Command Reference
How to Use the /give Command
The /givecommand spawns any item straight into a player's inventory. Master the four parts, target, item, count, and components, and you can hand out a stack of diamonds or a fully enchanted, custom-named sword in one line.
The anatomy of /give
Every /give follows the shape /give <target> <item>[components] [count]. The target is a selector (@p@s@a@r) or a player name. The item is a namespaced ID like diamond or diamond_sword. The count is optional and defaults to 1, with a hard cap of 6400. On 1.20.5 and later, square-bracket components replaced the old NBT tags, use custom_nameenchantmentsloreand damage to build precise items. A successful run echoes Gave 64 [Diamond] to Steve in the console.
Quick answers
+What is the exact syntax of /give?
/give <target> <item>[components] [count]. Example: /give @p diamond 64 gives the nearest player 64 diamonds and prints Gave 64 [Diamond] to Steve.
+Why do I get 'Unknown or incomplete command'?
You lack permission. Run /op yourname from the console, set your permission level to 2+, or turn on Allow Cheats for the world. Also check the item ID is spelled correctly.
+How do I give an enchanted item?
Use the enchantments component on 1.20.5+: /give @p diamond_pickaxe[enchantments={efficiency:5,unbreaking:3}] 1. On older versions you used the old NBT {Enchantments:[...]} tag instead.
+Can I give more than 64 of something?
Yes. /give @p arrow 6400 works and the server splits the items across multiple inventory slots. The hard cap per command is 6400.
+How do I name an item with /give?
Use the custom_name component with a JSON text string: /give @p diamond_sword[custom_name='{"text":"Excalibur"}'] 1. It shows up as the named item in the result message and the item tooltip.
+Does /give work on a multiplayer server?
Yes, identically. Run it from the server console or as an OP in chat. Plugins like EssentialsX add an alternative /i and /give with friendlier syntax and tab-complete.