Minecraft Server Commands: Complete Java and Bedrock List

Minecraft server commands let administrators manage players, permissions, worlds, weather, difficulty, inventories, and performance from the console or in-game chat. Every owner should understand op, whitelist, ban, kick, tp, gamemode, gamerule, save-all, and stop.

This guide groups commands by administrative task and calls out differences between Java, Bedrock, and Paper. Syntax can change by edition, version, or plugin. Use /help command in game or help command in the console to confirm what your running server accepts.

How to run Minecraft server commands

• In chat: include the slash, such as /list, and hold sufficient permissions.
• In the console: omit the slash, such as list. The console has administrative privileges.
• From a command block: enable command blocks and use edition-compatible syntax. Not every administrative command belongs in a command block.
• Through RCON: remote administration is possible, but it requires a strong password, firewall rules, and restricted access.

Test destructive operations on a separate instance and back up the world before using fill, clone, kill, worldborder, or mass selectors. A valid command aimed at the wrong target remains a perfectly valid disaster.

Essential commands for server owners

Current Bedrock documentation uses /allowlist for its access list. Microsoft maintains an official Bedrock command reference with permission levels and cheat requirements. Do not copy Java syntax into Bedrock blindly.

Permissions, the allowlist, and operators

text
op Administrator
deop Administrator
whitelist on
whitelist add Player
whitelist remove Player
whitelist list
whitelist reload

Operator status grants broad powers; it is not a proper staff-ranking system. On Paper, use a permissions plugin such as LuckPerms and grant only the required capabilities. Compare our recommended Minecraft server plugins.

Enable the whitelist before sharing a private Java server address. Bedrock Dedicated Server uses its own allowlist and permission tooling.

Player moderation commands

Offline-mode servers do not validate account names through official authentication and can permit impersonation. Understand online-mode=false before moderating one.

Teleportation, location, and spawn

text
/tp Alex Steve
/tp Alex 100 70 -250
/spawnpoint Alex 100 70 -250
/setworldspawn 0 80 0
/locate structure minecraft:stronghold
/spreadplayers 0 0 50 500 false @a

• /tp or /teleport moves entities. Check dimension, coordinates, and height before moving everyone.
• /spawnpoint changes an individual player's respawn point.
• /setworldspawn changes the world's default spawn.
• /locate finds version-supported structures or biomes.
• /spreadplayers distributes players and can launch a survival event, but test mass selectors first.

Game mode, difficulty, time, and weather

Duration values and some units depend on edition and version. Confirm them with /help weather or the relevant official reference.

Useful gamerules

text
/gamerule keepInventory true
/gamerule mobGriefing false
/gamerule doDaylightCycle false
/gamerule doWeatherCycle false
/gamerule doMobSpawning true
/gamerule doFireTick false
/gamerule playersSleepingPercentage 50
/gamerule announceAdvancements false

Gamerules change mechanics for a world or dimension according to the server implementation. Microsoft documents current Bedrock rules such as keepInventory, mobGriefing, doMobSpawning, and doFireTick in its official gamerule reference. Java may expose additional rules or different capitalization.

Items, experience, and effects

text
/give Alex minecraft:diamond 3
/clear Alex minecraft:dirt
/xp add Alex 10 levels
/effect give Alex minecraft:speed 60 1 true
/effect clear Alex
/enchant Alex minecraft:unbreaking 3
/recipe give Alex *

Modern Java item identifiers and components can change between releases. Bedrock's /give syntax follows a separate reference. When an old video command fails, verify the server version and run /help give.

Building and world-editing commands

text
/setblock 10 64 10 minecraft:stone
/fill 0 64 0 20 70 20 minecraft:air
/clone 0 64 0 10 70 10 100 64 100
/summon minecraft:zombie 0 65 0
/kill @e[type=minecraft:item,distance=..20]

Back up first. /fill and /clone can replace thousands of blocks, while /kill @e can remove far more than intended. Narrow the selector, verify coordinates, and begin in a test area.

