Block
This article is about the various blocks found in Minecraft. For the blocking with swords or shields that reduces damage when performed, see Blocking.
Blocks are the basic units of structure in Minecraft.
Contents
Behavior
Together, solid blocks and liquid blocks build up the in-game environment and can be harvested and utilized in various fashions. Some blocks, such as dirt and sandstone, are opaque, while other blocks, such as glass and ice, are transparent.
Some blocks, such as torches and glowstone, will emit light. The amount of light they emit varies widely; see this table of light values for further information. Most opaque blocks will completely block light, while transparent blocks either have no effect on light or simply diffuse it.
Almost all blocks will ignore gravity, with the exception of sand, red sand, gravel, anvils, dragon eggs and, in Pocket Edition, layer snow.
Block height
Most solid blocks are 1 meter high, but certain blocks (especially slabs and stairs) have non-standard block heights.
A player can automatically step up from a lower to a higher height, if the difference is at most 0.6 (3⁄5) of a block.
Textures
The textures on the faces of blocks are 16×16 pixels. Most blocks are proportionately one cubic meter by default, but their shape can be changed using models. Most blocks also have static textures, though water, lava, Nether portal, End portal, End gateway, fire, sea lantern, command block, prismarine, and magma blocks are animated.
Using resource packs, the player can change the textures and resolution of blocks, including whether their texture is animated. They can also change the shapes of blocks using models and the size of blocks to any size with equal width and height, though sizes that are a power of two tend to work better.
List of blocks
Natural blocks
Natural blocks are generated as part of the terrain in the Overworld, the Nether and the End. These also include ores and liquids.
Structures
These blocks are generated as part of structures.
Plants
Plants are Minecraft's representation of plant life. Most of them can grow and be farmed to obtain resources.
Manufactured
Manufactured blocks can be obtained via crafting or smelting.
Utility
Utility blocks are used for a wide variety of specific purposes that are helpful to the player.
Mechanisms
Mechanisms can be used to perform a wide range of tasks.
Creative only
These blocks can only be accessed within the Creative mode inventory.
Commands only
These blocks can only be accessed with the use of commands, such as /give.
Pocket Edition/Windows 10 Edition only
These blocks can only be accessed in Pocket Edition and Windows 10 Edition.
Technical blocks
Technical blocks are blocks whose main functions are strictly tied to the usage of other blocks. They cannot be acquired through normal gameplay, most of them cannot be obtained with commands, but other ones require commands or mods to obtain. They serve various purposes during events within the game. If acquired, they will usually have a 
missing texture.
Video
History
| Pre-classic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rd-132211 | You can now place and destroy blocks. | |||
| rd-160052 | There is now support for different block types. | |||
| New particles are shown when you destroy a block. | ||||
| New support for dynamic blocks. | ||||
| You can now "pick" blocks. | ||||
| Classic | ||||
| 0.0.22a | Added multiple sounds for blocks. | |||
| 0.24 | Breaking blocks allows you to pick them up and place them, thus adding and removing them from your inventory. | |||
| 0.24_02 | You now have to hold down the mouse button to break blocks, creating a block-breaking animation. | |||
| 0.27 SURVIVAL TEST 10 | The player began with 10 TNT blocks and could obtain dirt, cobblestone from stone, wooden planks from wood, gold blocks from gold ore, iron blocks from iron ore, stone slabs from coal ore, and white wool from sheep. | |||
| 0.28 | Right click now adds blocks and left click removes them. | |||
| The player could build with naturally occurring blocks, and can use bookshelfs, sponge, colored wool, brick, obsidian and moss stone. Operators of servers could also build bedrock. Some custom servers gave the ability to place grass blocks and fluid blocks, too. | ||||
| All new block types were added. | ||||
| Indev | ||||
| December 25, 2009 | You can now drop blocks on the ground. | |||
| You can also pick up blocks that are thrown on the ground. | ||||
| January 22, 2010 | Blocks can now be placed on resource items. As a result, resource items will be pushed off. | |||
| January 25, 2010 | New block particles. | |||
| Official release | ||||
| 1.7.2 | 13w37a | The ability to obtain the item form of 26 technical blocks were removed. These were the bed (26), piston head and extension (34 & 36), redstone wire (55), wheat crops (59), standing and wall sign (63 & 68), wooden and iron door (64 & 71), lit redstone ore (74), unlit redstone torch (75), sugar cane (83), cake (92), unpowered and powered repeater (93 & 94), pumpkin and melon stem (104 & 105), nether wart (115), brewing stand (117), cauldron (118), lit redstone lamp (124), tripwire (132), flower pot (140), skull (144), and unpowered and powered comparator (149 & 150). | ||
| 1.8 | 14w25a | The ability to obtain the item form of 12 technical blocks were removed. These were flowing and stationary water and lava blocks (8, 9, 10 & 11), double stone and wooden slabs (43 & 125), fire blocks (51), nether and end portal blocks (90 & 119), cocoa pods (127), and potato and carrot crops (141 & 142). | ||
| Blocks now show the closest item form to themselves as the icon in the superflat settings menu. | ||||
| 14w26b | All technical blocks except for the monster spawner (52) and farmland (60) have a missing texture in the inventory, . |
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| 1.9 | 15w49a | The ability to obtain the item form of lit furnaces (62) were removed. | ||
| Pocket Edition Alpha | ||||
| Pre-release | Added exclusive cyan flower and invisible bedrock. | |||
| 0.2.0 | Breaking blocks allows you to pick them up and place them, thus adding and removing them from your inventory. | |||
| 0.2.1 | Added block breaking animation. | |||
| 0.5.0 | Added exclusive nether reactor core and glowing obsidian. | |||
| 0.6.0 | Added exclusive stonecutter. | |||
| 0.9.0 | Remove cyan flower | |||
| 0.12.0 | Nether Reactor Core no longer obtainable in survival or creative | |||
| 0.13.0 | Removed crafting recipe and functionality of the stonecutter. It can still be found in the creative inventory | |||
Issues
Issues relating to “Block” are maintained on the issue tracker. Report issues there.
See also
