Villages.dat format

The villages.dat file located in the data folder of every Minecraft level is used to store information about the villages in the level. It is stored as a GZip'd NBT file.

Since the dimension of a village is not stored, it is not possible to have villages in any dimension other than the overworld prior to 1.8. Since 1.8, additional files villages_nether.dat and villages_end.dat are stored.

Prior to 1.8, villages are "forgotten" and not saved in this file when their chunks are unloaded.

NBT Structure

 * : The root tag.
 * : Internal clock.
 * : List of Byte tags when empty, list of Compound tags otherwise.
 * : A village.
 * : Aggregate of the x-coordinates of all houses.
 * : Aggregate of the y-coordinates of all houses.
 * : Aggregate of the z-coordinates of all houses.
 * : X coordinate of the village center.
 * : Y coordinate of the village center.
 * : Z coordinate of the village center.
 * : The number of Iron Golems.
 * : Last time a villager was killed by a mob, or by a damage source that's not related to an entity while a player was nearby.
 * : The number of Villagers.
 * : Radius of the village.
 * : Last time a house was added to the village.
 * : Internal clock.
 * : The doors in the village.
 * : A door.
 * : Specifies the inside direction along x.
 * : Specifies the inside direction along z.
 * : Last time a villager was nearby.
 * : X coordinate.
 * : Y coordinate.
 * : Z coordinate.
 * : List of Byte tags when empty, list of Compound tags otherwise.
 * : A player who has traded or harmed villagers.
 * : The name of the player.
 * : The social rank of the player. Can be negative. Goes up with trading and down with harming villagers.
 * : The social rank of the player. Can be negative. Goes up with trading and down with harming villagers.

Villages Format Format Villages.dat Villages.dat formaat Формат Villages.dat