Version types

There are various types of versions (or updates) of Minecraft. Generally speaking, updates fall into 3 categories: major updates, minor updates (including game drops), and hot fixes. The terms "version" and "version update" are also synonymous with update. "Version update" often means "major update".

Also, there are many different formats that different editions and versions of Minecraft use for version names. See Version formats for more information.

Release versions

A release version is an update to the game that is fully released to all players on the main release channel. Release versions for Java Edition and Bedrock Edition typically have multiple corresponding development versions.

Major updates

A major update is an update that adds multiple new features to the game. Typically, these include new biomes or structures as the highlights, and most of the features fit into an overarching theme as described by the update's name. For example, Tricky Trials adds a single new structure, and almost every new feature in the update is directly related to the trial chambers or is an actual part of them.

In Java Edition and Bedrock Edition, major updates always change the second number in the version number. For example, Java Edition 1.20 to Java Edition 1.21.

Minor updates

A minor update typically adds small features that compliment the previous major update or make revisions to features from the major update. For example, Java Edition 1.16.2 and Bedrock Edition 1.16.20 added the Piglin Brute as an extra feature of the Nether Update. However, a minor update can also add or change features that are unrelated to the major updates before and after it.

Minor updates typically change the 3rd number in the version number. For example, Java Edition 1.21.4 -> Java Edition 1.21.5. In Bedrock Edition, the version number is usually incremented by 10 instead of 1 or 2 to make room for hotfixes. Bedrock Edition 1.16.20 is an example of this.

Game drops

Game drops are named minor updates. They tend to add new features that aren't related to the previous or next major update. However, Bats and Pots updates decorated pots, which were added in the previous major update. Also, Armored Paws makes wolves more viable in combat, which aligns with the combat-focused content of the next major update.

There is also the Texture Update, but its name is pretty generic, so it's not considered an update.

Hotfixes

Hotfixes fix bugs or make important revisions to features. Usually these bug fixes or revisions are related to newer features, such as features from the last major update, since any other revisions would be more appropriate for a minor update.

Hotfixes typically change the 3rd number in the version number. For example, Java Edition 1.14.1 -> Java Edition 1.14.2. This makes them look like minor updates. Hot fixes in Bedrock Edition also change the 3rd number, but increase by 1 or 2 instead of 10. For example, Bedrock Edition 1.21.81 -> Bedrock Edition 1.21.82. Bedrock Edition does this because it has more hotfixes across more platforms than Java Edition, and this makes it easier to differentiate between hotfixes and minor updates.

Development versions

A development version is a version of the game which is publicly released with the intent of testing new features, changes and bug fixes that are to make their way into the full release of a major or minor update. They are experimental (some types more so than others) and may break the game.

Java Edition

Snapshots

A "snapshot" is a term used to describe unstable development versions for Java Edition updates. Every major update, and many minor updates, have snapshots released roughly weekly for player feedback on in-development features and changes.

Snapshots use a unique naming format. The first number is the two-digit year, the second number is the two-digit week number, and the last letter increments alphabetically for each snapshot release within a week.

The first ever snapshot was 11w47a for 1.1 in 2011.

Experimental snapshots

"Experimental snapshots" are a specific type of snapshot Mojang uses very early in the development cycle, before the standard snapshot cycle of development. These versions include even more unstable changes than standard snapshots have.

Experimental snapshots were first used for 1.18, with 1.18 Experimental Snapshot 1, and since 1.18 they have only been used once for 1.19. This development format has been discontinued as experiments have been converted into toggleable data packs since 22w42a.

Pre-releases

A pre-release is a more stable development version of the game than a snapshot. Once development reaches the pre-release phase, the update is deemed feature complete, and subsequent pre-releases focus on fixing bugs and improving the stability of the features to be added in that update. The final pre-release may be functionally identical to the full release (for instance 1.4.7).

Pre-releases were first used for development of Java Edition Beta 1.8, with the first ever pre-release being Beta 1.8 Pre-release. At this time, snapshots did not exist yet, so this pre-release was the first development version for Beta 1.8.

Release candidates

A release candidate is a development version of the game that is intended to be the last version before the full release, unless a major game-breaking bug is discovered.^[1] Often, the full release of a version is identical to its last release candidate, differing only in the version name string.

The first release candidate was RC1 for 1.0.0 in 2011. After 1.0.0, there were no release candidates until 1.16 Release Candidate 1 in 2020.

Previews

A preview was a development version of the game, privately given to Hat Films for the creation of the official update trailer. These previews were released for Beta 1.6, Beta 1.7 and Beta 1.8.

Test Build

A test build was a development version of the game. The only ever-released Test Build was Beta 1.6 Test Build 3.

Pocket Edition

Builds and alphas

Builds were development versions used in Pocket Edition, available on Android. Once the Pocket Edition Alpha phase was complete, the name "alpha" was then reserved for development versions for Pocket Edition 1.0.0 and 1.1.0.

Bedrock Edition

Betas and previews

Development versions in Bedrock Edition are known as betas and Previews.

Since the release of the Better Together Update to Bedrock Edition, development builds subsequently took the form of "beta" builds, released for Android, Xbox and Windows 10.

Once development versions became available on Apple platforms, development builds were now known as Previews on those devices, while retaining the name of "beta" on Android.

Beta/Preview versions increment a 4th digit of the version number, starting on 20 or 21, and incrementing by 1 every new beta/Preview.

Usually, betas/Previews are released on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.

April Fools' Updates

Mojang often releases joke updates on April Fools' Day. These are usually formatted as Java Edition snapshots, and are made from one of the latest snapshot builds of the game. These often have a theme, and a special name that matches that theme. Features added in these snapshots (or updates) are not mentioned in the change logs for future snapshots (or updates), since they are not considered to be § Development versions.

Seecret Updates

The Seecret Updates were a series of ten updates released by Notch during the Infdev and Alpha development stages of Minecraft, often without announcement. They were named after the day of the week on which they were released.

Developer versions

These are not to be confused with § Development versions.

References

Navigation