Java Edition 1.12

1.12, the first release of the World of Color Update, was a major update to Minecraft (Java Edition) released on June 7, 2017. This update introduced a more vibrant color palette, a new crafting system, hints for beginners, glazed terracotta, concrete, colored beds, illusioners, and parrots. It also replaced achievements with a customizable and more powerful system of 'advancements', and introduced a new system for working with collections of commands, called 'functions'.

Blocks

 * Concrete
 * Comes in the 16 traditional dye colors
 * Created when Concrete Powder comes into contact with still or flowing water


 * Concrete Powder
 * Comes in the 16 traditional dye colors
 * Gravity affected (like Sand and Gravel).
 * When it touches water, it turns into a Concrete block.
 * Craftable. Crafting: 4 Sand, 4 Gravel and one of any dye to get 8 Concrete Powder blocks. The recipe is shapeless.


 * Glazed Terracotta
 * Comes in the 16 traditional dye colors
 * Smelt any colored terracotta in a furnace to obtain the Glazed Terracotta of that color (not for regular terracotta).
 * Can be placed in 4 directions: North, South, West, and East.
 * When placed down while facing the right directions, a repeating pattern can be created. For example, the white terracotta will create the pattern of a sun when 4 are placed down correctly.
 * Will not "stick" to slime blocks if attached to the side, top or bottom, but will if attached to the front or back.

Items

 * Knowledge Book
 * A green-colored book
 * Currently obtainable only with the command.
 * A Knowledge Book with a  NBT tag, which contains a list of item IDs, will be consumed and unlock the specified items' recipes for any player that  it
 * Especially useful when is set to true


 * Spawn eggs
 * Parrot (new mob): Green with red dots.

Mobs

 * Illusioner
 * New illager.
 * Affects players with for 20 seconds then shoots with a bow.
 * Its blindness spell will only be cast if the regional difficulty is greater than 2.
 * Summons duplicates of itself.
 * All duplicates will show shooting animation, but only the real one can be hit and shoots the arrow.
 * The original turns invisible.
 * Does not currently have a spawn egg, so can only be summoned with.
 * Targets both the player and villagers.


 * Parrots
 * Tamable with seeds
 * Fly around, but sit when "tired"
 * If fed cookies, the parrot dies.
 * Poison particle effects are emitted, but they are not actually killed by poison.
 * If a player has tamed a parrot and then fed it cookies, it will display the message "Parrot was slain by ".
 * Follow and crowd around nearby mobs.
 * Imitates sounds of other mobs.
 * Parrots dance if playing music on a nearby jukebox.
 * Right-click action available:
 * Right-click on a tamed parrot tells it to sit down.
 * Walking over/through/near a tamed parrot while crouching will cause it to sit on the player's shoulders.
 * Will let go if the player jumps.
 * Can fly with players during elytra flight.
 * Have health.
 * Come in red, blue, green, cyan and gray.

Gameplay

 * Gamerules
 * Defaults to true
 * Toggles announcing of advancements, replacing the old  server.properties entry
 * If  is set, the gamerule is automatically updated and   is removed
 * Off by default
 * Enabling will only allow players to craft recipes they have unlocked
 * A function to be executed once per tick
 * The default is 65536.
 * Determines the number at which the chain command block acts as a "chain".
 * A function to be executed once per tick
 * The default is 65536.
 * Determines the number at which the chain command block acts as a "chain".
 * Determines the number at which the chain command block acts as a "chain".

Command format

 * Targets the executing entity, e.g:
 * Can grant, test or revoke advancements, and particular advancement criteria, for a given player
 * There are five modifiers to the command: "everything", "from", "until", "through", "only"
 * "everything" - all advancements, no specification required (same as "*")
 * "from" - this advancement, its children, and their children, etc
 * "until" - this advancement, its parent, and its parent, etc
 * "through" - both of the above
 * "only" - this advancement, and nothing else
 * Examples:
 * Runs a function once through the entity or command block which ran the function command
 * Added new arguments:
 * - runs the function only if the specified selector is found
 * - runs the function except when the specified selector is found
 * Can unlock, or lock, the given recipes for the given player
 * If  is specified, it will lock or unlock all recipes for the player
 * Command to reload advancements and loot tables from disk
 * This command is available to all opped players in single player and to all level 4 operators on a multiplayer server.
 * Cannot be run from a command block.
 * Can unlock, or lock, the given recipes for the given player
 * If  is specified, it will lock or unlock all recipes for the player
 * Command to reload advancements and loot tables from disk
 * This command is available to all opped players in single player and to all level 4 operators on a multiplayer server.
 * Cannot be run from a command block.
 * This command is available to all opped players in single player and to all level 4 operators on a multiplayer server.
 * Cannot be run from a command block.

