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Vanilla Essentials: Technical Tools

A mod that adds useful tools for technical players, command block users, and mapmakers.

Fabric
Loaders
Fabric
Downloads on Modrinth
1.7K
Followers on Modrinth
9
versions
33
Updated
October 16, 2026Oct 16
Published
in 2025

At a glance

Runs on Fabric
For Minecraft 1.20.1–1.21.1
Needed in the game and on the server
Latest version — 25.1.0 from October 16, 2026
License MIT — free
Where it's needed
In gamerequiredOn serverrequired

Needed both in the game and on the server

Game versions1.20.1–1.21.1

Vanilla Essentials

A mod that adds useful tools for technical players, command block users, and mapmakers

Feel free to send feedback here

Features

Entities

  • Hitbox entity

Commands

  • /raycast
  • /compare
  • /rename
  • /advancedsummon
  • /count
  • /activate
  • /convert
  • /iftick
  • /distance
  • /rtp
  • /coords
  • /nearfill
  • /scan
  • /ifat
  • /area
  • /findblock
  • /ifpowered
  • /wait

Keybinds

  • Copy block position (F6)
  • Change fly speed (backtick)
  • Quick fill (F8)
  • Activate (unset)

Scoreboard Criteria

  • Right-click
  • OP permission

Other

  • Antikill
  • Antitp
  • Entity selector count argument
  • Exclude self argument
  • Adds a custom_data NBT tag to every entity

Usage

Hitbox Entity

  • An invisible entity with a hitbox.
  • Has NBT data scale to adjust its size and IsEnabled to toggle collision.
  • This is a server-side feature.

Commands

/raycast
  • Performs a raycast from the player's perspective to detect a block.
  • Usage:

    • `/raycast block [<max_distance>]`
    • `/raycast ifblock [<max_distance>]`
  • With block, returns the coordinate along the given axis (x, y, or z) of the block the player is looking at.
  • With ifblock, returns 1 if the block the player is looking at matches the given block state.
  • If no block is hit, the command fails.
  • Returns the result or error if conditions are not met.
  • Runs on the server side.
/compare
  • Runs command on entities whose NBT values match a comparison source (another entity or storage).
  • Usage:

    • `/compare entity `
    • `/compare storage `
  • Runs on the server side.
/rename
  • Renames the item you're holding in your main hand.
  • Usage: `/rename `
  • Supports only plain text — no color codes or JSON components.
  • Runs on the client side.
/advancedsummon
  • Spawns entities with advanced options.
  • Usage:

    • `/advancedsummon area []` — summons one entity per block in the cuboid area.
    • `/advancedsummon multiple []` — summons the specified number of entities.
  • Runs on the server side.
/count
  • Counts entities and players matching the target selector.
  • Usage: `/count `
  • Returns the count as the command result.
  • Runs on the server side.
/activate
  • Toggles interactable blocks at the specified position.
  • Can activate command blocks.
  • For levers, it flips the state (on/off).
  • For buttons and pressure plates, it simulates pressing and automatically releases after 1 second.
  • Usage: `/activate `
  • Runs on the server side.
/convert
  • Converts blocks into entities.
  • Usage: `/convert (falling_block|block_display) []`
  • Runs on the server side.
/iftick
  • Checks if the current game tick matches the specified tick number.
  • Usage: `/iftick `
  • Succeeds only if the current tick count modulo `` is zero.
  • Useful for timing functions to run periodically.
  • Runs on the server side.
/distance
  • Measures the straight-line (Euclidean) distance between two blocks or two entities.
  • Usage:

    • `/distance block `
    • `/distance entity `
  • Outputs the integer distance in chat.
  • Returns the integer distance as the command result.
  • Runs on the server side.
/rtp
  • Teleports target entities to a random grid-aligned position within the specified cuboid area.
  • Usage: `/rtp `
  • Runs on the server side.
/coords
  • Client-side command to save, list, remove, and copy named block positions.
  • Positions are saved per world/server in a JSON file (saved_cords.json) inside your Minecraft folder.
  • Usage:

    • `/coords save — saves your current player block position under`.
    • /coords list — lists all saved positions for the current world/server.
    • `/coords remove — deletes the saved position`.
    • `/coords copy — copies the saved coordinatesto your clipboard asx y z`.
  • Saved coordinates persist between Minecraft sessions.
  • Runs on the client side.
/nearfill
  • Fills a volume relative to the player’s position using an offset.
  • Usage:

    • `/nearfill — fills the block at the offset from the player with`.
    • `/nearfill replace ` — replaces blocks.
  • Runs on the server side.
/scan
  • Returns the specified block count in an area.
  • Usage: `/scan `
  • Runs on the server side.
/ifat
  • Executes a command as all targets in an area.
  • Usage: `/ifat `
  • Runs on the server side.
/area
  • Executes a command for every block in an area.
  • Usage: `/area `
  • Runs on the server side.
/findblock
  • Finds the closest block in a radius and returns the axis.
  • Usage: `/findblock []`
  • Runs on the server side.
/ifpowered
  • Detects if a block is powered.
  • Usage: `/ifpowered []`
  • The command fails if the block is not powered but succeeds if the not boolean is set to true.
  • Runs on the server side.
/snapshot
  • Used to restore areas.
  • Usage:

    • `/snapshot save []`
    • `/snapshot restore `
    • `/snapshot remove `
  • Runs on the server side.
/wait
  • Delays command block chains
  • Usage: `/wait `
  • Runs on the server side.

Keybinds

Copy Block Position (F6)
  • Press F6 while looking at a block to copy its coordinates to your clipboard.
  • Coordinates format: x y z.
Change Fly Speed (backtick)
  • Scroll while holding backtick to change fly speed.
Quick fill (F8)
  • Press the key once to select the first corner of an area.
  • Press again to select the second corner — the area will be filled with the block in your hand.
  • Press Ctrl + key to manually clear the selection.
  • If only the first point is selected, it will auto-clear after 30 seconds.
Activate (unset)
  • It runs /activate on the block you are looking at

Scoreboard Criteria

Right-click
  • Tracks when the player right-clicks with any item.
OP Permission
  • Custom scoreboard criteria that detects if a player has operator permissions.

Other

Antikill
  • Entities tagged antikill cannot be killed by /kill.
Antitp
  • Entities tagged antitp cannot be teleported by /tp.
Entity selector count argument
  • Can be used in any entity selector (@e[...]) with the count argument.
  • Supports a single number (count=2) or a range (count=2..3).
  • The selector only targets entities if the number of matches falls within the specified range.
  • If the number of matching entities is outside the range, no entities are targeted.
Exclude self argument
  • When added to an entity selector (exclude_self=true), it excludes the executor entity (@s) from the targets.

FAQ

How to install Vanilla Essentials: Technical Tools?

Install Fabric for your Minecraft version, download Vanilla Essentials: Technical Tools for the same version and loader, put the file into the mods folder and launch the game with the loader profile.

Which Minecraft versions does Vanilla Essentials: Technical Tools support?

Vanilla Essentials: Technical Tools has builds for Minecraft 1.20.1–1.21.1.

Is Vanilla Essentials: Technical Tools needed on the server?

Needed in the game and on the server

License and source
MIT Licensefree to use and share with credit to the author
Original — Modrinth↗Files unchanged, verified with SHA-512Is this your mod? For rights holders

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