Table of Contents
Who this is for: Minecraft players wanting to customize their gameplay with custom commands, recipes, and game mechanics.
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Setting Up Your Datapack Structure
Creating a datapack starts with building the right folder structure. Navigate to your Minecraft world’s save folder, then into the “datapacks” directory. Create a new folder with your datapack’s name – avoid spaces and use underscores instead.
Inside your datapack folder, you’ll need two essential components:
- pack.mcmeta file – Contains metadata about your datapack
- data folder – Houses all your custom content
Creating the pack.mcmeta File
This JSON file tells Minecraft about your datapack. Create a text file named “pack.mcmeta” in your datapack’s root folder with this structure:
{
"pack": {
"pack_format": 15,
"description": "Your datapack description here"
}
}
The pack_format number corresponds to your Minecraft version – use 15 for 1.20.2 and later versions.
Organizing Your Data Folder
The data folder contains subfolders for different types of content. Most datapacks use a namespace folder (often your datapack’s name) to organize custom functions, recipes, and other features.
Common subfolder structure includes:
- functions – Custom commands and scripts
- recipes – Crafting recipes
- loot_tables – Custom loot drops
- advancements – Achievement-like progression
Writing Your First Function
Functions are .mcfunction files containing Minecraft commands. Create a “functions” folder inside your namespace, then add a .mcfunction file. Each line represents one command without the forward slash.
For example, a simple function might contain:
say Hello from my datapack! give @p diamond 1
Testing and Loading Your Datapack
Once your files are in place, use the “/reload” command in-game to refresh datapacks. You can verify it loaded correctly with “/datapack list” – your pack should appear in green text.
Run custom functions using “/function namespace:function_name” where namespace matches your folder name and function_name is your .mcfunction file without the extension.
Start with simple functions before moving to complex features like custom recipes or advancement trees. Ready to explore more creative building possibilities in the blocky world of Minecraft?
TL;DR
Create a datapack by setting up a folder structure with pack.mcmeta file and data folder containing your custom functions, recipes, and features. Use /reload to test your datapack in-game.
