Cobble vs Sandstone

Cobble is free, open-source software under the MIT License that transpiles .cbl source into data packs for Minecraft Java Edition. Its Python-like language supports functions, indentation, imports, control flow and static type inference for variables, constants and expressions. Output can include .mcfunction files, pack metadata, tags, predicates, advancements, loot tables, recipes, item modifiers, dialogs and other JSON resources. Cobble handles command JSON safety, macro parameters and command validation, with standard-library helpers for events, text, scoreboards, storage, item components, schedules, selectors, positions, bossbars, teams and entities. The command-line workflow covers project initialization, formatting, building, checking, watching, validation, inspection, linking, cleaning and ZIP creation. The stable release installs with cargo install cobble-lang --locked. A browser compiler runs the Rust parser and transpiler through WebAssembly and can download generated files or a data-pack ZIP. The listed target is Minecraft Java Edition 26.1.2 with pack format 101.1. Cobble is pre-1.0 and actively developed, so bugs and API changes may occur.

Sandstone is a TypeScript library for building, debugging, and sharing Minecraft datapacks and resource packs. It gives developers command and resource autocomplete, with Wiki documentation for datapack elements such as predicates, loot tables, and advancements. You can group multiple functions, advancements, or loot tables in one file, or keep Minecraft’s one-per-file arrangement. Built-in control-flow tools include if/else, boolean logic, loops, switch statements, and sleep; vanilla commands are also available with build-time and run-time checks. The CLI scaffolds and builds packs, watches for file changes, and can rebuild automatically. Documentation snippets can be edited with a live datapack preview without installing Sandstone. The CLI installs Smithed and Sandstone libraries, and npm-compatible package managers are also supported. Functions can be published to NPM for use in other packs. Sandstone is open source and free, and is listed for Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. Local installation requires Bun and Node.js; the documentation recommends a code editor such as Visual Studio Code.