Tutorials/Programs and editors/Mapping

This article is about tools that map a world's terrain. For tools that deal with obfuscation maps, see Programs and editors/Modding.

Mappers

Overhead mappers create a visual map of your world's terrain. Many mappers have options for different overhead and angled modes, and some limit the map to selected block types or slice the map into smaller pieces.

Name	Description	Platforms	Link	Status	Latest Compatible Release	Source available	Programming language	Author
Amidst	Amidst is a tool to display an overview of a Minecraft world, without actually creating it. Shows biomes and generated structures (e.g. villages). Taps into selected Minecraft binary for generator settings.		Forum  Website	Active	Java Edition 1.16.2	Yes, GPL	Java	Skidoodle, DrFrankenstone and the GitHub community
c10t	Command-line. A rewrite of Cartograph. Official support for Linux builds, works for Windows and Mac, but requires compilation.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.3.2 if compiled from source on github	Yes, BSD	C++	udoprog (John-John Tedro)
File:Cartograph G Wool rainbow and trees.PNG Cartograph G	Branch from Cartograph. Supports the latest updates and some fixes of Cartograph bugs. New features are added, including an enhanced GUI and support for mods. Current compatibility relies on user generated Auto.cfg files. In danger of becoming abandon-ware		Forum	Inactive	Java Edition 1.4.2	No, but has been cracked	C++ (renderer), VB (interface)	Gameslinder
Chunky	Minecraft map 3D Render. Very high quality results but takes a long time to run (best to have it done during the night). Chunky 1.4.5 supports up to Minecraft 1.12.2 worlds (see http://chunky.llbit.se/). For Minecraft 1.13+, including 1.16, Chunky 2.2 from leMaik is required.		Website	Active	Java Edition 1.16	Yes, GPL	Java	nrub (llbit), leMaik, and the GitHub community
CraftMaster	CraftMaster is a companion app for Minecraft PC Edition that allows you to download and import Schematics and 3D models into your Minecraft worlds, export and share your Minecraft creations on Sketchfab, Facebook and Twitter, and manage/navigate your worlds more efficiently.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.11.2	No	C++	CraftMaster Software, Inc.
Ink & Parchment Map	A web-based shareable map where players add locations manually, so no access to the server files is required for players to create a map of the world and share it. Designed to not completely remove the element of exploration from the world. Also works for the Nether.	?	Forum  Website	Active	Java Edition 1.13.1, any Minecraft	Yes, GPL	HTML5, javascript	DrFrankenstone
JourneyMap	Forge Client/Server mod for real-time mapping in SP and MP. Minimap/full-screen or use a web browser. Day/night/surface/cave mapping and waypoints. Bukkit/Spigot server support for multi-world. JourneyMap API lets other mods write plugins to add overlays to maps.		Forum  Website	Active	Java Edition 1.12.2	No	Java, DHTML	Techbrew
Mapcrafter	High Performance Minecraft Map Renderer - Renders Minecraft worlds to high detail maps with isometric 3D and/or 2D topdown perspectives viewable in any webbrowser. Four rendering rotations, day/night/cave render modes, world cropping and many more features available. **Known glitches with this program include incorrect assignments for leaves - needs an update**		Forum  Website	Active	Java Edition 1.13.2 with nightly package or built from source	Yes, GPL	C++	m0r13
MapRend	MapRend renders a top down map of Worlds saved in the Minecraft Anvil format. It generates the used colorset from a resource pack, can render day and night maps, shows the height and light of blocks, is easy to customize and very easy to update (as long as worlds are saved as MCAnvil)! Can also save smaller images of chunkclusters (e.g. for dynamic loading maps).		Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.8.1 and every newer one using MCAnvil	Yes, GPL	Java	YSelf Tool
MCAMap	MCAMap is a simple, easy to use stand alone mapping program which can render maps over 32,000 x 32,000 blocks/pixels and supports Minecraft 1.8.3! If the website link does not work, there is an alternate link on the forum page.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.8.3	Limited source available under a non-commercial license	Visual Basic 6.0/.NET/Pascal	Sean Forrest