General

 * Advancements
 * Replaces achievements
 * Can be customized via JSON files
 * Tab-based UI
 * 5 tabs (more supported):
 * Minecraft: The heart and story of the game.
 * Adventure: Adventure, exploration, and combat.
 * Nether: Bring summer clothes.
 * The End: Or the beginning?
 * Husbandry: The world is full of friends and food.
 * Data-driven UI, including positioning and layout
 * Supports rewards in the form of recipes, loot, experience and functions
 * The only default advancements with a reward are the default "challenge" advancements, which grant experience
 * Pop-up "toast" notification for when players advance
 * New sliding effect
 * Comes in two different colors - yellow for normal advancements, and pink for "challenge" advancements
 * A number display tracks progress while completing advancements with multiple requirements


 * Controls
 * Added keybinding options for Creative toolbar saving
 * Added new keybinding for opening advancements (default "L")


 * Creative
 * Added "Saved Toolbars" tab
 * Save toolbars in Creative Mode with + and load them with +
 * Can save up to 9 toolbars
 * If the player saves an empty toolbar, it will clear the bookmarked toolbar and put back the 'informational paper' in the respective slot.


 * Function
 * Added new function system, which are text files with the file extension  in
 * For example, running  will refer to the function located at.
 * Functions are a list of commands, one line per command (without a forward slash), with  comment support


 * JSON format
 * Added 'group' to recipe json format, to clump similar recipes together
 * Added new 'keybind' text component, to refer to the player's keybindings


 * Menu screen
 * Added the ability to see credits by clicking the copyright text


 * Narrator
 * + toggles a text-to-speech engine that automatically reads player chat messages, including the name
 * Option to toggle narrator between: "off", "chat & system", "chat only", and "system messages only"
 * Shows a notification for toggling
 * The Narrator will not read commands or command outputs, nor will it read messages produced with
 * It displays a message whenever the Narrator isn't available
 * Uses the "toast" notification system


 * NBT tags
 * Stores the tick a chain command block was last executed in
 * and for breedable entities
 * Together these record the UUID of the entity that caused a given animal to breed
 * A compound tag containing a list of recipes, formatted as JSON, that the player has seen, as well as recipe book information
 * Becomes 1 if the player has enabled the "Show Craftable" feature in the recipe book
 * Checks if the player has left the GUI open
 * Contains information about all recipes the player has seen
 * Checks if the player has tried out the recipe in the recipe book before (by clicking it/viewing it)
 * Within are recipe names that the player has unlocked but not viewed in the crafting helper yet
 * Used for remembering to play the animation for new recipes
 * A list of crafting recipes to unlock for the player that right-clicks while holding a Knowledge Book
 * If this is not specified, the Knowledge Book will not be consumed
 * A compound tag containing the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the overworld position the player entered the nether
 * The x coordinate.
 * The y coordinate.
 * The z coordinate.
 * Changes to 1 if the player leaves the End through the portal
 * and
 * Contains entity data about an entity on the left and right shoulders of the player
 * Defaults to . If set to , loops can be created, where the same command block can run multiple times in one tick.
 * If this is not specified, the Knowledge Book will not be consumed
 * A compound tag containing the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the overworld position the player entered the nether
 * The x coordinate.
 * The y coordinate.
 * The z coordinate.
 * Changes to 1 if the player leaves the End through the portal
 * and
 * Contains entity data about an entity on the left and right shoulders of the player
 * Defaults to . If set to , loops can be created, where the same command block can run multiple times in one tick.
 * Changes to 1 if the player leaves the End through the portal
 * and
 * Contains entity data about an entity on the left and right shoulders of the player
 * Defaults to . If set to , loops can be created, where the same command block can run multiple times in one tick.
 * Defaults to . If set to , loops can be created, where the same command block can run multiple times in one tick.
 * Defaults to . If set to , loops can be created, where the same command block can run multiple times in one tick.


 * Recipe book
 * Catalogs recipes that are unlocked when the criteria are met
 * When a recipe is clicked, it will appear in the crafting grid, and can be crafted if materials are available.
 * A shift-click ability puts all available materials in the crafting grid.
 * A new white-and-gray colored "toast" notification pops up when the player unlocks new recipes.
 * The pop-up notification that displays upon unlocking new recipes has an icon showing the items that can be crafted with the new recipes.
 * If the player searches "excitedze" in the recipe book, their language switches to Pirate Speak.
 * folder added with all item recipes as  files.


 * Sounds
 * New note block sounds
 * = xylophone
 * = bell
 * = flute
 * = chime
 * = guitar
 * New sound effects
 * Parrots
 * Illusioners
 * Casting a fishing rod
 * Reeling in a fishing rod
 * Throwing an eye of ender
 * An eye of ender exploding or popping back into item form
 * Putting ender eye in end portal frames (dinging sound)
 * Completing the end portal and having the portal spawn (evil sound)
 * Boat paddles
 * Player drowning
 * Player burning
 * Completing a challenge advancement
 * Toast notifications
 * New cave sounds: cave17.ogg and cave18.ogg


 * Splashes
 * "Don't feed chocolate to parrots!"
 * "The true meaning of covfefe"
 * Reference to a cryptic tweet from Donald John Trump.
 * "An illusion! What are you hiding?"
 * "Something's not quite right..."
 * The top two are references to Suramar City guards in World of Warcraft, who say these lines when a player, having an illusion on themself, goes nearby.
 * The splash about the illusion could also be a reference to the illusioner.


