Pre-release protocol

This page documents the changes from the last stable Minecraft release (currently 1.13.2, protocol 404) to the current pre-release (currently 1.14.4, protocol 498). Note that this page contains bleeding-edge information that may not be completely or correctly documented.

One who wishes to commandeer the merging of this into Protocol when an update is made must be sure to respect any changes that may have occurred to the respective packets there.

Contents

Data types

Position

64-bit value split in to three parts

• x: 26 MSBs
• z: 26 LSBs middle bits
• y: 12 bits between them LSBs

Encoded as followed:

((x & 0x3FFFFFF) << 38) | ((y & 0xFFF) << 26) | (z & 0x3FFFFFF) ((z & 0x3FFFFFF) << 12) | (y & 0xFFF)

And decoded as:

val = read_unsigned_long();
x = val >> 38;
y = (val >> 26) & 0xFFF val & 0xFFF;
z = val << 38 >> 38 (val << 26 >> 38);

Note: The details of bit shifting are rather language dependent; the above may work in Java but probably won't in other languages without some tweaking. In particular, you will usually receive positive numbers even if the actual coordinates are negative. This can be fixed by adding something like the following:

if x >= 2^25 { x -= 2^26 }
if y >= 2^11 { y -= 2^12 }
if z >= 2^25 { z -= 2^26 }

Particle

Particle Name	Particle ID	Data
minecraft:falling_lava	10	None
minecraft:landing_lava	11	None
minecraft:dripping_water	10 12	None
minecraft:falling_water	13	None
minecraft:dust	11 14	None
minecraft:effect	12 15	None
minecraft:elder_guardian	13 16	None
minecraft:enchanted_hit	14 17	None
minecraft:enchant	15 18	None
minecraft:end_rod	16 19	None
minecraft:entity_effect	17 20	None
minecraft:explosion_emitter	18 21	None
minecraft:explosion	19 22	None
minecraft:falling_dust	20 23	None
minecraft:firework	21 24	None
minecraft:fishing	22 25	None
minecraft:flame	23 26	None
minecraft:flash	27	None
minecraft:happy_villager	24 28	None
minecraft:composter	29	None
minecraft:heart	25 30	None
minecraft:instant_effect	26 31	None
minecraft:item	27 32	None
minecraft:item_slime	28 33	None
minecraft:item_snowball	29 34	None
minecraft:large_smoke	30 35	None
minecraft:lava	31 36	None
minecraft:mycelium	32 37	None
minecraft:note	33 38	None
minecraft:poof	34 39	None
minecraft:portal	35 40	None
minecraft:rain	36 41	None
minecraft:smoke	37 42	None
minecraft:sneeze	43	None
minecraft:spit	38 44	None
minecraft:squid_ink	39 45	None
minecraft:sweep_attack	40 46	None
minecraft:totem_of_undying	41 47	None
minecraft:underwater	42 48	None
minecraft:splash	43 49	None
minecraft:witch	44 50	None
minecraft:bubble_pop	45 51	None
minecraft:current_down	46 52	None
minecraft:bubble_column_up	47 53	None
minecraft:nautilus	48 54	None
minecraft:dolphin	49 55	None
minecraft:campfire_cosy_smoke	56	None
minecraft:campfire_signal_smoke	57	None