Target selectors: @p, @a, @r, @e, and @s

• @p: nearest player.
• @a: all players.
• @r: random player.
• @e: all matching entities.
• @s: the command executor.

text
/tp @a[x=0,y=64,z=0,distance=..20] 100 70 100
/effect give @a[tag=event] minecraft:glowing 30 0 true
/kill @e[type=minecraft:item,distance=..10]

Filter syntax differs between Java and Bedrock. Never run a destructive global selector unless you can explain exactly what it matches.

World borders, data, and automation in Java

text
/worldborder center 0 0
/worldborder set 10000
/worldborder warning distance 50
/scoreboard objectives add deaths deathCount
/tag Alex add staff
/execute as @a at @s run particle minecraft:happy_villager ~ ~1 ~
/function mypack:start
/schedule function mypack:restart 10m
/datapack list
/reload

/execute is extremely powerful and its syntax has changed over time. Datapacks let you maintain versioned function files instead of enormous command-block chains.

/reload reloads Vanilla datapacks and functions. It is not a safe universal plugin reload; Paper warns that reload operations can leave inconsistent plugin state. A clean restart is normally safer for plugin changes.

Saving and stopping the server

text
/save-all flush
/save-off
/save-on
/stop

• /save-all flush requests a save and flush to disk on Java.
• /save-off disables automatic saving; use it only in a controlled procedure and always restore /save-on.
• /stop performs a clean shutdown. Do not power off the machine or kill Java before completion.

A consistent backup requires more than compressing files while the world changes. Coordinate a save, snapshot, or clean stop and test restoration.

Paper performance commands

Paper adds commands not present in Vanilla. Its official command documentation covers version, plugins, chunks, and profiling.

text
/version
/plugins
/tps
/mspt
/spark tps
/spark profiler start --timeout 600
/paper dumpplugins
/paper chunkinfo

• /tps reports ticks per second.
• /mspt reports milliseconds per tick; sustained values near or above 50 ms prevent the server from maintaining 20 TPS.
• /spark profiler start --timeout 600 captures ten minutes of the active problem.

Review a report for sensitive data before sharing it. Use our complete Minecraft spark troubleshooting workflow.

Bedrock-only or different commands

Bedrock exposes commands and permission levels that do not map directly to Java, including /allowlist, /setmaxplayers, /transfer, /tickingarea, and dedicated-server save controls. Some require Cheats, Owner, Admin, or Game Directors. Check Microsoft's official command list.

text
/allowlist add Player
/setmaxplayers 20
/transfer Player server.example.com 19132
/tickingarea list
/save hold
/save query
/save resume

Availability depends on version and context. A Bedrock command will not necessarily exist in Java, and a Java plugin does not automatically add Bedrock support.

Common command errors

• Unknown or incomplete command: incorrect syntax, version, or namespace.
• You do not have permission: missing operator status or plugin permission.
• Player not found: incorrect name, edition, connection state, or selector.
• No targets matched: no entities met the selector filters.
• Works in console but not chat: check the leading slash and permissions.
• A plugin shadows a Vanilla command: use a namespace such as /minecraft:give or the plugin namespace where supported.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get permission to use server commands?

Run op YourName from the console. For granular Paper permissions, use LuckPerms instead of granting operator status to the entire staff.

Do console commands use a slash?

Normally, no. Use / in chat; enter list, stop, or the raw command directly in the console.

How do I list every installed command?

Use /help and its pages, or help in the console. Paper's /plugins also identifies extensions that may register commands.

What is the command to restart a server?

Vanilla has no universal safe restart command. Run stop and let the panel or service manager start the process again. /restart depends on Paper/Spigot and its configuration.

How do I enable commands?

Administrative commands are available in the console. In-game use requires operator status or permissions. Java command blocks require enable-command-block=true.

Are commands identical in Java and Bedrock?

No. They share concepts, but selectors, permissions, names, and arguments can differ. Verify the reference for the running edition and version.