Java Edition version history

A (?) denotes version's info here is guess-work, possibly incorrect. More in-depth info on each update can be found here.

Post Alpha Mode Release

 * 1.0.15 - Lava sets blocks on fire, new fire behaviour, new 3rd persion view swinging animation, can enter the IP for a server, fixed "M" on title screen.
 * 1.0.14 (Seecret Friday Update 7) - Chickens, Eggs, Cows have new skin, jukeboxes, Records and powered Minecarts.
 * 1.0.13_01 - A few crash bugs fixed.
 * 1.0.13 - Slimes have new look, multiplayer work, won't save a level if another file is trying to save onto it, hang bug fixed.
 * 1.0.12 - Big Slimes don't spawn in Peaceful mode, slimes have sound effects, fixed slime targeting and attacking, fixed font colors being broken, multiplayer work.
 * 1.0.11 - (Seecret Friday Update 6) - Papyrus, Paper, Books, craftable bookcase blocks, craftable Brick blocks (and new Brick block texture), Clay, Bricks (Item), Slime ball, Reeds, Clay (block), Slime mob, obtainable Milk, new Cactus texture, and updated terrain generator.
 * 1.0.10 - Early Survival multiplayer support, invite only.
 * 1.0.9 - Fixed stuttering bug, walking animation changed.
 * 1.0.8_01 - Removed code to make less crashy.
 * 1.0.8 - Cows, Milk, Leather, changed reciper for leather armor (leather instead of cloth).
 * 1.0.7 - Fixed stutering zone bug.
 * 1.0.6_03 - Levels should load better.
 * 1.0.6 - (Seecret Friday Update 5) - Boats, Cacti, large trees, items can be seen in player's hand, animals only spawn on grass, snowballs can only stack up to 16, thrown snowballs dont dissapear, snow blocks only take 4 snowballs instead of 9, leaves don't dissapear, mushrooms found next to tree.
 * 1.0.5_01 - Shovel required for snowballs, ice refreezes, different snowball sound.
 * 1.0.5 - Snowballs, Snow Blocks, fixed building on snow bug, fixed ice rendering bug, signs no longer require free block above them when playing, game no longer saves on crashes.
 * 1.0.3 (?) (Seecret Friday Update 4) - Red ore named to Redstone, animated title screen, winter maps- snows, makes thin snow blocks and ice on water, sitting animation for riding things.
 * 1.0.2_01 - Red torch not gates only signal into blocks above them or next to them, red dust won't connect through solid blocks diagonally down, art tweaks to the dust.
 * 1.0.1_01 - Fixed linux mouse bug.
 * 1.0.1 (Seecret Friday Update 3) - Bug fix, Levers, Stone Buttons, Pressure Plates, Iron Doors, unnamed red ore, red ore torch, red ore dust.
 * 1.0.0 - /game/ released along with downloadable client.

Post Infdev Release

 * Minecraft Infdev (Seecret Friday Update 2) - Dungeons, Mob Spawners, Saddles.
 * Minecraft Infdev - Save file changed back to old.
 * Minecraft Infdev - New save file format, tweaked rail laying code, better fps, less crashy, ridable minecarts that can't be opened.
 * Minecraft Infdev (Seecret Friday Update 1) - Minecarts, Minecart Tracks, gravel and sand fall realisticly, falling off bottom of map kills player, sky rendering tweaked.
 * Minecraft Infdev - Cave rooms can have 1 - 5 exits, making hubs, even more regional caves, springs are more common, natural dirt and gravel under ground, surface springs possible, lava + water = rock, lava spring + water = obsidian, lava springs don't spread, getting stuck inside blocks causes suffocation, water flows nicer.
 * Minecraft Infdev - Water now has more triangular prism shape rather than layers of flat blocks, regional caves, naturally occuring lava, flowers, mushrooms, fluid block springs can generate underground to make rivers.
 * Minecraft Infdev - Leaves not near blocks will vanish again, FAST or FANCY options switch, Buckets, dynamic water, longer days, shorter nights.
 * Minecraft Infdev - 3D cloud layer.
 * Minecraft Infdev - Smarter door rotation logic, can destroy signs easier, shadows back.
 * Minecraft Infdev - Signs, Ladders, Doors, monster spawn rate changed, switched to old tree code.
 * Minecraft Infdev - Faster and tweaked level generator, mobs can spawn, saplings grow into fancy trees, pathfinder no longer leads mobs over cliffs in areas of map.
 * Minecraft Infdev - New trees, sand, gravel added, lighting code fixed.
 * Minecraft Infdev - Tree mod to make fancier trees.
 * Minecraft Infdev - New terrain generator, no caves, game automatically saves while playing, player death causes all items to drop and respawns in staring location.
 * Minecraft Infdev - Caves, proper ore, farms, fire, spreading grass.
 * Minecraft Infdev - Furnaces and chests work, trees and forests, fewer crash bug, randomly placed ore.
 * Minecraft Infdev - Entities work- can mine and drop resources, craft in inventory, shoot arrows, mobs, arrows spawn monsters.
 * Minecraft Infdev - Faster lighting sky brightness recalculation, working lights.
 * Minecraft Infdev - Infinite map test.

Post Indev Release

 * Minecraft Indev - Making bread takes less wheat, water works better, busting log gives the block instead of planks, cobblestone smeltable into normal stone, Paintings.
 * Minecraft Indev - Furnace block added, loot changed, sheep drops nothing, pig drops porkchops, Creepers drop Gunpowder, Spiders drop String, Skeletons drop Arrows, Zombies drop feathers, flint and steel must be crafted now.
 * Minecraft Indev - Armor can be crafted, F5 toggles 3rd person view.
 * Minecraft Indev - Paradise and Woods theme.
 * Minecraft Indev - Day/night cycle.
 * Minecraft Indev - New armor model made.
 * Minecraft Indev - Farming, Hoes, Farmland, Crops, Seeds, Wheat, Bread.