Whether you just joined your first server or you're setting up your own, knowing the right commands is essential. This cheat sheet covers every important command for both players and server admins in 2026.
Essential Player Commands
These commands work on most servers, though some may be disabled by admins:
/spawn — Teleport back to the server spawn point. Your lifeline when you're lost.
/home and /sethome — Set a home location and teleport back to it. Most servers allow 1-3 homes for free players, more for ranked players.
/tpa [player] — Send a teleport request to another player. They must accept with /tpaaccept. Great for meeting up with friends.
/msg [player] [message] — Send a private message. Also works as /tell or /w on most servers.
/balance or /bal — Check your in-game currency balance on economy servers.
/pay [player] [amount] — Send money to another player.
/warp [name] — Teleport to a server warp point (shops, arenas, etc.).
PvP & Combat Commands
On PvP servers, these commands are critical:
/kit [name] — Claim a kit of items. Common kits include starter, pvp, and archer. Kits usually have cooldowns.
/duel [player] — Challenge someone to a 1v1 duel on practice servers.
/stats — View your kill/death ratio, wins, and other combat statistics.
/report [player] — Report a player for hacking or rule violations. Always use this instead of arguing in chat.
Economy & Trading Commands
/shop — Open the server shop GUI (if available).
/ah or /auctionhouse — Browse or list items on the auction house. Use /ah sell [price] to list the item in your hand.
/trade [player] — Open a secure trading window with another player.
/baltop — See the richest players on the server.
Land Protection Commands
Protecting your builds is crucial on survival servers:
/claim — Claim the chunk you're standing in (GriefPrevention/Towny).
/trust [player] — Allow a player to build in your claim.
/untrust [player] — Remove someone's build access.
/claimlist — See all your claims and remaining claim blocks.
For Towny servers: /town create [name], /town invite [player], /town claim, and /nation create [name].
Admin Commands (Server Owners)
If you're running your own server, these are your most-used commands:
/op [player] — Give a player operator permissions (use sparingly!).
/gamemode [mode] [player] — Set gamemode: survival, creative, adventure, or spectator.
/tp [player1] [player2] — Teleport player1 to player2.
/ban [player] [reason] and /kick [player] — Remove troublemakers.
/whitelist add [player] — Add someone to the whitelist for private servers.
/gamerule [rule] [value] — Change game rules like keepInventory, mobGriefing, etc.
/stop — Safely shut down the server.
Permission Plugin Commands
Most servers use LuckPerms for permissions:
/lp user [player] parent set [group] — Set a player's rank group.
/lp user [player] permission set [node] — Give a specific permission.
/lp editor — Open the web-based permission editor (much easier than commands).
WorldEdit Commands (Building)
For creative and building servers:
//wand — Get the selection tool (wooden axe).
//set [block] — Fill your selection with a block type.
//replace [from] [to] — Replace one block type with another.
//copy and //paste — Copy and paste structures.
//undo — Undo your last WorldEdit action. A lifesaver.
Quick Reference Table
Here's a quick summary of the most essential commands every player should know:
Navigation: /spawn, /home, /sethome, /tpa, /warp
Communication: /msg, /r (reply), /mail
Economy: /bal, /pay, /shop, /ah
Protection: /claim, /trust, /untrust
Info: /help, /rules, /list (online players)
Most commands support tab-completion — start typing and press Tab to see options. If a command doesn't work, the server may use a different plugin. Try /help to see available commands, or ask in chat. Looking for a server to practice on? Browse servers on MC-Servers.io and find one that fits your playstyle.