---
title: "Minecraft Server Commands: The Complete Op & Admin List"
description: "Op yourself from the console, then run every Minecraft Java command — player management, gamerules, world tools, scoreboards, /execute, data and functions, with permission levels."
url: "https://www.gameserverkings.com/knowledge-base/minecraft/admin-commands/"
category: "Minecraft"
category_url: "https://www.gameserverkings.com/knowledge-base/minecraft/"
published: "2026-08-07T04:20:17.729Z"
updated: "2026-08-07T08:16:58.489Z"
source_format: "markdown"
site: "GameServerKings"
---

# Minecraft Server Commands: The Complete Op & Admin List

Minecraft server commands let you grant admin, manage players, change gamerules, control time and weather, teleport, script behaviour with `/execute`, and moderate your world without ever leaving the game. This guide covers how to become an operator, where commands can be typed, and every command worth knowing on a Java Edition server.

> [!NOTE] This guide covers Java Edition dedicated servers
> Bedrock dedicated servers share most gameplay commands but use a different permission system and lack many Java-only commands. Differences are covered in section 10, and setup is in [Setting up your Bedrock Minecraft server](/knowledge-base/minecraft/bedrock/).

## 1. How Operator Permission Works

An **operator** (op) is a player granted elevated permissions. Ops are stored in `ops.json` in your server directory and persist across restarts.

Minecraft has **five permission levels**, `0` to `4`. `op-permission-level` in `server.properties` sets the level a player is given when you run `/op`:

| Level | Grants |
|---|---|
| 0 | Operator status with no extra commands — TPS graph, command-block output in chat, and console output if `broadcast-console-to-ops=true` |
| 1 | Bypass spawn protection |
| 2 | `/gamemode`, `/give`, `/tp`, `/difficulty`, `/effect`, `/gamerule`, and command blocks |
| 3 | Everything in 2, plus `/ban`, `/kick`, `/op`, `/deop`, `/whitelist` |
| 4 | Everything, including `/stop` |

The default is `4`, so a plain `/op PlayerName` gives full control. Lower it before opping moderators who should not be able to shut the server down.

``` title="server.properties — the permission settings that matter"
op-permission-level=4
spawn-protection=16
white-list=false
enforce-whitelist=false
```

`op-permission-level` is the level recorded against a player in `ops.json` at the moment you op them — it is a **default for newly created ops, not a server-wide ceiling**. Changing it does not touch operators who are already in the file: they keep the `level` already stored for them. Permission level *is* per-player — edit the `level` field on any entry in `ops.json` (then restart) to give one operator a different level from the rest.

## 2. Where to Type Commands

| Location | Slash needed? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **Server console** | No — type `op Steve` | Always runs at permission level 4 |
| **In-game chat** | Yes — type `/op Steve` | Requires op, and the right level |
| **Command block** | Yes | Needs the `command_blocks_work` game rule to be `true` — it is `true` by default |
| **Datapack function** | No | Runs at level 2 by default |

``` title="Granting your first operator — from the console, no slash"
op YourUsername
```

> [!TIP] Grant your first op from the console
> You cannot op yourself in-game before you are an op. Open the **Console** tab in your GameServerKings panel and run the line above. From then on you can manage everything from chat.

## 3. Operator & Player Management

| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| `/op <player>` | Grant operator status |
| `/deop <player>` | Revoke operator status |
| `/kick <player> [reason]` | Disconnect a player |
| `/ban <player> [reason]` | Ban by account |
| `/ban-ip <player\|address>` | Ban an IP address |
| `/banlist [players\|ips]` | Show active bans |
| `/pardon <player>` | Unban an account |
| `/pardon-ip <address>` | Unban an IP |
| `/list [uuids]` | List online players |
| `/whitelist add <player>` | Add to the whitelist |
| `/whitelist remove <player>` | Remove from the whitelist |
| `/whitelist on` / `off` | Enable or disable the whitelist |
| `/whitelist list` | Show whitelisted players |
| `/whitelist reload` | Re-read `whitelist.json` after editing by hand |
| `/setidletimeout <minutes>` | Auto-kick players idle beyond N minutes (`0` disables) |
| `/transfer <host> [port] [players]` | Move players to another server (1.20.5+) |

> [!IMPORTANT] Turning the whitelist on does not kick anyone
> `/whitelist on` only blocks *new* connections from non-whitelisted players. Anyone already online stays until they disconnect. Set `enforce-whitelist=true` in `server.properties` if you want existing non-whitelisted players removed on reload.

