The Guide has moved to become Open Source! This website is outdated - Please follow to the Guides location, guide.bedrock.dev, by clicking the button:
A manifest is a file that defines your pack to Minecraft. It stores all sorts of important info about your pack.
Like all other code files in your pack, it's written in JSON [Java Script Object Notation].
JSON Syntax Rules:
Data is in name/value pairs;
Data is separated by commas;
Curly braces hold objects;
Square brackets hold arrays;
Every { must be closed by }, every [ with ], same with {}, [], "", ''.
You can learn more about JSON here.
Let's create our Resource Pack manifest first by copying the code below into res/manifest.json (In other words, in a 'manifest.json' file in your resource pack folder, which is located in 'development_resource_packs').
Let's break up the code now.
"format_version" defines what version of manifest syntax you are using. Version 2 is the most recent stable version, use it.
"name" is the name of your behavior pack. "description" will show up under it in-game.
The "uuid" field is a very important one. A UUID(Universally Unique IDentifier) identifies your pack for other programs(in this case, Minecraft) to read. NEVER USE THE SAME UUID TWICE. You can generate your own UUIDs here. Every manifest file uses 2 different UUIDs.
"version" defines the version of your add-on. When you import an add-on with a newer version on a device where an older version was installed, the newer version will overwrite the older one. You don't need to change the version if you have the add-on in development_*_packs folders and only use them on private worlds.
"min_engine_version" defines the minimum Minecraft client version that'll be able to read your add-on. Set it to 1.14.0 or 1.14.30.
In "modules", write the same "version" number, a new UUID under "uuid" and define the "type" to be "resources". This makes your pack a Resource Pack, also called a Client pack or a Texture pack. It changes things in-game visually.
The next step is, naturally, creating your bhv/manifest.json. it is very much like a Resource pack manifest, except the "type" is "data"(for a Data Pack/Behavior Pack). There's also an optional field "dependencies", where you can define the needed resource packs by including their main UUID. Dependent resource packs will be applied to any world with the behavior pack automatically, if they exist on the device.
Remember that same UUIDs cannot be used twice, which means that you have to generate NEW ones for the behavior manifest, and not use the ones already used in the resource manifest.
The last thing to do is to add your pack_icon.png file to both bhv and res. I'm going to use this image here. for now.
If you have done everything correctly, your packs should show up in Minecraft now!
Now to create a testing world to test your new add-on!
Click "Create new world";
Set the following settings like this, it'll be easier to test your add-on in the future:
- The 'Experimental Gameplay' MUST be on for some add-on features (not including Items, Blocks and Recipes since 1.16), double check if it's on after applying your packs.
- You might need to turn some settings, like 'TNT explodes', 'file spreads', 'do daylight cycle', 'Mobs spawning' etc, depending on what you're testing. It's easy to do with the /gamerule command in-game.
Turn on both 'settings>profile>content_log_file' and 'settings>profile>content_log_gui'. This will show you any errors in your add-on when you enter a world with it applied. You can also open the content log GUI by pressing ctrl+h.
Now activate your behavior pack. If you haven't set up dependencies in the manifest, apply your resource pack too, otherwise, it'll be applied automatically). Check if [EX](Experimental Gameplay) is tuned on, and click 'Create'. You might need a separate 'Infinite' world to test entity spawning too.
Now it's time to talk about some file extensions you'll be using during the development.
An .mcstructure file literally includes a Minecraft structure, consisting of blocks and entities. It can be exported via a Structure Block(/give @s structure_block) and are Win10 and Experimental Gameplay only.
If you store one of these files in the bhv/structures folder you'll be able to 'load' the structure from structure blocks on any world with the pack applied. (A reliable method to transfer structures between worlds). See the Custom Structures article to make your Structures automatically generate in your world!
An .mcfunction file is a file holding a function. Let's create one in bhv/functions. VSC will treat it like a normal .txt file.
Let's name the new text file diamond_tools.mcfunction and write a set of simple slash commands[but without slashes(/)], which can otherwise be executed from in-game chat, like these:
Now you can run the function by typing /function diamond_tools in the in-game chat!
Next up are .mcpack files. These are used to import external add-ons. To create one, all you have to do is right_click your bhv or your res, and zip it (choose send to>compressed(zipped) folder). Now simply change the extension [ by renaming the file] from .zip to .mcpack, to create a file like on the image below. When a user clicks on the file, it'll be automatically opened by and imported to Minecraft, for them to use. (It'll be located in com.mojang/..._packs)
What if you want both your resource pack and your behavior pack to be imported at once? Make both .mcpacks, then select them and choose send to>compressed(zipped) folder. Then change .zip to .mcaddon. Done!
Note: same method can be used to compile a world folder from com.mojang/minecraftWorlds and changing the .zip to .mcworld. On Win10 devices one can click "Export world" in the world settings to achieve the same result. .mcworlds usually include all add-ons applied.
What you've done:
Created the manifest and pack_icon files;
Learned about all the different .mc file extensions and how to use them;
Learned to transfer structures between worlds using Behavior Packs and .mcstructure files;
Created your own function that can be ran like a normal command!
What are you to do next:
Learn to create custom items;
Learn to define texture short-names;
