What is entity cramming in Minecraft?

Entities are a type of object in Minecraft. Dynamic and moveable, these objects can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Dropped items, minecarts, and even mobs are entities, but they are far from the only ones.

There are several aspects that are specific to entities in Minecraft. Velocity, volume, and entity cramming are just a few examples of these. But while velocity and volume are pretty simple and straight to the point, entity cramming can be a bit more complicated.

Many players are not sure about what entity cramming is or how it works. Hence, here’s a guide to entity cramming in Minecraft.

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What exactly does entity cramming mean in Minecraft?

An image of many Minecraft chickens crammed onto the same block. (Image via Minecraft)

Entity cramming affects how many mobs can stand in a single space. It does this by placing a limit on the number of entities that can fit onto one block. The default entity cramming value for Minecraft mobs is 24. If this number is exceeded, the mobs will start to take suffocation damage. Players will also start losing health if they fall into such a trap.

But what if the player wants to change this value? Luckily, there is a way to alter Minecraft’s maximum entity cramming count. Players can use the “/gamerule maxEntityCramming <value>” command to change it, and can set their game’s maximum entity cramming value as high as 100. This can affect Minecraft’s performance, however, and will often cause a significant amount of lag.

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Uses of Entity Cramming in Minecraft

A large number of Minecraft cows in a modified mob farm. Image via Minecraft.

Entity cramming's primary use is to keep Minecraft running smoothly. But this doesn't mean that Minecraft players aren't able to use it in-game.

Players can use entity cramming to kill mobs quickly and efficiently in-game. They can do this by building a modified mob farm, but this can cause Minecraft worlds, realms, and servers to lag significantly.

Additionally, altering the maximum entity cramming value can help Minecraft players control the rate that mobs spawn. This can be especially useful for players who are interested in mob farming.