{{about|the Alpha phase of ''Java Edition''|other uses|Alpha}}
{{Infobox development phase
| image = Alpha v1.0.0.png
| image2 = Alpha v1.2.6.png
| startver = [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.0|v1.0.0]] (June 30, 2010)
| currentver = [[Java Edition Alpha v1.2.6|v1.2.6]] (December 3, 2010)
| paid = Yes: $13.00/€9.95
| prevparent = Java Edition Infdev
| nextparent = Java Edition Beta
|next=Java Edition Beta v1.0}}

'''Alpha''' was the fifth phase in the [[Java Edition#Development|development cycle]] of ''[[Minecraft]]'' (after [[Infdev]]) and was the fourth Minecraft development stage to have some of its versions released to the public. There was only one type of [[game mode]] playable in this version — [[Survival]]. One of Alpha's most striking differences to modern versions of ''Minecraft'' is the bright green sort of texture used by all foliage blocks, as [[biome]]s were not implemented at the time.

During the Alpha phase, ''Minecraft'' was updated very frequently due to [[Notch]] working full-time on ''Minecraft'' since June 1, 2010,<ref>{{citation|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224014151/https://notch.tumblr.com/post/560997676/one-month-until-full-time|title=One month until full time!|website=The Word of Notch|date=April 30, 2010}}</ref> and having a small company made later (Mojang).<ref>{{citation|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181212110542/https://notch.tumblr.com/post/1599383480/wait-its-wednesday|title=Wait, it’s Wednesday!?|website=The Word of Notch|date=November 17, 2010}}</ref> Bug fixes and tweaks could happen throughout the week, appearing on the game's [[The Word of Notch|development blog]], with major additions and changes appearing in [[Seecret Updates|'Seecret' Friday updates]], leaving the game's players to discover the included new features.

On December 11, 2010, Notch announced that the game would enter the [[Java Edition Beta|Beta]] stage of development on December 20, 2010, at which point the price would increase to €14.95.<ref>{{citation|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813083726/https://notch.tumblr.com/post/2175441966/minecraft-beta-december-20-2010|title=Minecraft Beta: December 20, 2010|website=The Word of Notch|date=December 11, 2010}}</ref>

== Features ==
{{For|a complete list of changes|Java Edition version history#Alpha}}
{{Additions table
|Redstone Ore
|Redstone Torch
|Oak Pressure Plate
|Stone Pressure Plate
|Stone Button
|Lever
|Iron Door
|Snow
|Ice
|Snow Block
|Cactus
|Clay
|Sugar Cane
|Jukebox
|Oak Fence
|Netherrack
|Soul Sand
|Glowstone
|Carved Pumpkin
|Jack o'Lantern
|Redstone Dust
|Snowball
|Boat
|Leather
|Milk Bucket
|Paper
|Book
|Clay Ball
|Brick
|Slimeball
|Egg
|Music Disc 13
|Music Disc Cat
|Minecart with Furnace
|Minecart with Chest
|Compass
|Fishing Rod
|Clock
|Glowstone Dust
|Cooked Fish
|Raw Fish
|Painting Graham
|Painting Creebet
|Painting Kong
|Painting Mortal Coil
|Painting Pigscene
}}

* Multiplayer (Survival). Currently, the only way to connect to a server is to find out the IP of it to connect.
* [[The Nether]] - a realm accessible with [[nether portal]]s that contains blocks and mobs (i.e. [[ghast]] and [[zombie pigmen]] as of yet) not found in the normal world, and allows for fast travel (1 block traveled in the Nether is equivalent to 8 blocks traveled in the Overworld.)
* [[Biome]]s - different environments that differ as location/chunk/temperature changes.
* The addition of [[redstone circuit]]s, a logical [[wikipedia:Input/output|I/O]] system including [[Mechanics/Redstone/Components#Power components|switches]].
* The following items from the Halloween Update: [[netherrack]], [[glowstone]], [[soul sand]], [[pumpkin]]s, and the [[jack o'lantern]].
* Improved AI pathfinding and spawning.
* New sounds for [[cave]]s and [[mob]]s.
* The addition of [[snow]]y and [[Ice|icy]] terrain, plus craftable [[snow block]]s.
* The addition of [[boat]]s.
* [[Cow]], [[slime]], and [[chicken]]s.
* New music.
* More [[painting]]s.
* Press F1 to remove the inventory display and the player's arm (the HUD, or Heads Up Display).
* While holding down F1, press F2 to take a screenshot. The images are saved in <samp>[[.minecraft]]/screenshots</samp>.
* 40 [[inventory]] slots instead of Beta and later's 36, since one could hold items in the crafting slot.
* [[Fence]]s
* [[Sneaking]]
* [[Fishing rod]]s and [[fishing]]

== Versions ==
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.0]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.1]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.1_01]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.2]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.2_01]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.2_02]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.3]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.4]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.5]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.5_01]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.6]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.6_01]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.6_02]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.6_03]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.7]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.8]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.8_01]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.9]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.10]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.11]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.12]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.13]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.13_01]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.14]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.15]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.16]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.16_01]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.16_02]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.17]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.17_01]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.17_02]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.17_03]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.0.17_04]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.1.0]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.1.1]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.1.2]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.1.2_01]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.2.0]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.2.0_01]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.2.0_02]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.2.1]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.2.1_01]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.2.2]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.2.3]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.2.3_01]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.2.3_02]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.2.3_04]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.2.3_05]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.2.4_01]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.2.5]]
* [[Java Edition Alpha v1.2.6]]

== Trivia ==
[[File:Alpha spawn bug.png|thumb|Loading a world while the game is out of focus shows that the player originally spawns in the world at Y=0 and then gets teleported up.]]
* [[Java Edition Classic|Classic]] was originally known as "Minecraft Alpha", before being retroactively named "Classic" after development on [[Infdev]] completed.
* The player originally spawns in the world at Y=0 and then immediately gets teleported up; creating a world while the game is out of focus shows this.
* Before the Halloween Update, Alpha had several "biomes", such as:
** Woods
** Plains
** Treeless mountain
** Woods mountain
** Beach
** Ocean
** Cactus beach
** Original (land with a medium amount of trees)
** Original mountain
** Overhang
** Cliff
** These are not actually "true" biomes, but various types of landforms the game would generate.
* Upon world creation there was a chance that the world would be a winter world, consisting of snow-covered versions of the above "biomes".
* On September 18, 2010, the ''Minecraft'' authentication server broke. Notch turned this into a free weekend where everyone could download and play the game.<ref>{{citation|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217181410/https://notch.tumblr.com/post/1145356099/free-minecraft-until-this-gets-fixed|title=Free Minecraft until this gets fixed|website=The Word of Notch|date=September 18, 2010}}</ref> This got ''Minecraft'' lots of free press coverage and made lots of new players buy the game afterwards.<ref>{{citation|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111217065850/http://news.bigdownload.com/2010/09/28/minecraft-sees-surge-in-sales-following-unplanned-free-weekend/|title=Minecraft sees surge in sales following unplanned "free weekend"|author=John Callaham|website=Big Download News|date=September 28, 2010}}</ref>
* The price for ''Minecraft'' Alpha was €9.95 (£8.95/$11.54).
* All versions of the game before Alpha are still regarded as '''old-alpha''' by the launcher, regardless of their development stage.
* 23% of all of the Alpha versions that were made are [[Missing Java Edition versions|lost]].

== See also == 
*[[Java Edition Classic|Classic]]
*[[Indev]]
*[[Infdev]]
*[[Java Edition Beta|Beta]]
*[[Minecraft 1.0]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Navigation ==
{{Navbox version history}}

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