mcmap	Command-line. mcmap is an optimized isometric pixel-art map viewer supporting the latest versions of Minecraft. Development is ongoing and feature requests are appreciated. Currently built from source. Support for Windows via Ubuntu for Windows.		Website	In development	Java Edition 1.16	Yes	C++	Zahl / WRIM / spoutn1k
MCMaps	MCMaps.cc is a web-based solution for sharing Minecraft Worlds with your friends and the community. Just upload your world and the map is automatically rendered for you!	?	Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.7.9	No	python	imer
MCMap Live	Interactive GUI, Xray maps, and biome support, as well as support for the "MystCraft" mod.		Forum	Inactive	Java Edition 1.6.2	Yes	Objective-C	Donkey Kong/Voikya
mcmapDZ	Quick tool for creating isometric web maps of very large worlds using the mcmap mapper by Zahl and hdmake (example render here). GUI and CLI versions available.		Forum	Inactive	Java Edition 1.3.2	Yes	Python/C#	NotTarts/Zahl
MCPEedit	Overhead map viewer made for Minecraft Pocket edition, includes rendering of layers and saving renders to png.		Forum	Inactive	Pocket Edition Alpha 0.3.2	Yes	Java	jocopa3
MineAtlas	A browser-based mapper similar to AMIDST. Denotes points of interest accurately in post 1.8 generated chunks (monuments, temples, etc.,), and can extrapolate potential ones from the seed (slime chunks, villages). Displays biome names on mouse over, though topography is approximated. Requires either the Level.dat file, manual input of seed to function, or it can generate a random seed for examination. Good tool for server owners, and renders huge, zoomable, dragable maps is seconds, displaying even unexplored areas quickly. Maps are necessitatively low rez and max Zoom is not very high, though it can display well over 50 km x 50 km sections of map on the farthest zoom level.	?	Forum  Website	Active	Java Edition 1.8+ May support older builds in future.	No	?	jazzyjaffa
Minecraft Overviewer	A LeafletJS powered overview that draws your map in 30 degree oblique mode with a high level of detail. An ExMaple render is available at [1]		Website	Active	Java Edition 1.15	Yes, GPL	Python/C	Overviewer Team
File:Mcwm homepage 2016.JPG Minecraft World Map	MinecraftWorldMap.com is a web-based solution for sharing Minecraft Worlds with your friends and the community. Just upload your world and the map is automatically rendered for you!	?	Forum  Website	Inactive, but still functional online	Java Edition 1.11.2	No	perl/python	skeight
Papyri	Papyri is a Minecraft map item web presenter. It shows all maps created on a server positioned and scaled properly, creating a mosaic of your world as explored with maps.		Website	Active	Java Edition 1.13.2	Yes	python	greener_ca
papyrus.cs	papyrus.cs renders maps of Minecraft: Bedrock Edition worlds using C#, LevelDB and leaflet.		Website	Active	Bedrock Edition 1.11.1	Yes	C#	DeepBlue4200
papyrus.js	papyrus.js renders maps of Minecraft: Bedrock Edition worlds using node.js, LevelDB and leaflet.		Website	Active	Bedrock Edition 1.11.1	Yes	JavaScript	clarkx86
Pigmap	Fast renderer designed for very large worlds. Supported platforms are Linux and Cygwin. No binaries; must be built from source.		Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.8	Yes, GPL	C++	equalpants + github community contributors
Tectonicus	Renders high-detail zoomable versions of minecraft maps, viewable via Leaflet. Command line only. View example map Wiki instructions		Website	Active	Java Edition 1.16.3	Yes, BSD	Java	OrangyTang and Tectonicus contributors
TOGoS's Minecraft Map Renderer	Simple and fast region-based overhead map imaging tool designed to efficiently update extremely large maps as a set of tiles, one per region, which can be combined by TMCMR or using external tools. Supports custom color mappings and arbitrary translucency for any block.		Website	?	Java Edition 1.12.1	Yes	Java	TOGoS
uNmINeD	2D overhead map for Minecraft worlds from 1.2 to latest. Underground, x-ray, nether, caves, night view, save to png, Google Maps generator, customizable colors, extensible mod support. Interactive GUI, easy to use. A command line version is available for Linux and macOS.		Forum  Website	Active	Java Edition 1.14.1	Not yet	C#	megasys

Map Viewers

Map viewers are read-only and have an interactive interface.

