Minecraft Server Commands: Complete List & Cheat Sheet 2026

By FreeGameHost Team • Updated May 2026 • 8 min read

Running a Minecraft server means knowing the right commands. This page is the complete reference — every important vanilla op command, EssentialsX command, and console-only command, organised by category so you can find what you need fast.

Bookmark this page. You'll come back to it.

Console vs in-game: Commands run from the server console do not need a leading /. Commands typed in-game by an OP player do need the /. All examples below use the in-game format (with /). Drop the slash when typing in the console.

Player management

Vanilla

Command	What it does
/kick [player] [reason]	Removes a player from the server with an optional message
/ban [player] [reason]	Permanently bans a player by username
/ban-ip [player/IP]	Bans a player by their IP address
/banlist	Lists all currently banned players
/unban [player]	Removes a ban (also written as /pardon)
/pardon-ip [IP]	Removes an IP ban
/list	Shows all currently online players and the player count
/msg [player] [message]	Sends a private message to a player (also /tell, /w)
/kill [player]	Kills the specified player (or yourself if no target given)

Permissions & OP

Vanilla

Command	What it does
/op [player]	Gives a player full operator (admin) status
/deop [player]	Removes operator status from a player
/ops	Lists all current operators (console only)
/whitelist on	Enables the whitelist — only listed players can join
/whitelist off	Disables the whitelist — anyone can join
/whitelist add [player]	Adds a player to the whitelist
/whitelist remove [player]	Removes a player from the whitelist
/whitelist list	Lists all whitelisted players
/whitelist reload	Reloads the whitelist from file (after manual edits)

OP levels: Vanilla Minecraft has 4 OP levels (1–4). Level 4 is full admin. Set the default OP level in server.properties with op-permission-level=4. If you use LuckPerms, skip native OP and manage permissions through LuckPerms groups instead.

World & environment

Vanilla

Command	What it does
/gamemode survival [player]	Sets gamemode to survival (also: creative, adventure, spectator)
/defaultgamemode [mode]	Sets the default gamemode for new players joining
/difficulty [level]	Sets difficulty: peaceful, easy, normal, hard
/time set day	Sets world time to day (also: night, noon, midnight, or a number 0–24000)
/time add [amount]	Adds ticks to the current world time
/weather clear [seconds]	Sets weather to clear for a duration
/weather rain [seconds]	Sets weather to rain
/weather thunder [seconds]	Sets weather to thunder
/gamerule [rule] [value]	Changes a gamerule. See common gamerules below.
/setworldspawn [x y z]	Sets the world spawn point (where new players appear)
/seed	Displays the current world seed
/forceload add [chunk]	Forces a chunk to stay loaded even with no players nearby

Essential gamerules

Gamerule	Default	Effect
/gamerule keepInventory true	false	Players keep inventory on death
/gamerule doDaylightCycle false	true	Stops day/night cycle
/gamerule doWeatherCycle false	true	Stops weather changes
/gamerule mobGriefing false	true	Mobs can't break blocks (Creepers, Endermen, etc.)
/gamerule doFireTick false	true	Fire doesn't spread
/gamerule pvp false	true	Disables player vs player combat
/gamerule spawnRadius 0	10	New players spawn exactly at world spawn
/gamerule naturalRegeneration false	true	Players don't regenerate health naturally
/gamerule announceAdvancements false	true	Hides advancement announcements in chat

Teleport & location

Vanilla

Command	What it does
/tp [player] [x y z]	Teleports a player to coordinates
/tp [player1] [player2]	Teleports player1 to player2's location
/teleport [target] [destination]	Full form of /tp; same syntax
/spawn	Teleports you to world spawn (EssentialsX)
/setspawn	Sets world spawn to your current location (EssentialsX)
/home [name]	Teleports you to your set home (EssentialsX)
/sethome [name]	Sets a home at your current location (EssentialsX)
/warp [name]	Teleports you to a named warp point (EssentialsX)
/setwarp [name]	Creates a warp at your current location (EssentialsX)
/back	Returns you to your previous location (EssentialsX)
/tpa [player]	Requests to teleport to a player (EssentialsX)
/tpahere [player]	Requests a player teleport to you (EssentialsX)

