"Minecraft" offers cross-platform play for both versions of the game — Bedrock and Java — but you can only play with users who own the same version.

Here's what you should know about the differences in Minecraft Java and Bedrock for Windows before you choose which to install.

One of the longest-running divides in the Minecraft community is the one between Java and Bedrock. Java is the original version of the game, while Bedrock is the Microsoft-funded rewrite in C++.