What is Redstone?
Redstone is Minecraft's electrical system. Redstone dust acts like wires carrying a signal (strength 0-15). Redstone signals can activate: redstone lamps, pistons, dispensers, droppers, note blocks, TNT, iron doors, trapdoors, fence gates, and more.
Three Core Redstone Components
1. Redstone Dust — basic wire, right-click to toggle dot/cross mode. 2. Redstone Repeater — signal amplifier, resets to strength 15. Adjustable delay (1-4 ticks, 0.1s each). One-way only. 3. Redstone Comparator — more complex. Compare mode (front torch off: output=rear if rear>=side) and Subtract mode (front torch on: output=rear-side).
First Redstone Project: Auto Light Switch
Simplest starter project. Materials: daylight sensor (3 glass+3 nether quartz+3 wood slabs), redstone dust, redstone lamp. Place the sensor outdoors, lamp indoors, connect with dust. Daytime = signal = lamp on. Night = no signal = lamp off. Right-click sensor to switch to night mode.