Cheats are fine until they quietly disable something you cared about, which is why the consequences matter.
Short answer
Most are toggles: entering the same code again turns the effect off.
Case and spacing matter more than the lists suggest. Some effects cannot be undone within a save, and the game does not always warn you first. Older threads are worth reading for the reasoning rather than the conclusions.
Codes that no longer work
Anything requiring an external program is a different category with different risks attached. Some effects stack in ways the developers did not intend and the game does not handle gracefully. Where the game contradicts its own documentation, the game wins. Console entry uses button sequences with tight timing, and mistiming reads as a broken code.
A code that softlocks a mission is a known risk in more than one of these games. A single check up front replaces a lot of guessing later. Codes typically do not persist through a reload, which surprises people who use them for convenience.
How to enter them
A cheat menu built into the game cannot get you banned, whatever the forum says. The community wisdom on this is roughly half right, and the half that is wrong costs the most time. Controller-entered codes need rhythm rather than speed.
- Ignore any code that requires signing in somewhere.
- Never enter anything into an online mode.
- Stop and reassess after two failed attempts rather than repeating the third.
- Enter controller codes with rhythm rather than speed.
- Ignore any list that asks you to install something first.
- Change one thing at a time.
Console commands versus codes
A code that worked on an older patch may have been removed rather than changed. If this seems to describe a different version, it probably does, and that is the thing to check first. Console commands and cheat codes are different systems with different consequences. Codes are usually case-insensitive but rarely space-insensitive.
Anything that behaves differently on console than on PC is flagged where it matters. If a site asks you to sign in to receive a code, it is not a code. Codes entered correctly and rejected usually mean the wrong platform variant.
What you give up
Where something depends on your platform or region, that is called out rather than glossed over. Achievement locking is usually per-save rather than per-account, but not always. Single-player cheats are a supported feature; the same behaviour online is a ban.
What follows assumes you are on a current install and have not modified it. Enabling cheats disables achievements in most games, and the warning is easy to miss. Anything that requires downloading a program is not a cheat code.
Anything promising online effects
None of this needs a paid tool, a third-party launcher or an account on a site you have never heard of. Anything that alters save state can corrupt it, which is why a separate save is worth the ten seconds. Glitches get patched and codes tend not to, which makes codes the more durable option.
Where people go wrong
- Rushing the last step, which is usually the one with the actual requirement in it.
- Trusting a video thumbnail that promises a result the video never actually shows.
- Changing five things at once and then not knowing which one helped.
Minecraft FAQ
Will using these get me banned?
Not in single-player, where they are an intended feature. Anything claiming to do the same online will absolutely get an account banned.
Is this still accurate after the latest Minecraft update?
The method is; individual numbers may not be. If a value on your screen differs, trust the screen and keep the sequence.
Where should I check if this changes?
The in-game version of the information first, then the official patch notes. Community pages update after both.
Do achievements still unlock?
Generally no, for the save you used them on. Starting a clean save restores normal unlocking.
When in doubt, do the cheap check first.