COMPARISON

Gaps that have closed

A lot of Bedrock versus Java advice predates these updates and still lists them as missing from Bedrock.

Hardcore

Added in 1.21.40, the Bundles of Bravery drop released on October 22, 2024. It is a toggle on the Create New World screen that locks the difficulty to Hard and turns cheats off.

Spectator

Available without experimental gameplay since 1.19.50. It still lacks Java extras such as taking a mob's view or seeing invisible mobs.

Differences that still matter

Redstone

Quasi-connectivity, where pistons, dispensers and droppers react to anything that would power the block above them, exists in Java Edition but not in Bedrock. A Java contraption that depends on it will not work on Bedrock.

Debug information

Java's F3 screen shows biome, light and chunk data. Bedrock can show your coordinates through a world setting, but has nothing like the full screen.

Experiments

On Bedrock, turning an experiment on disables achievements for that world, and once a world has been created with an experiment it cannot be turned off again.

Mods

Java loads mods through loaders such as Fabric and NeoForge. Bedrock uses add-ons instead: resource packs, behavior packs and scripts.

Same seed, different details

World seeds

A seed gives the same terrain and biomes in both editions, but structures such as villages and temples are placed differently, so a Java seed guide will only partly match a Bedrock world.

Combat

Java has an attack cooldown, sweep attacks and the Sweeping Edge enchantment. Bedrock has none of the three, so a hit does the same damage however long you waited before swinging.

Game rules

The names differ: Java writes keep_inventory and random_tick_speed, Bedrock keepinventory and randomtickspeed. Random tick speed also starts at 3 in Java and at 1 in Bedrock.

Buying the game

Since June 7, 2022 Java Edition and Bedrock Edition for Windows are sold together as Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC, so one purchase on PC covers both editions.

Bedrock vs Java Edition puts both editions side by side. Bedrock Edition exclusive features covers what only Bedrock has, and Bedrock Edition limitations what it still misses.