Packets

ID	Packet name	Documentation
Handshaking serverbound
0x00	Handshake	Current	Pre
Play serverbound
0x00	Teleport Confirm	Current	(unchanged)
0x01	Query Block NBT	Current	(unchanged)
0x02	Set Difficulty	Current	Pre
0x02 0x03	Chat Message (serverbound)	Current	(unchanged)
0x03 0x04	Client Status	Current	(unchanged)
0x04 0x05	Client Settings	Current	(unchanged)
0x05 0x06	Tab-Complete (serverbound)	Current	(unchanged)
0x06 0x07	Confirm Transaction (serverbound)	Current	(unchanged)
0x07 0x08	Click Window Button	Current	Pre
0x08 0x09	Click Window	Current	(unchanged)
0x09 0x0A	Close Window (serverbound)	Current	(unchanged)
0x0A 0x0B	Plugin Message (serverbound)	Current	(unchanged)
0x0B 0x0C	Edit Book	Current	(unchanged)
0x0C 0x0D	Query Entity NBT	Current	(unchanged)
0x0D 0x0E	Use Entity	Current	(unchanged)
0x0E 0x0F	Keep Alive (serverbound)	Current	(unchanged)
0x10	Lock Difficulty	Current	Pre
0x10 0x11	Player Position	Current	(unchanged)
0x11 0x12	Player Position And Look (serverbound)	Current	(unchanged)
0x12 0x13	Player Look	Current	(unchanged)
0x0F 0x14	Player	Current	(unchanged)
0x13 0x15	Vehicle Move (serverbound)	Current	(unchanged)
0x14 0x16	Steer Boat	Current	(unchanged)
0x15 0x17	Pick Item	Current	(unchanged)
0x16 0x18	Craft Recipe Request	Current	(unchanged)
0x17 0x19	Player Abilities (serverbound)	Current	(unchanged)
0x18 0x1A	Player Digging	Current	(unchanged)
0x19 0x1B	Entity Action	Current	(unchanged)
0x1A 0x1C	Steer Vehicle	Current	(unchanged)
0x1B 0x1D	Recipe Book Data	Current	Pre
0x1C 0x1E	Name Item	Current	(unchanged)
0x1D 0x1F	Resource Pack Status	Current	(unchanged)
0x1E 0x20	Advancement Tab	Current	(unchanged)
0x1F 0x21	Select Trade	Current	(unchanged)
0x20 0x22	Set Beacon Effect	Current	(unchanged)
0x21 0x23	Held Item Change (serverbound)	Current	(unchanged)
0x22 0x24	Update Command Block	Current	(unchanged)
0x23 0x25	Update Command Block Minecart	Current	(unchanged)
0x24 0x26	Creative Inventory Action	Current	(unchanged)
0x27	Update Jigsaw Block		Pre
0x25 0x28	Update Structure Block	Current	(unchanged)
0x26 0x29	Update Sign	Current	(unchanged)
0x27 0x2A	Animation (serverbound)	Current	(unchanged)
0x28 0x2B	Spectate	Current	(unchanged)
0x29 0x2C	Player Block Placement	Current	Pre
0x2A 0x2D	Use Item	Current	(unchanged)

New/modified data types

No changes so far.

Entity Metadata

Entity metadata shifted in 19w08a; not all entities are copied here. All subclasses of entity had shift of 1; all subclasses of living had a second shift (2 total). All entities listed in the article have been updated, but there are ones not listed here.

Entity Metadata Format

Note that entity metadata is a totally distinct concept from block metadata. It is not required to send all metadata fields, or even any metadata fields, so long as the terminating entry is correctly sent.

Entity Metadata is an array of entries, each of which looks like the following:

Name	Type	Meaning
Index	Unsigned Byte	Unique index key determining the meaning of the following value, see the table below. If this is 0xff then the it is the end of the Entity Metadata array and no more is read.
Type	Optional VarInt Enum	Only if Index is not 0xff; the type of the index, see the table below
Value	Optional value of Type	Only if Index is not 0xff: the value of the metadata field

Value of Type field	Type of Value field	Notes
0	Byte
1	VarInt
2	Float
3	String
4	Chat
5	OptChat (Boolean + Optional Chat)	Chat is present if the Boolean is set to true
6	Slot
7	Boolean
8	Rotation	3 floats: rotation on x, rotation on y, rotation on z
9	Position
10	OptPosition (Boolean + Optional Position)	Position is present if the Boolean is set to true
11	Direction (VarInt)	(Down = 0, Up = 1, North = 2, South = 3, West = 4, East = 5)
12	OptUUID (Boolean + Optional UUID)	UUID is present if the Boolean is set to true
13	OptBlockID (VarInt)	0 for absent otherwise, id << 4 | data
14	NBT
15	Particle
16	Villager Data	3 VarInts: villager type, villager profession, level
17	OptVarInt	0 for absent; 1 + actual value otherwise. Used for entity IDs.
18	Pose	A VarInt enum: 0: STANDING, 1: FALL_FLYING, 2: SLEEPING, 3: SWIMMING, 4: SPIN_ATTACK, 5: SNEAKING, 6: DYING

Villager type (minecraft:villager_type registry):

Name	ID
minecraft:desert	0
minecraft:jungle	1
minecraft:plains	2
minecraft:savanna	3
minecraft:snow	4
minecraft:swamp	5
minecraft:taiga	6

Villager professions (minecraft:villager_profession registry):

Name	ID
minecraft:none	0
minecraft:armorer	1
minecraft:butcher	2
minecraft:cartographer	3
minecraft:cleric	4
minecraft:farmer	5
minecraft:fisherman	6
minecraft:fletcher	7
minecraft:leatherworker	8
minecraft:librarian	9
minecraft:mason	10
minecraft:nitwit	11
minecraft:shepherd	12
minecraft:toolsmith	13
minecraft:weaponsmith	14

Mobs

Entity IDs have shifted with the addition of some new mobs.