## 4. Player State & Items

| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| `/gamemode <mode> [player]` | `survival`, `creative`, `adventure`, `spectator` |
| `/defaultgamemode <mode>` | Mode applied to players joining for the first time |
| `/give <player> <item> [count]` | Give an item, e.g. `/give Steve minecraft:diamond 64` |
| `/clear [player] [item] [count]` | Clear inventory, or just one item |
| `/item replace <target> <slot> with <item>` | Overwrite a specific inventory or armour slot |
| `/item modify <target> <slot> <modifier>` | Apply an item modifier from a datapack |
| `/loot give <player> <source>` | Generate loot-table drops directly into an inventory |
| `/loot spawn <pos> <source>` | Drop loot-table items in the world |
| `/effect give <player> <effect> [sec] [amp]` | Apply a status effect |
| `/effect clear <player> [effect]` | Remove effects |
| `/enchant <player> <enchantment> [level]` | Enchant the held item |
| `/experience add <player> <n> [levels\|points]` | Grant XP — `/xp` is the legacy alias |
| `/experience query <player> <levels\|points>` | Read a player's XP |
| `/attribute <target> <attribute> …` | Modify a base attribute such as max health |
| `/kill [target]` | Kill a player or entity |
| `/damage <target> <amount> [type]` | Deal a precise amount of typed damage (1.19.4+) |
| `/ride <target> mount <vehicle>` | Force an entity to ride another (1.19.4+) |
| `/ride <target> dismount` | Dismount |
| `/spectate <target> [player]` | Force a spectator to follow an entity |

## 5. World, Time & Weather

| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| `/time set <day\|noon\|night\|midnight>` | Jump to a time of day |
| `/time set <ticks>` | Set exact time — `0` is dawn, `6000` noon, `18000` midnight |
| `/time add <ticks>` | Advance time |
| `/weather <clear\|rain\|thunder> [seconds]` | Set the weather |
| `/difficulty <peaceful\|easy\|normal\|hard>` | Change difficulty |
| `/gamerule <rule> [value]` | Read or set a gamerule (see below) |
| `/setworldspawn [pos]` | Set the world spawn point |
| `/spawnpoint <player> [pos]` | Set an individual player's spawn |
| `/worldborder set <blocks> [seconds]` | Resize the world border |
| `/worldborder center <x> <z>` | Recentre the border |
| `/worldborder damage <amount>` | Damage dealt outside the border |
| `/worldborder warning distance <n>` | Warning distance |
| `/seed` | Show the world seed |
| `/locate structure <id>` | Find the nearest structure |
| `/locate biome <id>` | Find the nearest biome |
| `/place structure <id> [pos]` | Place a structure, feature or jigsaw (1.19+) |
| `/fillbiome <from> <to> <biome>` | Overwrite the biome in a region (1.19.3+) |
| `/forceload add <from> [to]` | Keep chunks loaded permanently |
| `/forceload remove <from> [to]` | Stop force-loading |
| `/tick freeze` / `unfreeze` | Pause or resume the game tick (1.20.3+) |
| `/tick step <ticks>` | Advance a frozen world by N ticks |
| `/tick rate <n>` | Change ticks per second — default `20` |
| `/tick query` | Report current tick rate and load |

**Gamerules worth knowing:**

| Gamerule | Effect |
|---|---|
| `keep_inventory true` | Keep items and XP on death |
| `advance_time false` | Freeze time — was `doDaylightCycle` |
| `advance_weather false` | Freeze weather — was `doWeatherCycle` |
| `mob_griefing false` | Stop creepers and endermen altering blocks |
| `fire_spread_radius_around_player 0` | Fire stops spreading. Replaces `doFireTick`, which was removed in 1.21.11. Default `128` blocks; `-1` is unlimited |
| `spawn_phantoms false` | No phantoms — was `doInsomnia` |
| `random_tick_speed <n>` | Crop and decay speed — default `3` |
| `show_death_messages false` | Hide death messages in chat |
| `show_advancement_messages false` | Hide advancement spam — was `announceAdvancements` |
| `players_sleeping_percentage <n>` | Share of players needed to skip night — default `100` |
| `max_entity_cramming <n>` | Entities stacked before crush damage — default `24`, `0` disables |
| `respawn_radius <n>` | Spread of the initial spawn area — default `10`, was `spawnRadius` |

