Turtle API

Turtles have a set of commands that are part of the Lua programming language. Use these commands when writing turtle programs to get the turtle to move, dig, place blocks, and so forth.

Methods

KEY
Color	Turtles that can perform this
Gray	All
Green	Crafting
Yellow	Mining, Felling, Digging, Farming
Red	Any tool

Method name	Description	Return type
turtle.craft()	Craft items using ingredients in the nine upper left slots	bool "success"
turtle.forward()	Let the Turtle move forward	bool "success"
turtle.back()	Let the Turtle move back	bool "success"
turtle.up()	Let the Turtle move up	bool "success"
turtle.down()	Let the Turtle move down	bool "success"
turtle.turnLeft()	The Turtle turns left	bool "true"
turtle.turnRight()	The Turtle turns right	bool "true"
turtle.select( slotNum )	The Turtle selects the given Slot (1 is top left, 16 (9 in 1.33 and earlier) is bottom right)	bool "slot > 16"
turtle.getItemCount( slotNum )	Counts how many items are in the given Slot	int "result"
turtle.getItemSpace( slotNum )	Counts how many items you need to fill the stack in the given Slot	int "result"
turtle.attack()	Attacks in front of the turtle	bool "success"
turtle.attackUp()	Attacks over the turtle	bool "success"
turtle.attackDown()	Attacks under the turtle	bool "success"
tunnel ([length])	Digs a tunnel 2 blocks tall and 3 wide with a specified length.	bool "success"
turtle.dig()	Breaks the Block in front. With hoe: tills the dirt in front of it.	bool "success"
turtle.digUp()	Breaks the Block Above it. With hoe: tills the dirt above it.	bool "success"
turtle.digDown()	Breaks the Block Below it. With hoe: tills the dirt below it.	bool "success"
turtle.place([signText])	Places a Block of the selected Slot in front. Engrave [signText] on signs if provided.	nil
turtle.placeUp()	Places a Block of the selected Slot above	nil
turtle.placeDown()	Places a Block of the selected Slot below	nil
turtle.detect()	Detects if there is a Block in front	bool "result"
turtle.detectUp()	Detects if there is a Block above	bool "result"
turtle.detectDown()	Detects if there is a Block below	bool "result"
turtle.compare()	Detects if the block in front is the same as the one in the selected Slot	bool "result"
turtle.compareUp()	Detects if the block above is the same as the one in the selected Slot	bool "result"
turtle.compareDown()	Detects if the block below is the same as the one in the selected Slot	bool "result"
turtle.compareTo( [slot] )	Compare the current selected slot and the given slot to see if the items are the same, yields true if they are the same, and false if not	bool "result"
turtle.drop( [count] )	Drops all items in the selected slot, or if [count] is specified, drops that many items. [>= 1.4 only:] If there is a inventory on the side (i.e in front of the turtle) it will try to place into the inventory, returning false if the inventory is full.	bool "success"
turtle.dropUp( [count] )	Drops all items in the selected slot, or if [count] is specified, drops that many items. [>= 1.4 only:] If there is a inventory on the side (i.e above the turtle) it will try to place into the inventory, returning false if the inventory is full. If below a furnace, will place item in the bottom slot.	bool "success"
turtle.dropDown( [count] )	Drops all items in the selected slot, or if [count] is specified, drops that many items. [>= 1.4 only:] If there is a inventory on the side (i.e below the turtle) it will try to place into the inventory, returning false if the inventory is full. If above a furnace, will place item in the top slot.	bool "success"
turtle.suck()	Picks up an item stack of any number, from the ground or an inventory in front of the turtle. If the turtle can't pick up the item, the function yields false.	bool "success"
turtle.suckUp()	Picks up an item stack of any number, from the ground or an inventory above the turtle. If the turtle can't pick up the item, the function yields false.	bool "success"
turtle.suckDown()	Picks up an item stack of any number, from the ground or an inventory below the turtle. If the turtle can't pick up the item, the function yields false	bool "success"
turtle.refuel()	If the current selected slot contains a fuel item, it will consume it to give the turtle the ability to move. Added in 1.4 and is only needed in needfuel mode. If the current slot doesn't contain a fuel item, it yields false.	bool "success"
turtle.getFuelLevel()	Returns the current fuel level of the turtle, this is the number of blocks the turtle can move. If turtleNeedFuel = 0 then it yields "unlimited".	int "fuel"

Trivia: During the 1.4 beta, turtle.getFuelLevel() in softcore(that is now turtleneedsfuel = 0) returned 9000.