Minecraft 24w36a Update - What's New
Technical improvements to minecart physics and behavior. Improved minecart speed on powered rails and chunk border handling.
Overview
Minecraft 24w36a is a weekly development snapshot for Minecraft: Java Edition, published on September 4, 2024. Snapshots are Mojang's weekly previews of in-progress features (development week 36 of 2024), shipped early so the community can test and report problems before anything is finalized. This one logs 5 changes you can try in a throwaway test world.
The work in this update spans gameplay and bug fixes. On the gameplay side it brings minecart movement physics and Minecarts handle chunk borders more smoothly. It also resolves 2 reported bugs, which is typical maintenance work that keeps worlds and servers stable.
This build is part of the development cycle leading to 1.21 (Tricky Trials). Treat it as a preview rather than a destination: features can change, be renamed, or be cut entirely before they reach the stable release, so it is meant for testing and feedback, not for your main world or a live server.
Changes
#Gameplay(3)
- Improved minecart movement physics
- Minecarts handle chunk borders more smoothly
- Powered rail speed improvements
#Bug Fixes(2)
- Fixed minecart desyncing in multiplayer
- Fixed rail placement issues near block edges
Server Admin Migration Guide
- Snapshot only - do not use in production
Known Issues
- Minecart speed changes may affect existing rail systems
What This Means
For players
Snapshots are opt-in through the official launcher. Always make a copy of any world before opening it in 24w36a, because development builds can corrupt saves and there is no guarantee the world will open in a later version. Use a fresh test world to try the new content safely.
For server admins
Do not run 24w36a on a public server. Snapshots are unsupported by server software and most plugins. Spin up a private staging instance, confirm your plugins load, and report regressions while there is still time to fix them before release.
Background & Context
- Snapshots ship roughly once a week during active development and are enabled through the "Latest snapshot" toggle in the official launcher.
- The content here was being developed toward 1.21; individual features may have been adjusted, renamed, or removed before that version shipped.
- Always keep a backup of important worlds before changing versions; the Astroworld versions database tracks client and server compatibility for 24w36a.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Minecraft 24w36a released?
Minecraft 24w36a was released on September 4, 2024 as a weekly development snapshot for Minecraft: Java Edition.
What is new in 24w36a?
Technical improvements to minecart physics and behavior. Improved minecart speed on powered rails and chunk border handling. Notable entries include: Improved minecart movement physics; Minecarts handle chunk borders more smoothly; Powered rail speed improvements. In total it documents 5 changes across 2 categories.
Should I use 24w36a on my main world?
No. 24w36a is a weekly development snapshot meant for testing. Keep your main world on the latest stable release and only open a backup copy in a separate test world to try the new content.
Can I run 24w36a on a Minecraft server?
It is not recommended for a public server. Snapshot only - do not use in production. Use a private staging instance to test plugins and mods, not to host players.
Which Minecraft version is 24w36a a preview of?
24w36a is part of the development cycle for 1.21, the update known as Tricky Trials. Features shown here are still in progress and may change before the final release.
Are there known issues in 24w36a?
Yes. Documented issues for this build include: Minecart speed changes may affect existing rail systems. Development builds are expected to have rough edges that get fixed before release.
Looking for version compatibility info?
Check client and server version details on our versions database.