Knowledge Book

This feature is exclusive to Java Edition.

A knowledge book is a utility item that reveals available crafting recipes to the player when used.

Obtaining

Knowledge books can be obtained only by using commands, as it is not found in the creative inventory; therefore, it is impossible to obtain in other modes such as survival and adventure except with commands.

For example, to give oneself a knowledge book that reveals the recipes for buckets and flower pots, use: /[[Commands/'"`uniq--nowiki-00000004-qinu`"'|'"`uniq--nowiki-00000004-qinu`"']].

Usage

Knowledge books are used to reveal recipes to the player who uses it, by adding it to their recipe book. Using a knowledge book consumes it, removing it from the player's inventory.

Knowledge books are especially useful to mapmakers in conjunction with /gamerule doLimitedCrafting true, because then any item is craftable only if its recipe is unlocked first.

Sounds

Sound	Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
	Book placed	Blocks	When a knowledge book is placed in a chiseled bookshelf	`block.chiseled_bookshelf.insert`	`subtitles.chiseled_bookshelf.insert`	0.8	varies ^{[sound 1]}	16
	Book taken	Blocks	When a knowledge book is removed from a chiseled bookshelf	`block.chiseled_bookshelf.pickup`	`subtitles.chiseled_bookshelf.take`	0.8	varies ^{[sound 2]}	16

↑ Can be 1.0, 0.85, or 1.1 for each sound
↑ Can be 1.0, 0.8, or 1.1 for each sound

Data values

ID

Name	Identifier	Form	Translation key
Knowledge Book	`knowledge_book`	Item	`item.minecraft.knowledge_book`

Item data

Recipe books use the NBT tag Recipes to indicate the recipes they contain.

The following NBT structure is provided to show how the Recipes tag is organized, and is not comprehensive above the tag tag. The full NBT for an item can be found here.

Entity data
- Item: The item
  - tag: Additional information about the item. This tag is optional for most items.
    - Recipes: The list of recipes this book contains.
      - the name of a recipe, for instance minecraft:gold_nugget or minecraft:gold_ingot_from_nuggets

History

Java Edition
1.12	17w13a	Added knowledge books.
1.13	17w47a	Prior to The Flattening, this item's numeral ID was 453.
1.14	18w43a	The texture of knowledge books has now been changed.
1.20	1.20 Release Candidate 1	Knowledge books can now be placed in chiseled bookshelves.

Issues

Issues relating to "Knowledge Book" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.