> [!IMPORTANT] Game rule names changed in 1.21.11
> Java Edition 1.21.11 moved game rules into a registry and renamed every one of them from camelCase to snake_case — `keepInventory` became `keep_inventory`. Several were not simple case changes: `doDaylightCycle` → `advance_time`, `doWeatherCycle` → `advance_weather`, `announceAdvancements` → `show_advancement_messages`, `spawnRadius` → `respawn_radius`, `naturalRegeneration` → `natural_health_regeneration`, `maxCommandChainLength` → `max_command_sequence_length`. Three had their meaning inverted along with the rename, so a straight find-and-replace will get them backwards: `disableRaids` → `raids`, `disableElytraMovementCheck` → `elytra_movement_check`, and `disablePlayerMovementCheck` → `player_movement_check` — each now takes the *opposite* value to the rule it replaced. On 1.21.10 and earlier, keep using the old camelCase names.

> [!WARNING] `random_tick_speed` is a performance trap
> Raising it makes crops grow faster, but the cost scales across every loaded chunk. Values above roughly `20` will visibly hurt tick rate on a busy server. `/tick rate` is a similar trap — lowering it slows the entire simulation, not just mobs. If you are chasing performance, see [Managing your Minecraft server](/knowledge-base/minecraft/performance-and-backups/).

## 6. Teleporting & Building

| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| `/tp <target>` | Teleport yourself to a player |
| `/tp <player> <target>` | Teleport one player to another |
| `/teleport <target> <x> <y> <z>` | Teleport to coordinates |
| `/teleport <target> <pos> facing <pos>` | Teleport and face a point |
| `/spreadplayers <x> <z> <spread> <max> <teams> <targets>` | Scatter players randomly |
| `/rotate <target> <rotation>` | Rotate an entity without moving it (1.21.2+) |
| `/setblock <pos> <block> [mode]` | Place a single block |
| `/fill <from> <to> <block> [mode]` | Fill a region — max 32,768 blocks |
| `/clone <from> <to> <dest> [mode]` | Copy a region |
| `/summon <entity> [pos] [nbt]` | Spawn an entity |
| `/particle <name> [pos]` | Emit particles |
| `/playsound <sound> <source> <player>` | Play a sound |
| `/stopsound <target> [source] [sound]` | Stop a playing sound |

Coordinates accept `~` for relative and `^` for directional — `/tp ~ ~10 ~` lifts you ten blocks.

## 7. Scoreboards, Teams & Tags

These drive most minigames, and they are how you track state without a plugin.

| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| `/scoreboard objectives add <name> <criteria> [display]` | Create an objective |
| `/scoreboard objectives list` | List objectives |
| `/scoreboard objectives remove <name>` | Delete an objective |
| `/scoreboard objectives setdisplay <slot> [name]` | Show it in the sidebar, list or below-name slot |
| `/scoreboard players set <target> <objective> <n>` | Set a score |
| `/scoreboard players add <target> <objective> <n>` | Add to a score |
| `/scoreboard players get <target> <objective>` | Read a score |
| `/scoreboard players reset <target> [objective]` | Clear scores |
| `/scoreboard players operation <t> <obj> <op> <t2> <obj2>` | Arithmetic between scores |
| `/scoreboard players enable <target> <objective>` | Allow a `trigger` objective to be used |
| `/team add <name> [display]` | Create a team |
| `/team join <name> [members]` | Add members |
| `/team leave <members>` | Remove members |
| `/team modify <name> <option> <value>` | Set colour, friendly fire, nametag visibility |
| `/team empty <name>` / `/team remove <name>` | Clear or delete |
| `/tag <targets> add <name>` | Tag entities for later selection |
| `/tag <targets> remove <name>` / `list` | Manage tags |
| `/trigger <objective> [add\|set <n>]` | The one scoreboard command non-ops can run |
| `/teammsg <message>` | Message your team — alias `/tm` |
| `/bossbar add <id> <name>` | Create a boss bar |
| `/bossbar set <id> <value\|max\|color\|players…>` | Configure it |
| `/bossbar list` / `/bossbar remove <id>` | Manage boss bars |