Entity

The base class.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
0	Byte	Bit mask	Meaning	0
		0x01	On Fire
		0x02	Crouched
		0x04	Unused (previously riding)
		0x08	Sprinting
		0x10	Swimming
		0x20	Invisible
		0x40	Glowing effect
		0x80	Flying with elytra
1	VarInt	Air		300
2	OptChat	Custom name		empty
3	Boolean	Is custom name visible		false
4	Boolean	Is silent		false
5	Boolean	No gravity		false
6	Pose	Pose		STANDING

Itemed Throwable

Extends Throwable.

Used for all things that previously extended throwable other than potions, which already had an item.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
7	Slot	Item		empty (which behaves as if it were a specific item, depending on the subclass)

Egg

Extends Itemed Throwable.

No additional metadata.

An empty item behaves as if the item were a minecraft:egg.

Ender Pearl

Extends Itemed Throwable.

No additional metadata.

An empty item behaves as if the item were a minecraft:ender_pearl.

Experience Bottle

Extends Itemed Throwable.

No additional metadata.

minecraft:experience_bottle

Snowball

Extends Itemed Throwable.

No additional metadata.

minecraft:snowball

Eye of Ender

Extends Entity.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
7	Slot	Item		empty (which behaves as if it were a minecraft:ender_eye)

Arrow

Extends Entity.

Abstract base class for TippedArrow (which is used for regular arrows as well as tipped ones) and Spectral Arrow.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
6 7	Byte	Bit mask	Meaning	0
		0x01	Is critical
		0x02	Is noclip (used by loyalty tridents when returning)
7 8	OptUUID	Shooter UUID		Empty
9	Byte	Piercing level		0

TippedArrow

Extends Arrow.

Used for both tipped and regular arrows. If not tipped, then color is set to -1 and no tipped arrow particles are used.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
8 10	VarInt	Color (-1 for no particles)		-1

Trident

Extends Arrow.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
8 10	VarInt	Loyalty level (enchantment)		0

Itemed Fireball

Extends Entity.

Used for regular and small fireballs. Not used for dragon fireballs and wither skulls. Interestingly, regular fireballs do not come from an item.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
7	Slot	Item		empty (which behaves as if it were a minecraft:fire_charge)

Fireball

Extends Abstract Fireball Itemed Fireball. This is the large fireball shot by ghasts.

No additional metadata.

Small Fireball

Extends Abstract Fireball Itemed Fireball. This is the fireball shot by blazes and dispensers with fire charges.

No additional metadata.

Fireworks

Extends Entity.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
6 7	Slot	Firework info		empty
7 8	VarInt OptVarInt	Entity ID of entity which used firework (for elytra boosting)		0
9	Boolean	Shot at angle (from a crossbow)		false

Living

Extends Entity.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
6 7	Byte	Hand states, used to trigger blocking/eating/drinking animation.		0
		Bit mask	Meaning
		0x01	Is hand active
		0x02	Active hand (0 = main hand, 1 = offhand)
		0x04	In riptide spin attack
7 8	Float	Health		1.0
8 9	VarInt	Potion effect color (or 0 if there is no effect)		0
9 10	Boolean	Is potion effect ambient: reduces the number of particles generated by potions to 1/5 the normal amount		false
10 11	VarInt	Number of arrows in entity		0
12	OptBlockPos	Unknown (Bed location?)		Absent

Panda

Extends Animal.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
15	Integer	Breed timer? Set to 32 when something happens, and then counts down to 0 again. At 29 and 14 (before counting down), will play the entity.panda.cant_breed sound event.		0
16	Integer	Sneeze timer. Counts up from 0; when it hits 1 the entity.panda.pre_sneeze event plays and when it hits 21 the entity.panda.sneeze event plays (and it is set back to 0 and the sneeze flag is cleared).		0
17	Integer	Eat timer. If nonzero, counts upwards.		0
18	Byte	Main Gene		0
19	Byte	Hidden Gene		0
20	Byte	Bit mask	Meaning	0
		0x01	Unused
		0x02	Is sneezing
		0x04	Is eating
		0x08	Unknown
		0x10	Unknown

Fox

Extends Animal.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
15	VarInt	Type (0: red, 1: snow)		0 (red)
16	Byte	Bit mask	Meaning	0
		0x01	Sitting
		0x02	Unused
		0x04	Crouching
		0x08	Unknown
		0x10	Unknown
		0x20	Sleeping
		0x40	Unknown
		0x80	Unknown
17	OptUUID	First UUID (in UUIDs NBT)?		Absent
18	OptUUID	Second UUID (in UUIDs NBT)?		Absent

Mooshroom

Extends Cow.

