Minecraft 2025 Release Update - blog post pub

docs/blog.md

@@ -1,13 +1,25 @@
 # Microsoft MakeCode Blog
 
+## [MakeCode Minecraft 2025 Update](/blog/minecraft/2025-release)
+
+October 17, 2025 by [Jaqster](https://github.com/jaqster)
+
+The MakeCode fall update for Minecraft Education is here! Here’s a run-down of all the new features and improvements...
+
+**[Continue reading this blog post](/blog/minecraft/2025-release)**
+
 ## [MakeCode for the micro:bit – 2025 Update](/blog/microbit/2025-update)
 
+July 18, 2025 by [Jaqster](https://github.com/jaqster)
+
 It's July and school's out in most of the world, so it's time for our annual MakeCode for the micro:bit update! As well as the 142 bugs that we fixed in this release, here's a rundown of the new features...
 
 **[Continue reading this blog post](/blog/microbit/2025-update)**
 
 ## [Summer 2025 – MakeCode Professional Development](/blog/csp/summer-pd-2025)
 
+April 21, 2025 by [Jaqster](https://github.com/jaqster)
+
 April showers bring May flowers. For many of us, we are on the home stretch of the academic year already! Which is a good time to start planning for summer training and professional development opportunities.
 
 **[Continue reading this blog post](/blog/csp/summer-pd-2025)**

docs/blog/SUMMARY.md

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 # Microsoft MakeCode Blog
 
 * [Blog](/blog)
+    * [MakeCode Minecraft 2025 Update](/blog/minecraft/2025-release)
     * [MakeCode for the micro:bit – 2025 Update](/blog/microbit/2025-update)
     * [Summer 2025 – MakeCode Professional Development](/blog/csp/summer-pd-2025)
     * [MakeCode Arcade 2025 Update](/blog/arcade/update-mar-2025)

docs/blog/minecraft/2025-release.md

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+# MakeCode Minecraft 2025 Update
+
+**Posted on October 17th, 2025 by [Jaqster](https://github.com/jaqster)**
+
+The MakeCode fall update for Minecraft Education is here! Here’s a run-down of all the new features and improvements:
+
+## Entity updates
+
+We have the adorable new spawn egg update!!! No more guessing – now picking mobs to spawn is easier than ever!
+
+![Spawn animal block](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/spawn-animal-block.png)
+
+In addition to the visual update, we’ve also added a few new mobs:
+
+- Animals – you can now spawn the Agent, and a Happy Ghast to ride 👻
+- There’s a slew of new monsters as well – Creaking, Ender Dragon, Iron Golem, Piglin Brute, Snow Golem, and Wither
+
+![Monsters](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/monsters.png)
+
+And just in time for Halloween 🎃, there are some new blocks and items you can code with, including candles in different colors, new plants like wildflowers, eye blossoms and firefly bush, pale oak blocks, and harnesses in different colors.
+
+![Halloween scene](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/halloween.png)
+
+## Get weather blocks
+
+We added a couple new Gameplay coding blocks in this release related to the weather.
+
+![Current weather blocks](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/current-weather-blocks.png)
+
+Here’s an example of a program that will create an automatic umbrella for you!
+
+![Umbrella example blocks](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/umbrella-example.png)
+
+## New Math blocks
+
+There are also 3 new Math blocks available to use in your programs:
+
+* [Constrain](https://minecraft.makecode.com/reference/math/constrain) – allows you to set a valid range for a value between a minimum and maximum number.
+* [Map](https://minecraft.makecode.com/reference/math/map) – converts a value from one range to another.
+* [Math Constants](https://minecraft.makecode.com/reference/math/constant) – including Pi, *e*, and some square root and logarithmic values.
+
+![New math blocks](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/new-math-blocks.png)
+
+
+## Keyboard Controls
+
+Bringing over this accessibility feature from the work we did with the [Micro:bit Foundation](https://microbit.org/) and [Blockly](https://developers.google.com/blockly), we now have **Keyboard Controls** enabled in MakeCode for Minecraft. This allows people who prefer using a keyboard instead of the mouse to navigate around the workspace, and place and move code blocks using keyboard controls.
+
+To turn on the keyboard controls, in the MakeCode editor, click on the **Settings** menu and select Keyboard Controls to toggle this feature on.
+
+![Keyboard controls menu item](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/menu-keyboard-controls.png)
+
+You can also just press the Tab key when you open the editor to get the shortcut menu and then select Enter.
+
+![Shortcut menu](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/shortcut-menu.png)
+
+When you activate keyboard controls, a help pane will appear with information on the keys to press to navigate around the editor.
+
+![keyboard controls](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/keyboard-controls.png)
+
+## Python and JavaScript Tutorials
+
+Based on feedback from teachers using Python and JavaScript in MakeCode, we are making a slight tweak to how we display tutorials. We normally use both the left side pane and the top pane to display tutorial instructions based on the screen size. However, this meant that lines of code would be cut off in the side pane view.
+
+![Tutorial side pane](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/tutorial-side-pane.png)
+
+So, going forward, any Python or JavaScript tutorials will always display in the top pane. You can resize the instruction pane up or down to view more or less of the instructions.
+
+![Tutorial top pane](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/tutorial-top-pane.png)
+
+## New code execution behavior
+
+A subtle change, but worth calling, out is that we’ve done away with auto-run. In the past, we would automatically run your code every time you went from the Code Builder window to the game.
+
+Now, you must always click the **Play** button to run your code.
+
+![Play button](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/play-button.png)
+
+Just clicking outside the coding window into the game or closing the Code Builder window won't automatically execute code any more. This change was made to provide a more consistent experience and avoid unexpected behavior.
+
+## New Extensions
+
+We added a couple new extensions for your coding pleasure!
+
+### Events
+
+The Events extension adds some additional event blocks that allow you to respond to things that happen in the game. For example, you can respond to events like certain blocks being broken or placed, certain items being used, dropped or acquired, or player or mob events.
+
+Click on **Extensions** in the Toolbox and select the Events extension.
+
+![Extension button](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/extensions-button.png)
+
+![Events extension card](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/events-extension-card.png)
+
+![Events blocks](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/events-blocks.png)
+
+This is an example program that uses the Blocks Broken event to keep track of the number and type of blocks broken in a certain amount of time: [Mining Competition](https://makecode.com/_dDV0yqT2bcW3).
+
+### File Read & Write
+
+This extension allows you to read and write data to a file on your computer. Note that this extension is not currently supported on Chromebook or iOS devices, so it is not displayed by default in the extension gallery, but if you type "File" and press Enter in the Search bar, it will appear.
+
+![Extension file dialog](/static/blog/minecraft/2025-release/extension-file-dialog.png)
+
+This is an example program that will use the Agent to detect minerals and write to a file: [Minerals](https://makecode.com/_XXRRUj0A7T6r).
+
+For more information on this extension, please see the [File Read Write with MakeCode]( https://edusupport.minecraft.net/hc/en-us/articles/38490275582100-File-Read-Write-with-MakeCode) support article.
+
+We hope you enjoy these updates, and we can’t wait to see what you create next in Minecraft!
+
+Happy Making and Coding!
+
+<br/>
+The MakeCode Team