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Use WorldEdit selections, limits and undo safely

CloudExaWorldEdit helpcan guide.replace thousands of blocks with one command. Start on a small, empty test area and keep a backup outside the server. Undo helps with recent edits, but it is not a replacement for a recoverable world copy.

Prepare the server and permissions

Install the WorldEdit build for your server platform and Minecraft release using the plugin installation guide. A plugin build and a mod-loader build are different downloads. Check startup logs before using commands.

Before a substantial edit, stop the server, wait for its save to finish and take a completed backup. Include related plugin data and any external databases that must match the world. Reopen only when you have confirmed that recovery copy. Ask builders to keep away from the test area so another person's work is not mixed into the operation.

Grant editing permissions only to trusted builders. Review the project's permission reference for the actions they need. Do not give every player a broad administrative wildcard to solve a single denied command.

Select a small cuboid

  1. In Minecraft chat, run //wand with the required permission.
  2. Left-click one corner with the selection tool and right-click the opposite corner. Choose a small volume away from builds, containers and redstone.
  3. Run //size and read the selection's dimensions and block count. Check the vertical range as well as its footprint.
  4. For this test, run //limit 1000. This requests a personal change limit; the server's configured maximum and permissions still apply.
  5. Only after confirming the selected area, use a small operation such as //set stone. Watch for errors before issuing another command.

These are in-game WorldEdit commands. A Console session does not share your player's position, selection or clipboard. Do not paste a bulk edit into Console assuming it targets the same area.

Undo and check the result

Run //undo to request reversal of your most recent recorded edit. Inspect the area before using more undo or redo commands. A count can reverse several recorded operations, which may include an earlier edit you wanted to keep.

WorldEdit records direct changes in its history. Flowing liquids, falling or attached blocks and other indirect effects may need separate recovery. History availability depends on the version and configuration; do not assume it survives a logout, restart or cleared history. Keep the backup for changes that history cannot repair.

Scale up only after a successful test

Large selections, schematics and repeated operations can consume CPU, memory and disk space. Break work into bounded sections and monitor the server while players are online. A block-count limit is not a guarantee that an operation will be cheap.

If an edit stalls, capture the command, selected size, timestamp and Console error instead of submitting it repeatedly. See lag diagnosis. Further reading: WorldEdit quick start, commands and limits, and history limitations.