No additional metadata.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
15	String	Variant ("red" or "brown")		red

Raid Participent

Extends Monster.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
14	boolean	Is celebrating		false

"Is celebrating" appears to control the pose for vindicators and does not appear to be used by other types.

Abstract Illager

Extends Monster Raid Participent.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
12	Byte	Bit mask	Meaning	0
		0x01	Has target (aggressive state)

Replaced with pose (presumably?)

Spellcaster Illager

Extends Abstract Illlager.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
13 15	Byte	Spell (0: none, 1: summon vex, 2: attack, 3: wololo, 4: disappear, 5: blindness)		0

EvocationIllager Evoker

Extends Spellcaster Illager.

IllusionIllager Illusioner

Extends Spellcaster Illager.

Pillager

Extends Abstract Illlager.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
15	Boolean	Using crossbow		false

VindicationIllager Vindicator

Extends Abstract Illager.

Ravager

Extends Raid Participent

No additional metadata.

Status	Description
4	Starts the attack animation.
39	Starts the stun animation.

Witch

Extends Monster Raid Participent.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
12 15	Boolean	Is drinking potion		false

AbstractSkeleton

Extends Monster.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
12 14	Boolean	Is swinging arms		false

Replaced with pose (presumably?)

Zombie

Extends Monster.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
12 14	Boolean	Is baby		false
13 15	VarInt	Unused (previously type)		0
14	Boolean	Are hands held up		false
15 16	Boolean	Is becoming a drowned		false

Replaced with pose (presumably?)

Zombie Villager

Extends Zombie.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
16 17	Boolean	Is converting		false
17 18	VarInt Villager Data	Profession Villager Data		0 Plains/None/1

Ocelot

Extends TameableAnimal Ageable.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
15	VarInt	Type (0 = untamed, 1 = tuxedo, 2 = tabby, 3 = siamese). Used to render regardless as to whether it is tamed or not.		0
15	Boolean	Is trusting		false

Status	Description
40	Spawn smoke particles (trust gaining failed)
41	Spawn heart particles (trust gaining succeeded)

Cat

Extends TameableAnimal.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
17	VarInt	Type (0 = tabby, 1 = black, 2 = red, 3 = siamese, 4 = british_shorthair, 5 = calico, 6 = persian, 7 = ragdoll, 8 = white, 9 = all_black)		1
18	Boolean	Unknown		false
19	Boolean	Unknown		false
20	VarInt	Collar color (values are those used with dyes)		14 (Red)

Horse

Extends AbstractHorse.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
15 17	VarInt	Variant (Color & Style)		0
16	VarInt	Armor (0: none, 1: iron, 2: gold, 3: diamond)		0 (none)
17	Slot	Armor Item (Forge only)		Empty

Replaced with Entity Equipment packet. (Uses chestplate slot)

Trader Llama

Extends Llama.

No additional metadata.

Abstract Merchant

Extends Ageable.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
15	VarInt	Head shake timer (starts at 40, decrements each tick)		0

Villager

Extends Ageable Abstract Merchant.

Index	Type	Meaning		Default
13 16	VarInt Villager Data	Villager Data		0 Plains/None/1

Wandering Trader

Extends Abstract Merchant.

No additional metadata.

Block Actions

No changes so far.

Inventories

Merged

Plugin Channels

Merged

Play

Clientbound

Merged

Serverbound

Set Difficulty

Must have at least op level 2 to use. Appears to only be used on singleplayer; the difficulty buttons are still disabled in multiplayer.

Packet ID	State	Bound To	Field Name	Field Type	Notes
0x02	Play	Server	New difficulty	Byte	0: peaceful, 1: easy, 2: normal, 3: hard

Click Window Button

Was named Enchant Item

Used more generally than just for enchanting in 1.14, although the code internally supported general use in earlier versions.

