Forgot I was in adventure mode. Don't be like me.
Advanced Tricks Most Guides Skip
JSON Formatting in Chat
Want colored text? Try:
/tellraw @a {"text":"RED ALERT! ","color":"red","bold":true}
Structure Saving/Loading
Copy builds between worlds:
/structure save barn ~-5 ~-1 ~-5 ~5 ~3 ~5 barn_house
/structure load barn_house ~0 ~0 ~0
Scoreboard Magic
Create custom stats:
/scoreboard objectives add Kills minecraft.killed:minecraft.zombie
Then track with /scoreboard players list @a
Platform Differences That Matter
Bedrock vs Java quirks I've battled:
| Command | Java | Bedrock |
|---|---|---|
| Entity Spawn | /summon minecraft:fox ~ ~ ~ {Type:snow} |
/summon fox ~~~ minecraft:fox_snow |
| NBT Data | Full support | Limited (no custom items) |
| Coordinates | Absolute (123 64 -45) |
Relative (~10 ~ ~-5) |
| Autocomplete | Press Tab | No native support |
Personal rant: Why can't Bedrock handle NBT data properly? Makes custom maps so much harder.
Frequently Asked Questions (Real Player Queries)
How do I get a command block?
Type /give @p command_block in chat. Must be OP and in creative mode.
Why does /locate mansion fail sometimes?
Mansions only spawn in dark forests. If you're in a desert, it'll error out. Try flying around first.
Can I undo a command?
Mostly no. That /fill ~ ~ ~ ~50 ~ ~50 air that deleted your house? Gone. Always back up worlds before messing with big commands.
What's the point of /execute?
Runs commands as if another entity did it. Example: /execute as @e[type=sheep] at @s run summon lightning_bolt makes every sheep summon lightning. Chaos mode activated.
How do I stop command blocks spamming chat?
Run /gamerule commandBlockOutput false. Lifesaver for redstone contraptions.
Parting Wisdom
After seven years of messing with Minecraft commands list stuff, my biggest lesson? Experiment in creative first. That /kill @e command? It nukes everything – including your prize llamas. Learned that the hard way.
Got a command that never works? Hit me up on Twitter. I've probably banged my head against that same wall. Now go make something ridiculous – maybe a chicken cannon with /summon and /tp.
Oh, and bookmark this page. I update it whenever Mojang changes things (looking at you, 1.20).