How to use chain command block in Minecraft

Chain command blocks in Minecraft are one of three different command block types that can be utilized in-game. Once activated, chain command blocks will execute the commands inside them once each time they're triggered. With these blocks, you can activate them and execute commands each time they're triggered from elsewhere without turning them off and back on.

Compared to standard and repeating command blocks, both of which work very differently based on various factors, chain command blocks can be a bit confusing in Minecraft. Even so, it doesn't hurt to go over the basics of how to get chain command blocks and how to use them in a basic capacity.

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How to get a chain command block in Minecraft

You can get chain command blocks in Minecraft through the use of a simple command (Image via Mojang)

To get any kind of command block in vanilla Minecraft, you'll need to use commands to do so. This means you'll need to ensure your world or server has cheats enabled (at least for you) so you can enter the command as needed. Once you've enabled cheats for your world, enter the world, open your chat window, and then enter:

• /give @s chain_command_block x where the "x" is the number of chain command blocks you'd like to give yourself. You can also leave the x blank and receive a single chain command block.

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How to use a chain command block in Minecraft

Chain command blocks in Minecraft will execute each time they're triggered while the blocks are active (Image via Mojang)

As previously noted, as long as chain command blocks are active, they will execute each time they're triggered by an outside factor like another command block. For a basic example, you can begin by creating a basic message generator by following these steps:

1. With cheats enabled, open your chat console and enter /give @s command_block to provide yourself with a standard command block.
2. Follow this up by opening your chat console and entering /give @s chain_command_block 3 to receive three chain command blocks.
3. Place the standard command block and interact with it. Enter say hello in the command block's text entry field. Ensure that the buttons toward the bottom of the UI read "impulse" and "needs redstone" for this particular example, then press Done.
4. Place our three chain command blocks in a line connecting to the side of the standard command block. The "arrows" on all of the command blocks should be pointed in the same direction.
5. Interact with the chain command block closest to the standard command block and enter say everybody and then ensure the buttons toward the bottom of the UI read "chain" and "always active" for this example.
6. Follow the same step for the next two chain command blocks, but set the command for the second chain command block to say and then set the command for the third chain command block to say welcome! and then press Done.
7. Place a button or lever on the standard command block and activate it.

If performed correctly, the standard command block will execute and say "hello" before activating the first chain command block, which will say "everybody", activating the next chain block to say "and" and then the final chain block will say "welcome!" to create a full sentence of messages in your Minecraft chat window.

Obviously, this is a basic example of how chain command blocks work in Minecraft. However, this demonstrates how an impulse-based command block can activate, and then activate chain command blocks after it in sequence as long as the blocks are connected. This principle can be applied to a wide collection of commands, and can even be automated with a repeating redstone signal.

For example, if you were to connect a redstone clock to the standard command block, it would activate and deactivate each time it received a redstone signal and subsequently trigger the chain command blocks. There are several more applications to chain command blocks in Minecraft that are waiting to be discovered now that you have a basic understanding of how they work.