Vanilla Materials Reference

Every rendered object in Minecraft Bedrock uses a material definition to tell the graphics pipeline how to process its textures and geometry. Since the introduction of the RenderDragon engine, custom `.material` files inside resource packs are largely restricted or ignored for shader definitions, making the built-in vanilla material list the primary tool for controlling visual surface properties.

You do not need to define these materials yourself; they already exist in the base game files. You simply reference their string identifiers inside your client entity definitions, attachable definitions, particle files, or inside the `minecraft:material_instances` component of a behavior pack block. Choosing the wrong material is the most common reason custom textures appear pitch black, turn invisible from behind, or fail to render semi-transparent pixels.

Entity materials are declared inside the `description.materials` object of a client entity or attachable file, where you map a short alias (often `default`) to a vanilla material identifier. That alias is then invoked by a render controller. If your texture is completely solid with no transparent gaps, `entity` is the cheapest and safest option.

When your texture uses transparent pixels, you must choose between alpha testing (1-bit cutout, where pixels are either 100% opaque or 100% invisible) and alpha blending (smooth translucency like stained glass). Alpha testing via `entity_alphatest` is strongly preferred for hair, clothes, and foliage because it writes properly to the depth buffer. Alpha blending via `entity_alphablend` should be saved for ghosts, visors, or energy shields, as overlapping translucent bones often flicker or sort in the wrong order.

{
  "format_version": "1.10.0",
  "minecraft:client_entity": {
    "description": {
      "identifier": "wiki:crystal_golem",
      "materials": {
        "default": "entity_alphatest",
        "glow_layer": "entity_emissive_alpha",
        "core_glass": "entity_alphablend"
      },
      "textures": {
        "default": "textures/entity/crystal_golem"
      },
      "geometry": {
        "default": "geometry.crystal_golem"
      },
      "render_controllers": [
        "controller.render.crystal_golem"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Custom blocks do not reference entity materials. Instead, they declare a `render_method` inside the `minecraft:material_instances` component in the behavior pack block file. Although the JSON key is named `render_method`, it maps directly to the engine's internal terrain materials.

Each face or material instance on your block can specify its own `render_method`, along with boolean flags like `face_dimming` and `ambient_occlusion`. Keep in mind that `blend` (translucent) blocks are much heavier on performance in large quantities than `alpha_test` blocks.

{
  "format_version": "1.20.80",
  "minecraft:block": {
    "description": {
      "identifier": "wiki:amber_lantern"
    },
    "components": {
      "minecraft:geometry": "geometry.amber_lantern",
      "minecraft:material_instances": {
        "*": {
          "texture": "amber_frame",
          "render_method": "alpha_test"
        },
        "glass_pane": {
          "texture": "amber_glass",
          "render_method": "blend",
          "ambient_occlusion": false,
          "face_dimming": false
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Particles assign a single material string under `basic_render_parameters.material` in their resource pack JSON. Because particles are flat billboards that constantly rotate toward the camera, they always render single-sided and rely heavily on alpha channels to shape the sprite.

If you want a particle to glow at night without emitting real block light, you do not use an emissive alpha channel trick like entities do. Instead, you simply omit the `minecraft:particle_appearance_lighting` component from the particle file; without that component, the particle renders at full brightness automatically.

{
  "format_version": "1.10.0",
  "particle_effect": {
    "description": {
      "identifier": "wiki:ember_spark",
      "basic_render_parameters": {
        "material": "particles_alpha",
        "texture": "textures/particle/ember_spark"
      }
    },
    "components": {
      "minecraft:particle_initialization": {
        "per_render_expression": "variable.size = 0.15;"
      },
      "minecraft:emitter_rate_instant": {
        "num_particles": 10
      },
      "minecraft:emitter_lifetime_once": {
        "active_time": 1.0
      },
      "minecraft:emitter_shape_point": {},
      "minecraft:particle_lifetime_expression": {
        "max_lifetime": 1.5
      },
      "minecraft:particle_appearance_billboard": {
        "size": [ "variable.size", "variable.size" ],
        "facing_camera_mode": "rotate_xyz"
      }
    }
  }
}

Applies to all modern Bedrock versions (1.16.100+ and 1.20.x) running the RenderDragon engine. No experimental toggles are required to use vanilla materials or block `minecraft:material_instances`.

Read out of the game itself, so the ids match the version you are building for.