Updated 23 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
How to Get and Use Command Blocks
Command blocks run a command when powered by redstone. You cannot craft them: in a world with cheats on, use /give @s minecraft:command_block in Creative. There are three types: impulse (orange) runs once per activation, chain (cyan) runs after the block pointing into it, and repeat (purple) runs every game tick while active (on Bedrock it can be given a delay).
How do you get a command block?
Command blocks cannot be crafted or used in Survival. With cheats on, run /give @s minecraft:command_block or /setblock ~ ~ ~ command_block; on Java they also appear in the Creative inventory's Operator Utilities tab if you turn on Operator Items Tab in Controls. Only an operator in Creative mode can place, break or edit them. See Minecraft commands.
What are the three command block types?
| Type | Colour | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Impulse | Orange | Runs once each time it is activated (the default) |
| Chain | Cyan | Runs when the command block pointing into it runs, if it is active |
| Repeat | Purple | Runs every game tick while it is active (Bedrock can add a delay) |
Each block can be Needs Redstone (the default for impulse and repeat) or Always Active (the default for chain), and Conditional or Unconditional: a conditional block only runs if the block behind it succeeded.
How do you enter a command?
Use the block in Creative to open its window, type the command in the top box (the leading slash is optional, and the limit is 32,500 characters), and choose its type and mode. The bottom box shows the last output. On Java the game rule command_blocks_work must be true, and a server needs enable-command-block=true in server.properties; on Bedrock, turn on Command Blocks Enabled in the world options. See game rules.
What permissions does a command block have?
A command block always runs with permission level 2 on Java (level 1 on Bedrock), so map makers use them to let players trigger specific commands they could not run themselves. Command blocks are indestructible in Survival, as blast-resistant as bedrock and not flammable. See redstone basics for powering them and Manhunt for a command-block compass.
Can players use command blocks on ArtemisPvP?
Frequently asked questions
How do you get a command block?
With cheats on, run /give @s minecraft:command_block.
What do the command block colours mean?
Orange is impulse, cyan is chain and purple is repeat.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.