Name	Description	Platforms	Link	Status	Latest Compatible Release	Source available	Programming language	Author
Blocktopograph	Free top-down world viewer for Minecraft Pocket Edition (MCPE), includes NBT editor as well. Still in "Beta", stable but not feature complete. Current features: Map-types: overworld, cave, heightmap, biome, grass color, X-Ray and block-light. With markers and coordinates. Local player can be teleported.		Website	Inactive	Pocket Edition 1.0	No	Java	ProtoLambda
Eihort	Optimized 3D map viewer with an extremely long view distance. Perfect for taking screenshots of your massive builds, or just exploring the world. Includes smooth lighting, biome coloring and customizable block types.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.12.2 Most blocks of 1.12 are supported	Yes, BSD	C++	Lloigor, exp, rebio, erich666
Dynmap	A Google Maps like interface on Minecraft, accessible through a web browser. Compatible with Bukkit and Forge, and has an API to render of custom elements.		Forum  Website	Active	Java Edition 1.8.9 - Java Edition 1.15.2	Yes, BSD	Java/HTML/CSS	mikeprimm
File:Flower.PNG MCPEWorldViewer	Does not have a user interface and is currently under extreme development. Allows you to open minecraft pocket edition worlds and view them in 3D on your computer.		Forum	Inactive	Pocket Edition Alpha 0.6.1	Not yet	Java	jocopa3
MCPE Viz	MCPE Viz is a tool that parses Minecraft Pocket Edition (MCPE) world files. It creates overview images from the world files, and reports lots of details on your world.		Website	Inactive	Bedrock 1.10	Yes, GPL	C	Plethora777
Bedrock Viz	Bedrock Viz is a fork of MCPE Viz to fix bugs and add new features. It uses Bedrock Edition world files, creating overview images from the world files, reporting many details of the world.		Website	Active	Bedrock 1.12	Yes, GPL	C	Jasper Wan
Minecraft AutoMap	Displays a highly customizable live-updated map of your surroundings, including nearby creatures and players. Works in Singleplayer and Multiplayer. The map runs in a separate window from Minecraft so it can be sized and positioned, fullscreened, or placed on top of Minecraft like a minimap. Requires Risugami's ModLoader, .NET 4.0, and XNA 4.0.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.7.1	Yes, MS-PL	C#	bp2008, Ceii
File:Minecraft X-ray.PNG Minecraft X-Ray	3D map viewer that highlights minerals. Loads Minecraft levels as far back as Alpha, all the way through the current Anvil format. Supports user-supplied custom blocks for mod support.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.5.1	Yes, BSD	Java	plusminus, xolotl
minecraft-dungeons.com	Web-based, written in CoffeeScript, uses Three.js. By default shows locations of dungeons and diamonds. Can load .mca files directly from a CORS-enabled web server. Alpha. The website now redirects to the Minecraft Dungeons site.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.3.2	Yes, MIT	CoffeeScript	ithkuil
Mine View	Allows you to open minecraft pocket edition worlds and view them in 3D on your Android device. Paid tool, available on Amazon marketplace. Free demo available.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Pocket Edition Alpha 0.10.4	No	Java, Unity3D	Smart BI Serv
Minutor	GUI, interactive, shows top-down view of your map with a depth slider to reveal caves. Offers to show mobs, items and other entities, visualise light levels, and where hostile mobs may spawn.		Forum  Website	Active	Java Edition 1.13	Yes, BSD	C/ObjC/C++	mrkite77

Map Editors

Map editors alter an existing level's terrain or other properties, such as player position and time of day. Some of them also let you edit your inventory and generate terrain.

