This page tracks the most recent Minecraft Java Edition release. The data is sourced from Mojang's official feedback changelog, which documents every version release with full patch notes.
Minecraft follows a development cycle with major updates (e.g., 1.21, 1.22) and smaller point releases (e.g., 1.21.1, 1.21.2). Major updates introduce large new features like biomes, mobs, and gameplay mechanics, while point releases focus on bug fixes and stability improvements. Mojang typically releases one or two major updates per year, with snapshots and pre-releases available for testing beforehand.
Minecraft typically receives 1-2 major updates per year, with smaller bug-fix releases in between. Snapshots (test versions) are released more frequently for community testing.
The date of the most recent official release is shown above. This tracks stable releases, not snapshots or pre-releases.
If you're using the official Minecraft Launcher, updates are downloaded automatically. You can also choose to play older versions through the launcher's version selector.