How does the clone command work in Minecraft

The clone command can be difficult to master in Minecraft. There are a lot of tags that need to be inserted for the syntax to work. Apart from that, the command's usage can also be a bit confusing for players.

The clone command can be very useful for building or terraforming a landscape. Here's the complete guide on the clone command.

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Clone command in Minecraft

Here is the exact template for using the Minecraft clone command: /clone <begin> <end> <destination> [replace¦masked] [normal¦force¦move].

Here's what each term stands for and what it needs to be filled with:

• "begin" the starting coordinate (x y z) for the source region to clone.
• "end" the ending coordinate (x y z) for the source region to clone.
• "destination" the coordinate (x y z) for the destination region. This will be the lowest x y z coordinate values for the destination. This will be the bottom NorthWest corner of that region.
• "replace" clones all blocks including air.
• "masked" clones only blocks that aren't air.
• "normal" clones blocks from source region to destination region.
• "force" - forces the clone if source region and destination region overlap.
• "move" clones blocks from source region to destination region.
• The last five inputs aren't mandatory for the command to wor

The Minecraft clone command has a lot of inputs and the slightest mistake will mess up the whole process. The command often fails to work and ends up cloning incorrectly. Coupled with that, it often clones into the wrong place as well.

Therefore, players must make sure that their input is absolutely flawless.

The clone command is only used for space. It's not physical cloning, like making a copy of a player or mob. That feature hasn't been added to Minecraft, though the summon command can be repeated and acts a bit like cloning.

Tall builds like this can be made a lot easier with the clone command. (Image via Minecraft)

The clone command strictly clones space, so it is great for a build. Instead of having to build up and place all the blocks in a 45 block radius, cloning can be used to quicken the process. Similarly, rather than having to break all the dirt, the entire area can be cloned.

It does require a source area, so some work needs to be done. However, upon an area's completion, it can be cloned anywhere for any amount of times. The command can save a lot of time when clearing out a big space.

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