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Tags

Minecraft uses tags to group items, blocks, fluids, and entity types together for various game mechanics. Tags are essentially collections of game elements that share common characteristics or purposes. They're used extensively throughout the game for:

  • Recipes (using item tags)
  • Game mechanics (climbable blocks, mineable requirements)
  • Mod compatibility
  • World generation
  • and more!

You can easily view an item/block's tags by holding it and using /kubejs hand. If advanced tooltips are enabled, it will also show an item's tags when hovered over. A list of minecraft's tags can be viewed here.

Adding Tags

Note

You do not have to manually define the tags themselves anywhere, using any of the following functions below will also register the tag.

Tagging in Server Events

Item tags

These tags are primarily used in recipes, and can also be used to influence how a item behaves when it is dropped, equipped, or used. 

ServerEvents.tags('item', event => {
        event.add('forge:cobblestone', 'minecraft:diamond_ore') //(1)
        event.remove('forge:cobblestone', 'minecraft:mossy_cobblestone') //(2)
        event.removeAllTagsFrom('minecraft:stick') //(3)
        event.removeAll('forge:ingots/copper') //(4)
        event.add('mymodpack:completely_new_tag', 'minecraft:clay_ball') //(5)
        event.add('mymodpack:stones', '#forge:stone') //(6)
        event.add('minecraft:stone_pressure_plates', [
            'minecraft:stone_pressure_plate',
            'minecraft:polished_blackstone_pressure_plate'
        ]) //(7)
        event.add('mymodpack:stone_redstone_activators', [
            '#minecraft:stone_buttons',
            '#minecraft:stone_pressure_plates',
            'minecraft:lever'
        ]) //(8)
})

  1. Add to Tag: Adds minecraft:diamond_ore to the #forge:cobblestone tag.
  2. Remove from Tag: Removes minecraft:mossy_cobblestone from the #forge:cobblestone tag.
  3. Remove All Tags: Clears all tags associated with minecraft:stick.
  4. Remove All Entries: Clears all items from the #forge:ingots/copper tag.
  5. Create New Tag: Creates a new tag #mymodpack:completely_new_tag and adds minecraft:clay_ball to it. New tags can use any namespace.
  6. Tag Nesting: Adds the forge:stone tag as a child of the #mymodpack:stones tag.
  7. Array of Entries: Adds minecraft:stone_pressure_plate and minecraft:polished_blackstone_pressure_plate to the new tag #minecraft:stone_pressure_plates.
  8. Array of Entries and Tags: Adds the #minecraft:stone_buttons and #minecraft:stone_pressure_plates tags as children and adds minecraft:lever to the #mymodpack:stone_redstone_activators tag.

Block tags

Block tags influnce what a behaviors a block has, as well as seeing use in world generation. 

ServerEvents.tags('block', event => {
  event.add('minecraft:climbable', 'minecraft:tall_grass') //(1)
  event.add('minecraft:moss_replaceable', 'minecraft:bedrock') //(2)
    event.add('minecraft:jungle_logs', '#mushroom_grow_block') //(3)
})

  1. Adds tall grass to the climbable tag. This does make it climbable!
  2. Adds bedrock to the minecraft:moss_replaceable tag, making it replacable with moss blocks when a nearby moss block has bone meal applied to it.
  3. Adds the jungle_logs block tag as a child of the c:stones tag.

Tagging During Startup

You can also add tags when said items/blocks are being registered. 

StartupEvents.registry('block', event => {
  event.create('example_block')
    .tagBlock('minecraft:mineable/pickaxe')
    .tagBlock('minecraft:needs_iron_tool')
    .tagBlock('my_namespace:my_custom_tag')
})

StartupEvents.registry('item', event => {
  event.create('custom_item')
    .tagItem('forge:ingots')
    .tagItem('my_namespace:special_items')
})

Using tags in recipes

Warning

Recipes use item tags, not block or fluid tags. Even if items representing those are blocks, like minecraft:cobblestone, it still uses an item tag for recipes.

Tags can be used in most places where items are supported, with the hash sign. Tags can't be used as a recipe output.

event.shaped(
  Item.of('minecraft:chest', 4), [
    'LLL',
    'L L', 
    'LLL'
  ],{
    L: '#minecraft:logs'
  }
)

event.stonecutting('3x minecraft:stick', '#minecraft:planks')