Name	Description	Platforms	Link	Status	Latest Compatible Release	Source available	Programming language	Author
BirdCraft	Converts 1-256 image files into a schematic file 1-256 in height. Similar to SpriteCraft (from which BirdCraft gets inspiration), but with more features and more precise color-to-block assignment abilities.		Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.8	No	VB	RapierMother
buildawall	Buildawall puts a wall around your existing world, creating a psychological and in-game division between old and new. This makes transitions between chunks generated by two different versions of minecraft much more obvious.		Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.2.5	Yes	Python	Mike Verdone
CraftMaster	CraftMaster is a companion app for Minecraft PC Edition that allows you to download and import Schematics and 3D models into your Minecraft worlds, export and share your Minecraft creations on Sketchfab, Facebook and Twitter, and manage/navigate your worlds more efficiently.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.11.2	No	C++	CraftMaster Software, Inc.
Creative Mode Plus	Top-down builder for constructing buildings and dungeons quickly and easily for Minecraft maps.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.4.7	Yes	C#	MyPace (Caleb Waggoner)
Creeperchest	General-purpose Minecraft editor. Version 0.0.8 supports a bunch of non-interactive world modifications, editing of multiplayer user profiles and 2D/3D rendering of the world blocks. The plugins containing all the business logic can be reprogrammed right out of the box.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.7.9	Partial (all plugin code)	C++, homebrew stuff for plugins	Shrinker
MCA selector	Loads worlds very fast. Can be used to select (filter), edit, delete, export or import chunks. Can also "import selected chunks" and point to a older/newer version of the same world.		Website	active	Java Edition Beta 1.3 through 1.16, snapshot 20w12a	Yes	java	Querz
MCEdit	The first 3D editor. Created to import older levels into the new Alpha levels. Fly around in 3D and select blocks, then copy or export them. Import blocks from schematics or from entire Classic levels. Resize a level by creating or deleting chunks.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.11 (stable) Java Edition 1.8 (unstable)	Yes, ISC license	Python	Currently and formerly codewarrior (David Vierra), was briefly taken over by TKtech during Codewarrior's sabbatical.
MCEdit-Unified	This is an unofficial fork of the original MCEdit by codewarrior, but with a focus on 1.8+ compatability and optimization.		Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.12 (stable) Pocket Edition Alpha 0.12.2 (unstable)	Yes, ISC license	Python	Khroki, Ezefe, Trazlander, Podshot, Rubisk, Naor, and many other MCEdit community members
File:MLG 1.7.0 win.PNG Minecraft Land Generator	Expands a Standard (or modded level with server-mods) to any size specified. Useful for Pre-generating terrain for mappers, or reducing server load.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Compatible with every version of Minecraft servers.	Yes, Public Domain	Java	Morlok8k, Corrodias
File:Amulet Logo.webp Amulet Editor	Currently under heavy development.		Forum  Website	In early development	Java Edition 1.12+ Bedrock 1.7+	Yes	Python	Podshot, naor2013, gentlegiantJGC, BluCode
Euclid Editor	Currently under heavy development		Website	In early development	Java Edition 1.8+	No	Java	SWinxy, MCContent

Map Generators

These programs either create a new level with custom terrain, or "implant" new blocks into an existing level.