## 8. Advanced: execute, Data & Functions

`/execute` is the most powerful command in the game — it runs another command as, at, or conditional on something else.

``` title="Reading /execute"
execute as @a at @s run tp ~ ~10 ~
execute as @e[type=zombie] run tag @s add tracked
execute if score Steve deaths matches 5.. run kick Steve
execute store result score Steve ping run data get entity Steve ping
```

| Subcommand | What it changes |
|---|---|
| `as <targets>` | Who runs the command |
| `at <targets>` | Where it runs from |
| `positioned <pos>` / `rotated <rot>` | Override position or rotation |
| `facing <pos\|entity>` | Point the execution direction |
| `align <axes>` / `anchored <eyes\|feet>` | Snap to block grid, or use eye height |
| `in <dimension>` | Run in another dimension |
| `on <relation>` | Hop to a related entity — vehicle, passenger, owner, attacker |
| `if` / `unless` | Condition on block, blocks, entity, score, predicate, data, biome, dimension, loaded |
| `store result\|success` | Write the outcome into a score, NBT path or bossbar |
| `run <command>` | The command to execute |

**NBT and data:**

| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| `/data get <entity\|block\|storage> <target> [path]` | Read NBT |
| `/data merge <target> <nbt>` | Merge NBT in |
| `/data modify <target> <path> <set\|append\|insert…>` | Precise NBT edits |
| `/data remove <target> <path>` | Delete an NBT path |

**Datapacks, functions and progression:**

| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| `/function <namespace:name>` | Run a datapack function |
| `/schedule function <name> <time> [append\|replace]` | Run a function later |
| `/schedule clear <name>` | Cancel a scheduled function |
| `/datapack list [available\|enabled]` | Show datapacks |
| `/datapack enable <name>` / `disable <name>` | Toggle a datapack |
| `/advancement grant <targets> <everything\|only\|from\|through\|until>` | Award advancements |
| `/advancement revoke <targets> …` | Take them back |
| `/recipe give <targets> <recipe\|*>` | Unlock crafting recipes |
| `/recipe take <targets> <recipe\|*>` | Lock them again |
| `/random value <range>` / `/random roll <range>` | Random numbers for map logic (1.20.2+) |
| `/return <value>` / `/return fail` / `/return run <cmd>` | Return a value from a function (1.20.2+) |

> [!TIP] Target selectors are where the real power is
> `@a` all players, `@p` nearest, `@r` random, `@s` self, `@e` all entities — each accepts filters: `@e[type=zombie,distance=..10,limit=5,sort=nearest]`. Combined with `/execute` this replaces a surprising amount of what people install plugins for.

**Newer and specialist commands.** These are the least-known part of the command set — most were added recently and several are aimed at map and datapack authors rather than day-to-day moderation.

| Command | What it does | Level |
|---|---|---|
| `/waypoint` | Manage waypoints shown on the locator bar | 2 |
| `/dialog` | Show a dialog window to clients | 2 |
| `/stopwatch` | Create and modify real-time stopwatches | 2 |
| `/swing` | Swing an entity's hands | 2 |
| `/fetchprofile` | Fetch a player profile | 2 |
| `/test` | Manage and run GameTests | 2 |
| `/version` | Report the server version | — |
| `/posteffect` | Add or remove post-processing effects on players | 2 |

> [!NOTE] `/publish` and `/unpublish` do not work on a dedicated server
> Both open or close a **single-player** world to the local network, so they exist only in the integrated server built into the game client. Running them on your hosted server returns an error — this is expected, not a broken install. `/posteffect` is also newer than most current server builds, so check your version if it is unrecognised.

