Minecraft Commands: Every Command and How to Use It
Every Java Edition command, what it does and the exact syntax, filterable by category. Learn the target selectors, coordinates and command-block tricks that turn a single command into automation, then open the full reference for arguments and worked examples.
Open the Command Reference →Browse commands by category
Real syntax and OP levels. Open the reference for full arguments and examples.| Command | Syntax | OP level | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| advancement | /advancement <grant|revoke> <targets>… | OP (L2) | Grants or revokes advancements from players. Can target specific advancements, advancement trees, or all… |
| ban | /ban <targets> [<reason>] | OP (L3) | Bans a player from the server. Banned players cannot connect until unbanned. |
| bossbar | /bossbar <add|get|list|remove|set> ... | OP (L2) | Creates and manages custom boss bars displayed at the top of players' screens. Boss bars can show progress,… |
| clear | /clear [<targets>] [<item>] [<maxCount>] | OP (L2) | Removes items from a player's inventory. Can target specific items and limit how many are removed. |
| clone | /clone [from <sourceDimension>] <begin> <end>… | OP (L2) | Copies blocks from one region to another. Supports cross-dimension cloning in 1.19.4+ and various filtering… |
| data | /data <get|merge|modify|remove> <target>… | OP (L2) | Gets, merges, modifies, or removes NBT data from entities, block entities, or storage. A powerful command… |
| debug | /debug <start|stop|function> [<function>] | OP (L3) | Starts or stops a debug profiling session, or profiles a specific function. Generates a profiling report in… |
| defaultgamemode | /defaultgamemode <mode> | OP (L2) | Sets the default game mode for new players joining the server. Does not change existing players' game modes. |
| deop | /deop <targets> | OP (L3) | Revokes operator status from a player. |
| difficulty | /difficulty [<difficulty>] | OP (L2) | Sets or queries the game difficulty. Affects mob spawning, damage, hunger mechanics, and other gameplay… |
| effect | /effect <give|clear> <targets> [<effect>]… | OP (L2) | Gives or removes status effects from entities. Effects include potion effects like speed, strength,… |
| enchant | /enchant <targets> <enchantment> [<level>] | OP (L2) | Enchants the item held in a player's main hand. Only allows enchantments that are compatible with the held… |
| execute | /execute <subcommand> ... run <command> | OP (L2) | Modifies the execution context of a command. Supports changing the executor, position, dimension, rotation,… |
| experience | /experience <add|set|query> <targets> <amount>… | OP (L2) | Adds, sets, or queries experience points or levels for one or more players. Identical to /xp. |
| fill | /fill <from> <to> <block>… | OP (L2) | Fills a region between two coordinates with a specified block. Supports various fill modes and optional… |
| forceload | /forceload <add|remove|query> <from> [<to>] | OP (L2) | Forces specific chunks to remain loaded even when no players are nearby. Useful for always-on redstone or… |
| function | /function <name> [with <storage> [<path>]] | OP (L2) | Runs a function or function tag from a data pack. Functions are .mcfunction files containing a list of… |
| gamemode | /gamemode <gamemode> [<target>] | OP (L2) | Sets a player's game mode to survival, creative, adventure, or spectator. |
| gamerule | /gamerule <rule> [<value>] | OP (L2) | Sets or queries a game rule. Game rules control various world behaviors like mob griefing, fire spread, keep… |
| give | /give <targets> <item> [<count>] | OP (L2) | Gives one or more items to one or more players. The item can include NBT data via component syntax. |
| kick | /kick <targets> [<reason>] | OP (L3) | Disconnects a player from the server. Unlike /ban, the player can rejoin immediately. |
| kill | /kill [<targets>] | OP (L2) | Kills entities (players, mobs, or other entities). If no target is specified, kills the executing entity. |
| list | /list [uuids] | Any player | Shows all players currently connected to the server, optionally with their UUIDs. |
