Updated:
What changed
Up to 1.20.4, extra item data went in one {...} NBT block. From 1.20.5, name, enchantments, durability and so on are separate components written in [...] right after the item ID.
| Up to 1.20.4 (NBT) | 1.20.5+ (components) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | { } after the ID | [ ] right after the ID |
| Separator | : | = |
| Enchantments | Enchantments:[{id:"sharpness",lvl:5}] | enchantments={sharpness:5} (1.21.5+) |
| Unbreakable | Unbreakable:1b | unbreakable={} |
| Name | display:{Name:'...'} | custom_name=... |
The same /give in both formats
# Up to 1.20.4
/give @p diamond_sword{Enchantments:[{id:"sharpness",lvl:5}],Unbreakable:1b} 1
# 1.21.5+
/give @p diamond_sword[enchantments={sharpness:5},unbreakable={}] 1Between 1.20.5 and 1.21.4 there are more differences, such as enchantments={levels:{sharpness:5}}. Rather than track them by hand, choose your version in the give command generator.
Why components are better
- Each field has its own name, so it is clearer what a value does.
- New changes are possible, such as making any item edible or changing its max stack size.
- /clear and /execute use the same names when matching items.
Entities and blocks still use NBT
Only items moved to components. Mob data in /summon (such as {NoAI:1b}) and block data such as chest contents are still NBT. Items held by a mob inside that NBT use the component form.
/summon zombie ~ ~ ~ {NoAI:1b}See how an item is stored
/data get entity @s SelectedItemOn Java this shows the ID and components of the item in your hand, a useful model for writing /give.
Bedrock Edition
This change only affects Java. Bedrock /give takes an amount, a data value and a small JSON block for a few fields such as can_destroy.
Common questions
- Do items in old worlds disappear? No. Opening a world in a new version converts item NBT to components. Only the way you write commands changes.
- Do data packs need rewriting? Parts that use item NBT (give, clear, item, item conditions) do. Parts that only use entity NBT usually still work.
- Where is the list of components? Press Tab while typing to see suggestions. The main ones are fields in the give generator.
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