Name	Description	Platforms	Link	Status	Latest Compatible Release	Source available	Programming language	Author
WorldPainter	WorldPainter is an interactive, graphical map generator which allows you to mould a landscape with paint-like tools that can change the shape and type of the terrain, set the biomes, add forests, snow, ice, resources and caverns and much more. It has limited support for editing existing maps, but is primarily a map generator.		Forum  Website	Active	Java Edition 1.14.4	Yes, GPL	Java	Captain_Chaos
Worldmaker 2	Has the ability to generate 6 different unique map types. 3 of them are explained here: Dungeon Adventure (3 dungeon worlds and an endgame world randomly generated and selected from 9 possible world types that are connected via special nether portals), Primordial Desert (generates a desert with huge underground dungeon systems, caves, volcanos and rarely an oasis can be found), Planetoids (generates planetoids made from different materials, including stone planets with ore/lava/gravel interiors, glass planets with or without water, tree planets made of a wood core and a leaf surface, and lots more! It also generates a nether planetoids map with nether specific planetoids). The Planetoids generator and the Primordial Desert generator both have configurable map sizes. The map borders are made of seemingly endless air.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.11.2	No	N/A	Seibai and Isabirch
Chunkmapper	Generates the real world in Minecraft at 30:1.		Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.7.5	No	Java	whamtet
MCDungeon	Creates randomly generated dungeons and treasure hunts in an existing level. Can work with Minecraft 1.7, however some 1.8-specific features need to be disabled		Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.8	Yes, MIT	Python	Orphu
MCTerra	Can generate flat maps, bio-sphere maps, desert maps, golden tunnels maps, and planetoid maps		Forum	Inactive	Java Edition 1.2.5	No	Delphi	Mozzg
Terrain Control	Some of Terrain Controls Features: - Adjust the ratio of land to ocean and the size of continents - Control global and per-biome terrain parameters - Tweak settings for Minecraft's built-in biomes and your own custom biomes - Fine-tune resource distribution to your taste - Add custom objects and trees to your world - Enable or disable Minecraft's villages, strongholds, pyramids and abandoned mines - Has an User Interface (by Genae) to easily modify the config files - Revert to Minecraft 1.7's terrain generator to continue expanding your legacy worlds - Generate a Map from an Image - Runs with multiplayer servers and on singleplayer.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.7.9	Yes	Java	Khoorn
TOGoS's Minecraft Map Generator	Generates new chunks based on user-defined functions. Functions have complete control over block placement and can use 3D Perlin and Simplex noise to generate any combination of oceans, continents, caves, lava pits, mountains of wool, giant obsidian sponges, etc.		Forum  Website	Inactive	Java Edition 1.5	Yes	Java	TOGoS
MCPEGenerator	This program is in development. It generates worlds using simplex noise algorithm and allows for four different types of generation. All aspects of the generator are customizable.		Forum	Inactive	Pocket Edition Alpha 0.6.1	No	Java	jocopa3
Seibai's Dungeon Adventure Generator	Generates a huge world made of 4 sections. The player goes through dungeons to reach the final world. The dungeons are randomly chosen from a variety of different area-types. The traveling works through nether portals; the player goes into a nether portal, walks along a small hallway and goes into another portal to reach the next area.		Forum	Inactive	Java Edition 1.2.5	No	N/A	Seibai
Seibai's Forest Map Generator	Generates a forest surrounded by bedrock walls. The map is quite flat (around 30 blocks high). Even though the generator was made for Alpha v1.2.1_01 it still works with 1.5.2, but only if you convert the world twice (first with a Beta 1.7.3 jarfile, then with a 1.0 Jarfile and finally with 1.5.2).		Forum	Inactive	Java Edition Alpha v1.2.1_01	No	N/A	Seibai
Seibai's Golden Tunnels Map Generator	Generates a nearly flat world with giant tunnels in the underground, containing trees, glowstone and ores. Even though the generator was made for Alpha v1.2.1_01 it still works with 1.5.2, but only if you convert the world twice (first with a Beta 1.7.3 jarfile, then with a 1.0 Jarfile and finally with 1.5.2).		Forum	Inactive	Java Edition Alpha v1.2.6	No	N/A	Seibai
Seibai's Mystical Islands Map Generator	Generates a skylands-style map with many settable parameters (just as island size etc.). The generator was created for Beta 1.3, but you can still use it by first converting the world with a 1.0 jarfile and then converting it again with a 1.5.2 jarfile.		Forum	Inactive	Java Edition Beta 1.3	No	N/A	Seibai
Seibai's Planetoids Map Generator	Generates planetoids made of different materials. The entire map is surrounded by bedrock walls. The stone planetoids keep materials inside such as ores. The leaf-planetoids hold a massive wooden core. NOTE: The Better Worlds Generation mod has added this abandoned mod to it's world types.		Forum	Inactive	Java Edition 1.2.5	No	N/A	Seibai
Seibai's Primordial Desert Map Generator	Generates a desert world with dunes, sharp stone mountains and underground dungeons. The map has a bedrock wall around it. Outside of that bedrock wall lies normal terrain. Survival is hard in the desert because food and wood are rare. This still works with 1.5.2, even though it does not generate new ores!		Forum	Inactive	Java Edition 1.2.5	No	N/A	Seibai