| locate | /locate <structure|biome|poi> <id> | OP (L2) | Finds the nearest specified structure, biome, or point of interest and displays its coordinates. |
| me | /me <action> | Any player | Sends an action message in chat, displayed as '* PlayerName action'. Similar to IRC /me. |
| msg | /msg <targets> <message> | Any player | Sends a private message to one or more players. Also available as /tell and /w. |
| op | /op <targets> | OP (L3) | Grants operator status to a player, giving them permission to use server commands. |
| particle | /particle <name> [<pos>] [<delta>] [<speed>]… | OP (L2) | Spawns particles at a location. Supports all particle types with customizable spread, speed, and visibility. |
| playsound | /playsound <sound> <source> <targets> [<pos>]… | OP (L2) | Plays a sound effect to one or more players. Supports all vanilla and custom sounds with volume and pitch… |
| publish | /publish [<allowCommands>] [<gamemode>] [<port>] | OP (L4) | Opens a singleplayer world to LAN, allowing other players on the local network to join. |
| recipe | /recipe <give|take> <targets> <recipe|*> | OP (L2) | Gives or takes recipe knowledge from players. Affects which recipes appear in the recipe book. |
| reload | /reload | OP (L3) | Reloads all data packs, advancements, functions, loot tables, predicates, recipes, and tags from disk. |
| save-all | /save-all [flush] | OP (L4) | Forces the server to save all chunks and player data to disk. The flush option ensures data is written… |
| say | /say <message> | OP (L2) | Sends a public message to all players in chat, prefixed with the sender's name in square brackets. Can use… |
| schedule | /schedule <function|clear> <function> <time>… | OP (L2) | Schedules a function to run after a specified delay. Can also clear previously scheduled functions. |
| scoreboard | /scoreboard <objectives|players> ... | OP (L2) | Manages scoreboard objectives and player scores. The scoreboard system tracks numeric values for entities… |
| seed | /seed | OP (L2) | Displays the world seed of the current world. The seed determines terrain generation. |
| setblock | /setblock <pos> <block> [destroy|keep|replace] | OP (L2) | Places a block at a specified position in the world. Can optionally destroy the existing block, keep it, or… |
| setworldspawn | /setworldspawn [<pos>] [<angle>] | OP (L2) | Sets the global world spawn point. New players and players without a personal spawn point will respawn here. |
| spawnpoint | /spawnpoint [<targets>] [<pos>] [<angle>] | OP (L2) | Sets the spawn point for one or more players. When a player dies, they respawn at their spawn point. |
| spectate | /spectate [<target>] [<player>] | OP (L2) | Causes a player in spectator mode to spectate (follow the viewpoint of) another entity. Running without… |
| spreadplayers | /spreadplayers <center> <spreadDistance>… | OP (L2) | Distributes entities randomly across an area. Useful for minigames, random spawn placement, and similar… |
| stop | /stop | OP (L4) | Gracefully shuts down the server, saving all data before stopping. |
| summon | /summon <entity> [<pos>] [<nbt>] | OP (L2) | Spawns an entity at a specified location, optionally with NBT data to customize the entity. |
| tag | /tag <targets> <add|list|remove> <name> | OP (L2) | Adds, removes, or lists tags on entities. Tags are simple string labels used for entity selection and… |
| team | /team… | OP (L2) | Manages teams for the scoreboard. Teams control PvP, name colors, collision rules, and name visibility. |
| teleport | /teleport [<targets>] <destination>|<location>… | OP (L2) | Teleports entities to a location, another entity, or adjusts their rotation. Full form of /tp with extended… |
| tellraw | /tellraw <targets> <message> | OP (L2) | Sends a JSON-formatted message to players. Supports clickable text, hover events, colors, formatting, and… |
| tick | /tick <query|rate|freeze|step|unfreeze|sprint>… | OP (L3) | Controls the server tick rate. Allows freezing, stepping through, and changing the speed of game ticks for… |
| time | /time <add|query|set> <value> | OP (L2) | Changes or queries the in-game time. Can set time to specific values or named periods (day, night, noon,… |
