Updated:
The three kinds
| Written | Name | Based on |
|---|---|---|
100 64 -200 | Absolute | A fixed spot in the world |
~ ~1 ~ | Relative | Offsets along X (east-west), Y (up-down), Z (north-south) |
^ ^ ^5 | Local | Offsets to the left, up and forward from where you face |
~ follows compass directions
/tp @s ~ ~10 ~
/tp @s ~5 ~ ~
/setblock ~ ~-1 ~ minecraft:gold_blockThe numbers are X, Y, Z. East is +X, south is +Z, up is +Y. These move you 10 up, 5 east, and turn the block under your feet to gold, whichever way you face. A bare ~ means no offset.
^ follows where you look
/tp @s ^ ^ ^5
/tp @s ^-3 ^ ^
/summon minecraft:arrow ^ ^1 ^2The numbers are left, up, forward. Use negatives for right or backward. Looking up makes "forward" point at the sky, which is why ^ suits dashes and projectiles.
Do not mix ~ and ^
~ ~ ^5 is an error. You can mix ~ with plain numbers (~ 64 ~), but ^ must be used for all three.
^ in command blocks
A command block has no facing of its own, so ^ always uses the same default direction. To use a player's facing, switch to them first:
/execute as @p at @s run tp @s ^ ^ ^3as @p takes the player's rotation and at @s their position, so they move three blocks the way they face.
Measure from the eyes (Java)
/execute anchored eyes run setblock ^ ^ ^3 minecraft:glassLocal coordinates start at the feet. anchored eyes starts them at eye level, so the block lands where you are looking.
Move forward but stay level (Java)
/execute rotated ~ 0 run tp @s ^ ^ ^3rotated ~ 0 keeps your left-right facing but sets the up-down angle to 0, so you move horizontally even while looking up.
Common mix-ups
- In
/tp @s ~ ~ ~ ~90 ~the 4th and 5th values are rotation, not position. - Absolute /tp on Java puts you in the center of the block (.5); ~ keeps your current decimals.
~-1on Y is the block under you;~is your lower body.
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