Packet ID	State	Bound To	Field Name	Field Type	Notes
0x07	Play	Server	Window ID	Byte	The ID of the enchantment table window sent by Open Window
			Enchantment Button ID	Byte	The position of the enchantment on the enchantment table window, starting with 0 as the topmost one Meaning depends on window type; see below

Window type	ID	Meaning
Enchantment Table	0	Topmost enchantment
	1	Middle enchantment
	2	Bottom enchantment
Lectern	1	Unknown - maybe previous page? (which does give a redstone output)
	2	Unknown - maybe next page?
	3	Take Book
	100?	Unknown - actual value is 100 + some parameter, so there may be multiple
Stonecutter	Recipe button number - 4*row + col. Depends on the item.
Loom	Recipe button number - 4*row + col. Depends on the item.

Lock Difficulty

Must have at least op level 2 to use. Appears to only be used on singleplayer; the difficulty buttons are still disabled in multiplayer.

Packet ID	State	Bound To	Field Name	Field Type	Notes
0x0F	Play	Server	Locked	Boolean

Recipe Book Data

Packet ID	State	Bound To	Field Name		Field Type	Notes
0x1B 0x1D	Play	Server	Type		VarInt	Determines the format of the rest of the packet
			Type	Field Name
			0: Displayed Recipe	Recipe ID	Identifier	A recipe ID
			1: Recipe Book States	Crafting Recipe Book Open	Boolean	Whether the player has the crafting recipe book currently opened/active.
				Crafting Recipe Filter Active	Boolean	Whether the player has the crafting recipe book filter option currently active.
				Smelting Recipe Book Open	Boolean	Whether the player has the smelting recipe book currently opened/active.
				Smelting Recipe Filter Active	Boolean	Whether the player has the smelting recipe book filter option currently active.
				Blasting Recipe Book Open	Boolean	May be swapped with smoking recipe book. Also, the notchian client appears to use the same value for both of those books currently.
				Blasting Recipe Filter Active	Boolean	May be swapped with smoking recipe book. Also, the notchian client appears to use the same value for both of those books currently.
				Smoking Recipe Book Open	Boolean
				Smoking Recipe Filter Active	Boolean

The Recipe Book Status type is sent when one of the states changes.

Update Jigsaw Block

Sent when Done is pressed on the Jigsaw Block interface.

Packet ID	State	Bound To	Field Name	Field Type	Notes
0x27	Play	Server	Location	Position	Block entity location
			Attachment type	Identifier
			Target pool	Identifier
			Final state	String	"Turns into" on the GUI, final_state in NBT

Player Block Placement

Packet ID	State	Bound To	Field Name	Field Type	Notes
0x29 0x2C	Play	Server	Location	Position	Block position
			Face	VarInt Enum	The face on which the block is placed (as documented at Player Digging)
			Hand	VarInt Enum	The hand from which the block is placed; 0: main hand, 1: off hand
			Location	Position	Block position
			Face	VarInt Enum	The face on which the block is placed (as documented at Player Digging)
			Cursor Position X	Float	The position of the crosshair on the block, from 0 to 1 increasing from west to east
			Cursor Position Y	Float	The position of the crosshair on the block, from 0 to 1 increasing from bottom to top
			Cursor Position Z	Float	The position of the crosshair on the block, from 0 to 1 increasing from north to south
			Inside block	Boolean	True when the player's head is inside of a block.

Upon placing a block, this packet is sent once.

The Cursor Position X/Y/Z fields (also known as in-block coordinates) are calculated using raytracing. The unit corresponds to sixteen pixel in the default resource pack. For example, let's say a slab is being placed against the south face of a full block. The Cursor Position X will be higher if the player was pointing near the right (east) edge of the face, lower if pointing near the left. The Cursor Position Y will be used to determine whether it will appear as a bottom slab (values 0.0–0.5) or as a top slab (values 0.5-1.0). The Cursor Position Z should be 1.0 since the player was looking at the southernmost part of the block.

Inside block is true when a player's head (specifically eyes) are inside of a block's collision. In 1.13 and later versions, collision is rather complicated and individual blocks can have multiple collision boxes. For instance, a ring of vines has a non-colliding hole in the middle. This value is only true when the player is directly in the box. In practice, though, this value is only used by scaffolding to place in front of the player when sneaking inside of it (other blocks will place behind when you intersect with them -- try with glass for instance).

Handshaking

Clientbound

There are no clientbound packets in the Handshaking state, since the protocol immediately switches to a different state after the client sends the first packet.

Status

Clientbound

No changes so far.

Serverbound

No changes so far.

Login

Clientbound

No changes so far.

Serverbound

No changes so far.