Items & inventory

Vanilla

Command	What it does
/give [player] [item] [amount]	Gives a player an item. E.g. `/give Steve diamond 64`
/clear [player] [item]	Clears a player's inventory, or removes a specific item
/enchant [player] [enchant] [level]	Applies an enchantment to the item in a player's hand
/item [item]	Gives yourself the item in hand with modifications (EssentialsX)
/heal [player]	Restores a player to full health and hunger (EssentialsX)
/feed [player]	Fills a player's hunger bar (EssentialsX)
/xp add [player] [amount]	Gives a player XP points (or levels with `10L`)
/effect give [player] [effect] [duration] [level]	Applies a status effect. E.g. speed, night_vision, regeneration
/effect clear [player]	Removes all status effects from a player

Server management

Vanilla + Console

Command	What it does
/stop	Safely stops the server (saves world data first)
/restart	Restarts the server (requires restart script or panel)
/reload confirm	Reloads plugins without restarting (use sparingly — can cause issues)
/save-all	Forces the server to save all world data immediately
/save-off	Pauses automatic world saving (useful before manual backups)
/save-on	Re-enables automatic world saving
/tps	Displays current server TPS (Paper/Spigot). 20 TPS = no lag.
/timings report	Generates a performance report link (Paper)
/memory	Displays current server memory usage (EssentialsX)
/plugins	Lists all currently loaded plugins and their status
/version	Displays server version, Minecraft version, and API version

EssentialsX commands (most useful)

EssentialsX plugin required

Command	What it does
/fly [player]	Toggles flight mode for yourself or another player
/speed [type] [value] [player]	Sets walk or fly speed (0–10). E.g. `/speed fly 3`
/god [player]	Toggles godmode (invincibility) for a player
/vanish [player]	Makes a player invisible to others (great for admin oversight)
/nick [player] [nickname]	Sets a display nickname for a player
/mute [player] [duration]	Prevents a player from chatting. E.g. `/mute Steve 1h`
/unmute [player]	Removes a mute
/tempban [player] [duration] [reason]	Temporarily bans a player. E.g. `/tempban Steve 3d Griefing`
/socialspy	Toggles visibility of all private messages (admin tool)
/broadcast [message]	Sends a server-wide announcement in bold
/motd	Displays the server's message of the day
/rules	Displays the server rules to the player
/seen [player]	Shows when a player last logged in
/kit [name] [player]	Gives a player a configured starter kit
/createkit [name] [cooldown]	Creates a kit from your current inventory
/invsee [player]	Opens a player's inventory so you can inspect or modify it
/repair [hand/all]	Fully repairs the item in your hand, or all items
/hat	Puts the item in your hand on your head slot

LuckPerms commands

LuckPerms plugin required

Command	What it does
/lp user [player] group set [group]	Assigns a player to a permissions group (e.g. admin, vip)
/lp user [player] group add [group]	Adds an additional group to a player (inheritance)
/lp user [player] group remove [group]	Removes a group from a player
/lp user [player] info	Shows a player's current groups and permissions
/lp group [group] permission set [node] true	Grants a permission to a group. E.g. `essentials.fly`
/lp group [group] permission set [node] false	Explicitly denies a permission for a group
/lp group [group] info	Shows all permissions and parent groups for a group
/lp creategroup [name]	Creates a new permission group
/lp deletegroup [name]	Deletes a permission group
/lp group [group] parent set [parent]	Sets a parent group (inheritance). E.g. mod inherits from member
/lp editor	Opens the web-based permission editor — easiest way to manage everything

LuckPerms tip: Run /lp editor and open the link in your browser. The web editor is far easier than typing individual commands — you can drag and drop permissions, create groups, and manage everything visually.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to be OP to use these commands?

Vanilla commands require OP status. EssentialsX and LuckPerms commands can be granted to specific players or groups through LuckPerms permissions — you don't have to give full OP to give a player specific commands like /fly or /heal.

Why isn't /tps working on my server?

/tps is a Paper and Spigot command — it doesn't exist on Vanilla servers. If you're running Vanilla, switch to Paper (it's a drop-in replacement with all the same gameplay) to access /tps and many other admin improvements.

Can I run commands automatically on a schedule?

Yes. In EssentialsX, you can use the /commandtimer feature. For more advanced scheduling, install AutomaticTimedCommands or a similar plugin to run any command on a set interval — useful for announcements, auto-saves, or periodic resets.

What's the difference between /reload and restarting?

/reload reloads plugin configurations without fully restarting the server. It's faster but can cause memory issues or partial reloads with complex plugins. A full restart is safer and recommended after major config changes or plugin updates.

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