Minecraft: Java Edition · Game update

Minecraft 1.20.5: Armored Paws

Armored Paws added the armadillo, wolf armour and eight wolf variants. Under the hood it replaced item NBT with structured data components and raised the requirement to Java 21 on a 64 bit system.

Released
Server needs
Java 21
Protocol
766
Start a 1.20.5 serverStart a free server

Seven days free, no card. Pick 1.20.5 when you create the server, or switch an existing one from the panel.

What is new in Minecraft 1.20.5

The additions people noticed first, then everything else by area.

  • Armadillo and wolf armour added
  • Eight new wolf variants that spawn by biome
  • Item NBT replaced by structured data components
  • Requires Java 21 and a 64 bit operating system
  • New /transfer command moves players between servers
  • Mace, wind charges and the heavy core added

Blocks and items

  • Wolf armour, crafted from armadillo scutes
  • Armadillo scute
  • Vault and ominous vault
  • Heavy core
  • Wind charge and breeze rod
  • Mace

Mobs

  • Armadillo, a passive mob that spawns in savanna and badlands
  • Eight new wolf variants with biome specific spawning

Gameplay

  • New effects Infested, Oozing, Weaving and Wind Charged
  • New effects Raid Omen and Trial Omen
  • Three new mace enchantments: Breach, Density and Wind Burst

Commands and technical

  • New /transfer command sends a player to another server
  • Cookie packets carry small amounts of data across servers
  • Item NBT replaced by structured components, for example wooden_pickaxe[damage=23]
  • Legacy item tag data is converted to the minecraft:custom_data component
  • New loot table type minecraft:equipment
  • Item predicates expanded
  • Attribute horse.jump_strength renamed to generic.jump_strength
  • Modifier operations renamed to add_value, add_multiplied_base and add_multiplied_total

Running a Minecraft 1.20.5 server

What the release means for whoever runs the server.

  • Requires Java SE 21
  • Requires a 64 bit operating system
  • Protocol version 766
  • Data pack format 41, a very large jump from 26
  • Unstructured item NBT is gone, items now use structured components
  • /give and /item syntax changed to the component form
  • Attribute and modifier renames break older data packs and commands
  • /transfer and cookies allow cross server player transfers

Before you update a world: take a backup. A world opened in 1.20.5 cannot be opened in an older version again. How backups work here.

1.20.5 on FadeHost

The right Java, set for you
A 1.20.5 server needs Java 21, and the panel starts it with a Java that fits. 1.20.4 ran on Java 17; switching a server to 1.20.5 switches the Java with it.
Server software for 1.20.5
PaperVanillaFabricNeoForge
Who can join
Players on 1.20.5 and on 1.20.6: the network protocol is the same.
Start a 1.20.5 server

Patches after 1.20.5

The fix releases that followed, oldest first.

Minecraft 1.20.6

· Java 21

1.20.6 was a single fix hotfix for a trader llama inventory bug during world upgrade. It keeps protocol 766, so it is compatible with 1.20.5 servers.

What 1.20.6 changed

Questions about 1.20.5

When was Minecraft 1.20.5 released?

Minecraft: Java Edition 1.20.5, Armored Paws, was released on April 23, 2024.

What Java version does a Minecraft 1.20.5 server need?

Java 21. The release before it, 1.20.4, ran on Java 17. On FadeHost the server starts with the right Java for its Minecraft version on its own, so there is nothing to install or switch.

What did Minecraft 1.20.5 add?

Armored Paws added the armadillo, wolf armour and eight wolf variants. Under the hood it replaced item NBT with structured data components and raised the requirement to Java 21 on a 64 bit system.

Can players on another version join a 1.20.5 server?

Players on 1.20.6 can: the network protocol (766) is the same. Any other version has to match the server, unless a Paper server runs plugins such as ViaVersion and ViaBackwards.

Can I update my world to Minecraft 1.20.5?

Yes. Take a backup, switch the server to 1.20.5 and start it: the world is converted on the first boot. A world opened in 1.20.5 cannot be opened in an older version again, so keep the backup until you are sure.

How do I start a Minecraft 1.20.5 server?

Create a server on FadeHost and pick 1.20.5 in the software list: Paper, Vanilla, Fabric and NeoForge are there for this version. It is online in about a minute. The free tier runs a 2 GB server at no cost, and a paid server is sized to the RAM you need.

The release before

Minecraft 1.20.4

December 7, 2023

The release after

Minecraft 1.20.6

April 29, 2024

Read on

Change a server's version

Version, software and loader build are one setting in the panel.

Java version errors

What the wrong Java looks like in the console, and why it does not happen here.

RAM calculator

How much memory a server needs, sized from servers measured on our nodes.

Every Minecraft version

All releases, what each one added and the Java it needs.

Release facts from the Minecraft Wiki:Java Edition 1.20.5. Minecraft is a trademark of Mojang; FadeHost is not affiliated with Mojang or Microsoft.