Minecraft: Java Edition

Minecraft: Java Edition is the original version of Minecraft developed by Swedish game company Mojang AB for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Markus "Notch" Persson began development on May 10, 2009, publicly releasing it seven days later. The full release of the game took place at MINECON 2011 on November 18, 2011.

Features
Mojang sells the Java Edition directly, so it does not have to go through platform holders' certification. Java Edition has its own launcher, though a Mojang account is required to play the game.

Java Edition's code is more easily modified than other editions of the game – as a result, the game has tons of mods and custom servers.

Creation
Persson got the idea for Minecraft after playing Infiniminer with other members of the TIGsource forums in 2009. Other influences include Dwarf Fortress, Dungeon Keeper, and Persson's previous project, RubyDung.

Initially he had planned for the game to be a small project. This is shown in Notch's first YouTube video of Minecraft, simply titled "Cave Game". The name "Minecraft: Order of the Stone" (a reference to web comic Order of the Stick) was suggested, but shortly after it was shortened to "Minecraft". The game released for an "early private singleplayer alpha" on May 16, 2009.

Classic
Version 0.0.11a was publicly released on May 17, 2009, and received mention on IndieGames.com on May 18. This phase would later be named "Minecraft Classic". In July, the game was rewritten to utilize the Lightweight Java Gaming Library (LWJGL). Until Beta reintroduced it, Classic would be the only version of Minecraft with the Creative gamemode that allows players to build with an infinite amount of blocks. There were two tests: a multiplayer test, and a Survival gamemode test that followed.

Indev
Short for In Development, Indev version 0.31 was released on December 23, 2009 to the public and only for those who had purchased the game. When a new world was created, the player would spawn in a generated wooden house.

Updates introduced a more complex and realistic lighting scheme than its predecessor Classic phase. If the player were to die, all progress was lost.

Unique to Indev was level types – for example, Floating Islands and Hell.

Infdev
Short for Infinite Development, Infdev was released on February 27, 2010, so called because of the addition of maps that can generate infinitely, as well new crafting recipes, 3D clouds, a new terrain generator, a more realistic fluid system, the ability to respawn, and more complex caves.

Alpha
Alpha was first released on June 30, 2010, and saw many additions and changes to the game. One of the most notable additions was The Nether – a hellish landscape dimension. New music, new mobs, biomes, a difficulty setting, and redstone circuits were also added.

Beta
Beta was the last development phase of the game before its official release. First introduced on December 20, 2010, features included a new logo and launcher, achievements and statistics, weather, dyes, more plant types, wolves and squid, beds, and other blocks and items.

Beta 1.8, called the "Adventure Update", was an update that focused on exploring, combat, and adding an ending to the game. Villages, strongholds, mineshafts were among the new generated structures added, as well as a permadeath Hardcore, a reintroduced Creative gamemode, an improved combat system with critical hits and experience, and a new dimension and, by extension a way to finish the game.

Official release
Minecraft 1.0.0 was released during MINECON 2011 on November 18, 2011 at 9:54pm GMT. Jens "Jeb" Bergensten confirmed the version number in a tweet while also stating that the game would be officially out of Beta. The game has since received subsequent updates.

Reception
Minecraft: Java Edition was first made available for sale during June 2009 and has since sold over 30 million copies. It has become popular to where there is an entirely new genre of Minecraft clones. It is one of the most successful and influential indie games ever released. PC Gamer listed Minecraft as the fourth-best game to play at work.

Since its release the game itself has won numerous awards, including but not limited to PC Gamer's "Game of the Year" and Indie DB's "Indie of the Year" and "Most Innovative and Best Singleplayer Indie".