 * Tutorial hints
 * Displayed in the top right
 * Only displayed once per device
 * Saved per player, stored in options.txt
 * Name:
 * List of criteria:,  ,  ,  ,  , and

Blocks



 * Banner
 * New palette texture.
 * "Chief fess" and "base fess" banners are now just "chief" and "base" banners.


 * Beds
 * Now the player can sleep when a neutral zombie pigman is near.
 * Now the player can bounce on the bed, albeit much less than with slime blocks
 * Now reduce (but not negate) fall damage when landed on
 * The player can survive a 41 block fall onto a bed
 * Any higher, and the second bounce will deal the remaining amount of damage to kill them
 * The player can create a platform around 7 blocks high beside the bed to land on to prevent death, in which case a player can survive a 45 block fall
 * Added colored beds which can be crafted with colored wool or by dying a white bed
 * Now a block entity, and each half can be colored individually using the NBT tag
 * Beds now display as blocks, unlike Pocket Edition beds. Now use a 3D item model instead of a 2D item because of the new colors


 * Buttons, levers, redstone torches, torches, and tripwire hooks
 * Can now be placed on jack o'lanterns.
 * Redstone torches and torches still cannot be placed on top of jack o'lanterns


 * Command block
 * Now executes all of the commands in a chain before scheduling them for the next tick
 * It is now possible to stop/modify the operation of a chain via commands and get results instantly (as opposed to getting them in a 1 tick delay)
 * Optimized error conditions in command blocks
 * Tab-completing command names in command blocks will no longer add a  prefix.


 * Fences, cobblestone walls, glass panes, and iron bars
 * Now connect to the back and underside of stairs


 * Hardened clay
 * Renamed to terracotta


 * Magma blocks
 * Are now able to burn infinitely, like netherrack


 * Shulker box
 * Colors changed in accordance with the changes to other block colors
 * Purple shulker boxes unchanged


 * Stairs
 * The rear face and underside of stairs are now considered "solid"
 * Allows for torches, fences, iron bars, glass panes, cobblestone walls, and snow layers to connect to them properly


 * Wool
 * New palette texture.

Items

 * Map
 * Dyed blocks such as banners and terracotta now have unique colors

Mobs



 * Sheep
 * New color palette for wool on body


 * Shulker
 * Colors changed in accordance with the changes to other block colors
 * Purple shulkers are left the same


 * Wither
 * Can no longer break end gateway blocks and piston extensions


 * Zombies
 * New  and   tags
 * Contains the UUID of the player that is converting the zombie
 * Used with the "minecraft:cured_zombie_villager" trigger for advancements

Non-mob entities

 * Minecarts with TNT
 * No longer instantly explode when hit with fire charges; instead, they explode as if primed by an activator rail.


 * Paintings
 * Will now try to place the largest possible in the available space it has

Command format

 * and
 * Now reinforces item-specific stacking restrictions.
 * This is a reverse of 16w32a ( resolved as "Works as Intended")

General

 * Achievements
 * Removed and replaced by advancements


 * Controls
 * Pressing will now hide all toast messages


 * Crafting
 * Closing the crafting interface with items inside will no longer drop the items in front of you, but will send them instead to the inventory.


 * Creative
 * Materials tab merged with miscellaneous tab in creative mode.


 * Java version
 * This is the first version to use, and thus require, Java 8.


 * Language
 * Many pieces of text are now translatable, where previously they were hardcoded English
 * The full list of changes can be found here.


 * Movement
 * The player's body now entirely faces to the front, when moving backwards.
 * Prior to this update, moving backwards would cause the player model to rotate one side, making it look like the player was strafing backwards somewhat.


 * NBT format
 * Improved NBT parsing in commands
 * Keys can now (optionally) be quoted, e.g:
 * Unquoted string values are now stricter; they can no longer contain spaces or special symbols, e.g:
 * Indices, which were previously optional in lists, are no longer allowed, e.g:
 * Empty keys and values are no longer allowed
 * Improved error messaging; now points to where exactly the error occurred


 * Optimizations
 * Huge optimizations to creative inventory searching
 * Optimized chunk loading.


 * Splashes
 * "Now Java 6!" changed to "Now Java 8!"

Video
Video made by slicedlime:

Trivia

 * 1.12 was the only major update to Minecraft Java Edition released in 2017.
 * 1.12, along with Java Edition 1.8.2, had the most pre-releases of any update at the time with a total of 7 pre-releases.
 * This was later broken by Java Edition 1.13, with 10 pre-releases.