| title | /title <targets>… | OP (L2) | Controls the title display on players' screens. Can show titles, subtitles, action bar text, and configure… |
| tp | /tp [<targets>] <destination>|<location>… | OP (L2) | Teleports entities to a specified location, to another entity, or with a specific rotation. Alias for… |
| trigger | /trigger <objective> [add|set <value>] | Any player | Modifies a scoreboard objective of type 'trigger'. This command can be used by non-operator players, making… |
| weather | /weather <clear|rain|thunder> [<duration>] | OP (L2) | Sets the weather to clear skies, rain, or thunderstorm for an optional duration. |
| whitelist | /whitelist <add|list|off|on|reload|remove>… | OP (L3) | Manages the server whitelist. When enabled, only whitelisted players can join the server. |
| worldborder | /worldborder… | OP (L2) | Manages the world border, its size, center, damage, warning distance, and warning time. |
| xp | /xp <add|set|query> <targets> <amount>… | OP (L2) | Adds, sets, or queries experience points or levels for one or more players. This is an alias for /experience. |
Showing 57 of 57 commands.
Full Command ReferenceEvery command with full arguments, permission levels, worked examples and common mistakes.Open the Command Reference →What are commands in Minecraft?
Commands (also called cheats) are typed instructions, starting with /, that change the game directly: give items, teleport, set the time, summon mobs or run logic. They work in singleplayer with cheats on, on a LAN world, and on servers for players with the right permission level. Open the chat, type / and the game autocompletes the syntax as you go.
Target selectors (@p, @a, @e, @s)
Most commands take a target selector instead of a name: @p nearest player, @a all players, @r a random player, @e all entities, and @s yourself or the command's executor. Selectors take filters in brackets, like @e[type=zombie,distance=..10], which is what makes commands target exactly the right things.
Coordinates: absolute, relative and local
- Absolute (
100 64 -200): a fixed point in the world. - Relative (
~ ~5 ~): offset from the command's position;~5means five blocks along that axis. - Local (
^ ^ ^3): relative to the direction you are facing, great for "3 blocks ahead".
Permission levels and command blocks
Server commands are gated by an OP / permission level (0-4). Level 0 commands anyone can run; level 2 is the usual bar for cheats and admin commands. Command blocks (given with /give @s command_block) store a command and run it on a redstone pulse or a clock, which is how maps and servers automate teleports, scoreboards and events.
Frequently asked questions
How do I enable commands in Minecraft?
- In singleplayer, open to LAN or create the world with "Allow Cheats" on. On a server you need to be an operator (run /op <name> from the console). Then type / in chat to start a command.
What does @e mean in Minecraft commands?
- @e is a target selector meaning "all entities" (mobs, items, armor stands, players). You narrow it with filters, e.g. @e[type=cow,limit=5], so the command only affects what you want.
What is the difference between ~ and ^ in coordinates?
- ~ (tilde) is relative to position on the X/Y/Z axes. ^ (caret) is relative to the direction you are facing, so ^ ^ ^3 means three blocks in front of you regardless of which way you look.
What OP level do I need for cheats?
- Most cheat and admin commands require permission level 2. Server owners set this with /op, or per-level in server.properties and permissions plugins like LuckPerms.
Related guides
All Server & Admin guides →How to Add a Server Icon in MinecraftHow to Add Mods to a Minecraft ServerHow to Back Up Your Minecraft ServerHow to Ban and Kick Players in MinecraftChange Difficulty With Commands in MinecraftHow to Change the Time With Commands in MinecraftHow to Change the Weather with Commands in MinecraftSpigot vs Paper: Which Server Software to ChooseHow to Edit server.properties in MinecraftHow to Give XP With Commands in MinecraftHow to Host a LAN World in MinecraftHow to Install a Datapack
