/summon

The /summon command spawns any entity at a location: mobs, bosses, lightning, TNT, armor stands, minecarts, boats, falling blocks and more. Builders use it to populate zoos and scenes, map makers to create encounters, and players to test farms or recreate rare events like charged creepers. This command reference covers the syntax in Java and Bedrock, entity IDs, positions, custom names and data, spawn events in Bedrock, useful examples and common errors.

Syntax

Edition	Syntax
Java	/summon <entity> [pos] [nbt]
Bedrock	/summon <entityType> [spawnPos] [yRot] [xRot] [spawnEvent] [nameTag]
Bedrock (named)	/summon <entityType> <nameTag> [spawnPos]

• entity: the entity ID, such as zombie, cow, lightning_bolt or tnt.
• pos or spawnPos: where to spawn it. Use ~ ~ ~ for your position, ~ ~5 ~ for five blocks above you, or exact coordinates. If left out, it spawns at your position.
• nbt (Java): extra data in curly braces: names, equipment, effects, behavior flags and more.
• spawnEvent (Bedrock): a behavior event such as minecraft:become_charged or minecraft:entity_born that changes how the entity spawns.
• nameTag (Bedrock): a name shown above the mob.

Basic examples

Command	Result
/summon zombie	A zombie at your feet
/summon cow ~ ~ ~5	A cow five blocks south of you
/summon lightning_bolt	A lightning strike at your position
/summon tnt ~ ~1 ~	Lit TNT above you
/summon iron_golem	An iron golem to defend a village
/summon villager	A villager, ready to take a job
/summon armor_stand	An armor stand for displays
/summon wither	The Wither boss (be careful)
/summon ender_dragon	An Ender Dragon, which acts strangely outside the End

Custom mobs in Java (NBT)

Java lets you change almost anything about a summoned entity with NBT in curly braces. Common examples:

• Charged creeper: /summon creeper ~ ~ ~ {powered:1b}
• Baby zombie: /summon zombie ~ ~ ~ {IsBaby:1b}
• Mob that never despawns: /summon wolf ~ ~ ~ {PersistenceRequired:1b}, then use a name tag to name it.
• Mob without AI, for statues: /summon zombie ~ ~ ~ {NoAI:1b,Silent:1b}
• TNT with a long fuse: /summon tnt ~ ~ ~ {fuse:200}
• Invisible armor stand: /summon armor_stand ~ ~ ~ {Invisible:1b}

NBT tag names and formats change between Java versions, especially for text and items, so if an example fails, check that it matches your version or use a command generator set to your exact version. The basic flags above have been stable for a long time.

Spawn events in Bedrock

Bedrock uses spawn events instead of NBT. Examples:

• Charged creeper: /summon creeper ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ minecraft:become_charged
• Baby mob: /summon cow ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ minecraft:entity_born or minecraft:as_baby depending on the mob
• Villager with a profession or biome type: spawn events for specific villager types exist in some versions.
• Named mob: /summon pig “Bacon” ~ ~ ~

Each mob has its own list of supported events. In Bedrock, the command suggestions show the events available for the mob you typed.

Summoning lightning

/summon lightning_bolt is one of the most popular uses. Lightning turns creepers into charged creepers, villagers into witches, pigs into zombified piglins and mooshrooms between red and brown, and can start fires and remove copper oxidation. It is the quickest way to create these conversions without waiting for a thunderstorm. See the creeper page.

Practical uses of /summon

• Zoos and builds: summon animals with NoAI to make realistic displays that do not wander off.
• Farms: test a mob farm by summoning mobs into it instead of waiting for natural spawns.
• Boss fights: map makers summon custom bosses with armor, effects and names.
• Villages: repopulate a village with villagers and iron golems after a raid.
• Fun and testing: spawn TNT, falling blocks or fireworks for effects and videos.
• Command block traps: pressure plates that summon mobs or lightning in adventure maps.

Entities you can only get by summoning

Some entities have no spawn egg in the Creative inventory or are not meant for normal play: lightning bolts, the Ender Dragon outside the End, giants in Java (a huge unused zombie), illusioners in Java (an unused illager), falling block entities with custom blocks, area effect clouds and markers for command systems. These are popular in technical builds and fun worlds.

Permissions and limits

/summon requires cheats or operator permission. In Bedrock, it disables achievements in that world. Summoning too many entities at once can cause serious lag, so avoid mass summons in command blocks running every tick. Hostile mobs summoned on Peaceful difficulty despawn immediately.

Common errors

• Unable to summon entity: the position is inside a solid block or outside the world; move it with ~ ~1 ~.
• Unknown entity: misspelled ID; use underscores, such as iron_golem.
• Mob disappears instantly: difficulty is Peaceful, or it is a hostile mob in a protected area on a server.
• NBT ignored: wrong tag name or format for your Java version.

Related commands

• /kill: remove summoned entities.
• /effect: buff or debuff summoned mobs.
• /give: give spawn eggs instead.

/summon FAQ

How do you summon lightning?

/summon lightning_bolt.

How do you summon a charged creeper?

Java: /summon creeper ~ ~ ~ {powered:1b}. Bedrock: /summon creeper ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ minecraft:become_charged.

How do you summon a mob that does not move?

In Java, add {NoAI:1b}.

Can you summon the Ender Dragon in the Overworld?

Yes, but it behaves strangely outside the End.

Summoning at exact positions

Positions work the same way as in /tp. Plain numbers are absolute coordinates, a tilde is relative to where the command runs, and a caret is relative to the direction you face. /summon cow ^ ^ ^3 places a cow three blocks in front of you, which is handy for building scenes while looking at the spot. In command blocks, ~ refers to the command block itself, so /summon zombie ~ ~2 ~ spawns a zombie two blocks above the block. Combine /execute at @p run summon to spawn things at a player’s position instead of the command block’s.

Summoning items and blocks

Items on the ground are entities too. In Java, /summon item with an Item tag spawns a dropped item, though /give is usually easier. Falling blocks can be summoned with a block state to create sand, gravel or even blocks that do not normally fall, which map makers use for collapsing floors and dramatic effects. Experience orbs can be summoned with a Value tag to hand out XP. Fireworks can be summoned with explosion data for celebrations at the end of events.

Building mob displays

For museums, zoos and dioramas, summon mobs with NoAI, Silent and PersistenceRequired in Java so they stand still forever without sounds. Add Invulnerable so players cannot kill them by accident. In Bedrock, put mobs in small enclosures, name them with a name tag so they do not despawn, and use barriers or glass to keep them in place. A well-placed display of every hostile mob is a popular build on servers and teaches new players what each one looks like.

Summoned mobs behave exactly like natural ones unless you change them with data, so a summoned zombie still burns in daylight and a summoned cow can still be bred with wheat.

Summoning safely

Bosses and explosives can wreck a world in seconds. Test boss summons in a copy of your world, keep the Wither away from builds, and never summon large numbers of TNT near anything you want to keep. If something goes wrong, /kill with a type selector removes the summoned entities quickly.

Use the Tab key in Java or the suggestion list in Bedrock to see every entity ID.