Command Reference

Minecraft /data Command

developerJava Only

Inspects, modifies, merges, or removes NBT data on block entities, non-player entities, and persistent command storage.

Version Compatibility

Java Edition:1.21.4 (1.13+)

Command Syntax

Java Edition

/data get (block|entity|storage) ... | /data merge (block|entity|storage) ... | /data modify (block|entity|storage) ... | /data remove (block|entity|storage) ...

Arguments Explained

operationget / merge / modify / removeRequired

The data operation: get (reads value), merge (combines NBT), modify (sets/appends/prepends values), remove (deletes tag).

targetblock <pos> / entity <target> / storage <id>Required

Target container: a block entity at coordinates, a single non-player entity, or command storage namespace.

pathNBT Path

NBT tag key or array path (e.g. Health, Items[0].count, custom_data.score).

Practical Examples

beginnerJava

/data get entity @e[type=zombie,limit=1] Health

Reads and prints the current health value of the nearest zombie.

Entity inspection.

intermediateJava

/data merge entity @e[type=creeper,limit=1] {powered:1b,ExplosionRadius:10}

Merges NBT to charge a creeper and increase its blast radius.

Live entity modification.

advancedJava

/data modify block ~ ~-1 ~ Items[0].count set value 64

Modifies the chest below you, setting the first item slot count to 64.

Container manipulation.

advancedJava

/data modify storage rpg:quest State set value "completed"

Sets a persistent global variable in command storage.

Datapack global state management.

Common Mistakes

Mistake:

Attempting to modify player data (/data modify entity @s ...)

Fix:

Player data is read-only. You can read player data with /data get, but must modify players via scoreboards, /item, or /attribute.

Mistake:

Targeting multiple entities without limit=1

Fix:

/data strictly requires a single target entity. Always append limit=1 to selectors: @e[type=zombie,limit=1]

Mistake:

Trying to run /data on Bedrock Edition

Fix:

/data is exclusive to Java Edition. Bedrock requires the Scripting API.

Java vs Bedrock Differences

Exclusive to Java Edition. Bedrock Edition does not support /data.

Command Block Usage & Automation

In technical maps and datapacks, /data is the core state management engine. Store complex variables in "storage namespace:data", dynamically update display entities or sign text, or read mob attributes into scoreboards using "/execute store result score @p BossHP run data get entity @e[type=wither,limit=1] Health".

Automation Tip: Command blocks require Operator permissions (permission level 2+) and cheats enabled. In Java Edition, command blocks can execute commands up to 32,767 characters long compared to the 256-character player chat limit.

Useful Tips

Command storage (/data modify storage ...) persists across game restarts and dimension boundaries without needing physical chunk loading.
Use /data get entity @s SelectedItem to inspect the exact component structure of whatever item you are holding.

Important Notes

Exclusive to Java Edition. By design, Minecraft prohibits using /data to modify player data directly (to avoid player desync and inventory corruption). Use /item or /scoreboard to interact with player states.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use /data to change a player's gamemode or inventory?

No, player entity data cannot be modified with /data. Use /gamemode or /item commands instead.

Is there a Bedrock equivalent to /data?

No direct slash command equivalent exists on Bedrock. Bedrock uses the JavaScript GameTest / Scripting API.

Related Commands

/summon /execute /scoreboard