---
title: Entities
type: docs
weight: 7
---

Entities are all dynamic objects in the game world - players, creatures, items, and more. Hytale uses an Entity Component System (ECS) architecture.

{{< cards >}}
  {{< card link="entity-hierarchy" title="Entity Hierarchy" subtitle="Entity → LivingEntity → Player" >}}
  {{< card link="entity-components" title="Entity Components" subtitle="Transform, BoundingBox, and more" >}}
  {{< card link="spawning-entities" title="Spawning Entities" subtitle="Create and spawn custom entities" >}}
  {{< card link="player-api" title="Player API" subtitle="Player-specific methods and data" >}}
  {{< card link="npc" title="NPC System" subtitle="AI, navigation, and behaviors" >}}
  {{< card link="spawning" title="Spawning System" subtitle="Markers, beacons, and suppression" >}}
  {{< card link="flocking-behavior" title="Flocking Behavior" subtitle="NPC group coordination" >}}
  {{< card link="mounts" title="Mounts" subtitle="Riding entities and vehicles" >}}
  {{< card link="inventory" title="Inventory" subtitle="Items, containers, and transactions" icon="archive" >}}
{{< /cards >}}

## Entity Hierarchy

```
Entity
├── LivingEntity
│   ├── Player
│   └── Creature
└── BlockEntity
```

## Quick Example

```java
getEventRegistry().register(PlayerConnectEvent.class, event -> {
    Player player = event.getPlayer();

    if (player != null) {
        // Get position via TransformComponent
        TransformComponent transform = player.getTransformComponent();
        Vector3d pos = transform.getPosition();

        // Get world
        World world = player.getWorld();

        // Send message (requires Message object)
        player.sendMessage(Message.raw("Welcome at " + pos.toString()));
    }
});
```

{{< callout type="info" >}}
`event.getPlayer()` may return null if the player hasn't fully loaded yet. Always check for null. For position access, `getTransformComponent()` is deprecated - prefer ECS component access in new code.
{{< /callout >}}