## 9. Server Operations & Messaging

| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
| `/save-all [flush]` | Force a world save |
| `/save-off` | Pause saving — use before an external backup |
| `/save-on` | Resume saving |
| `/stop` | Shut down cleanly |
| `/reload` | Reload datapacks, loot tables and functions |
| `/say <message>` | Broadcast as the server |
| `/msg <player> <message>` | Private message (aliases: `/tell`, `/w`) |
| `/tellraw <player> <json>` | Send formatted JSON text |
| `/title <player> <title\|subtitle\|actionbar> <json>` | On-screen titles |
| `/me <action>` | Emote |
| `/help [command]` | List commands, or show one command's syntax |
| `/debug start\|stop\|function` | Profile a tick sample |
| `/perf start\|stop` | Record a performance snapshot |
| `/jfr start\|stop` | Java Flight Recorder profiling for deep analysis |

> [!CAUTION] Always pair `/save-off` with `/save-on`
> Running `/save-off` and forgetting to re-enable it means hours of progress live only in memory — a crash loses all of it. The safe manual sequence is below. Scheduled backups on the GSK panel handle this for you.

``` title="Safe manual backup sequence"
save-off
save-all flush
# copy your world folder now, then:
save-on
```

## 10. Bedrock Edition Differences

Bedrock dedicated servers use `permissions.json` with three tiers — `visitor`, `member`, `operator` — rather than Java's numeric levels, and ops are granted with `op <player>` from the console or by editing that file.

Most gameplay commands carry over (`/gamemode`, `/give`, `/time set`, `/weather`, `/tp`, `/kill`, `/effect`, `/scoreboard`, `/tag`, `/execute`), but Java-only commands do not exist there — including `/advancement`, `/attribute`, `/debug`, `/fetchprofile`, `/fillbiome`, `/forceload`, `/jfr`, `/posteffect`, `/publish`, `/random`, `/return`, `/rotate`, `/stopwatch`, `/swing`, `/test`, `/tick`, `/unpublish` and `/waypoint`. Bedrock's `/execute` also uses a different syntax before 1.19.30.

Bedrock adds a few of its own, such as `/clearspawnpoint` for removing a player's spawn. Moderation is usually handled by allowlist (`allowlist.json`) or an add-on layer, since Bedrock has no native `/ban`.

If you are running both editions together, see [Setting up CrossPlay for Minecraft](/knowledge-base/minecraft/geyser-crossplay/).

## 11. FAQ

### How do I make myself an admin on my Minecraft server?

Open your server console and run `op YourUsername` with no slash. You cannot op yourself from in-game chat, because doing so already requires operator permission. Once opped, `/op` works from chat for everyone else.

### Why does my command say "You do not have permission to use this command"?

Either you are not an operator, or `op-permission-level` in `server.properties` is set below the level that command needs. `/stop` requires level 4; `/ban` and `/op` need level 3; `/gamemode` and `/give` need level 2. Restart the server after changing that value.

### Do I type a slash in the server console?

No. The console runs commands directly — type `op Steve`, not `/op Steve`. The slash is only needed in in-game chat and in command blocks.

### How do I stop losing my items when I die?

Run `/gamerule keep_inventory true` (`/gamerule keepInventory true` on 1.21.10 and earlier). It applies to every player on the server and persists across restarts, since gamerules are saved with the world.

### Why did `/whitelist on` not kick the players already online?

The whitelist only filters new connections. Existing players stay until they disconnect. Set `enforce-whitelist=true` in `server.properties` to have non-whitelisted players removed when the whitelist reloads.

### What is `/execute` actually for?

It runs a command from someone else's perspective, or only when a condition holds. `execute as @a at @s run tp ~ ~10 ~` lifts every player ten blocks from wherever they individually stand — one command instead of one per player. Combined with `/scoreboard` and target selectors it is how most vanilla minigames are built.

### Can I run commands automatically on a schedule?

Yes, three ways without a plugin: a datapack function on a `tick` cycle, `/schedule function` for a one-off delay, or a command block on a redstone clock. For plugin-based scheduling, see [How to install plugins for Java](/knowledge-base/minecraft/java-plugins/).


## 12. What to Read Next

- [Getting started with your Minecraft server](/knowledge-base/minecraft/java-getting-started/) for first boot and the basics
- [How to install plugins for Java](/knowledge-base/minecraft/java-plugins/) — permissions plugins that replace the four op tiers
- [How to install mods for Java](/knowledge-base/minecraft/java-mods/)
- [Managing your Minecraft server](/knowledge-base/minecraft/performance-and-backups/) for backups and performance
- [Setting up your Bedrock Minecraft server](/knowledge-base/minecraft/bedrock/)
- [Setting up CrossPlay for Minecraft](/knowledge-base/minecraft/geyser-crossplay/)

---

Made with 💜 by GameServerKings.