Level Components

Map Components are what the player has to navigate through in order to make it through the level. There are a number of varieties, some which are used as methods of travel, while others are intended to destroy the player on contact. The layout of these make every level unique and of varying difficulty.

Blocks
Blocks and other surfaces are the most common components and construct the basis of a level. There are many different sizes and styles. Just about all can be jumped upon and serve as platforms. However, colliding horizontally with a block will destroy the player. In Update 1.6, destructible blocks were introduced, where colliding into the block from a horizontal direction only would destroy the block, as well as "invisible" blocks, that turn transparent when the player is approaching it. Diagonal slanted blocks were introduced as of Update 1.8, and act as ramps/slopes that a player can slide on without being destroyed.

Hazards
Hazards usually introduce difficulty into each level. They will destroy players if they come in contact in any way.

Spikes
Spikes are triangular shaped obstacles that destroy a player if touched, are the most frequently occurring obstacles and are often jumped over. These obstacles often emerge with varying appearances, and can be invisible or transparent. They can also differ in size. Sets of three spikes are sometimes placed in a group to escalate the level of difficulty, and they are commonly seen in the levels Time Machine and Cycles. Electrodynamix even includes quadruple spikes, which the player must jump while at double or triple speed. The color of some of these obstacles can also be changed using the COL1, COL2, COL3 (and so on) options in the level editor. 1.6 introduced fake spikes, which, in addition to being darker then normal spikes, when passed through present no harm to the player.

Sawblades
Sawblades were introduced in Update 1.4, are first encountered in Clutterfunk, and are typically larger and rounder than common spikes. They automatically rotate in place and can be seen in several different forms as well. Each variation has three distinct sizes. Original sawblades are the most basic type of sawblade, and cannot be seen at all in a black background, until the cube crashes into it. Transparent sawblades can sometimes be seen with dark backgrounds, commonly used in Electroman Adventures. Update 1.9 introduced gear-like sawblades (found in Blast Processing), thick sawblades with customizable colors with C-Obj, and invisible sawblades. Update 2.0 introduced swirl decorations, which pose no threat to the player.

Thorns
Thorns are one of the most common hazards in Geometry Dash. They are generally long but thin, black, obstacles that are placed between columns of blocks, and have multiple appearances. In official levels, they make appearances all throughout the game. They generally came in either a spiky, jagged form or a waving form until Update 1.8, which introduced diagonal thorns at either angle, as well as peaked-thorns. Theory of Everything introduced a kind of thorn resembling creepers or vines. Update 1.9 introduced castle-like thorns which made their first appearance in Blast Processing. Update 2.0 introduced animated thorns which make an appearance in Geometrical Dominator, much like monsters themselves.

Monsters
Monsters (also can be referred to as dragons) are animated obstacles introduced in Update 2.0. There are 3 different types: a large dragon-like one that chomp their mouths repeatedly, and 2 types of smaller ones with no mouths, that simply blink their eyes and bop up and down. These obstacles, similar to the other hazards, kill on impact. Their first appearance was in Geometrical Dominator.

Pads and rings
Pads and rings influence the direction of travel. Pads only need to be touched to activate their effect, while rings need to be tapped as the player passes over them. Rings only work once, and will become inactive when used. RobTop confirmed there will be three new rings in Update 2.1. Although these components are often part of completing a level, they can be positioned in such a way that redirects the player into a hazard, needing to be avoided in such instances. In some official and online levels, they are normally marked with an 'X' to indicate which jump rings should not be activated (however in Theory of Everything 2, one of the jump rings marked with an 'X' lead to a secret coin. The X is to throw the player off.).
 * Yellow jump pads initiate a jump larger than normal, introduced in Back On Track.
 * Yellow jump rings when tapped enables a mid-air jump of same size as normal, introduced in Polargeist.
 * Purple jump pads initiate a jump smaller than normal. They are formally introduced in Theory of Everything, but makes a first appearance while collecting the third secret coin in Can't Let Go.
 * Purple jump rings when tapped enables a smaller mid-air jump. They are formally introduced in Theory of Everything, but makes a first appearance while collecting the third secret coin in Time Machine.
 * Blue gravity pads initiate a change in the direction of gravity. They are formally introduced in xStep, but makes a first appearance in Back On Track when collecting the first secret coin and makes another appearance before xStep when collecting the third secret coin on Polargeist.
 * Blue gravity rings when tapped initiate a change in the direction of gravity, introduced in xStep.
 * Green gravity rings when tapped change the direction of gravity while providing some upward momentum afterward, introduced in Deadlocked.
 * This is the only ring color not to have a pad equivalent (as a pad equivalent on the ground would result in a crash). However, if a green pad were to exist, it could be used in the air with no crashable items in the way.
 * Creators had achieved a similar effect by placing a purple or yellow ring inside a gravity portal (allowing the player to jump immediately after switching gravity), which was used before Update 2.0.

Portals
For the complete article, see Portals.

Portals can modify the way the icon interacts with the level, and can force the cube to assume another form, such as the ship, gravity ball, UFO, wave, or robot. They vary into two different types: Form portals, which changes the form of the player, or Manipulation portals, which changes how the player interacts with the level. These manipulation portals can change a form's speed, size, direction of gameplay, or direction of gravity. Update 1.1 introduced mirror portals, which reverses the screen's direction. Update 1.8 also introduced dual portals, which creates a clone of the player. Update 2.0 introduced the teleportation portals, where the player enters a blue portal and exits an orange portal in another location.

Cosmetics and effects
A number of map components are purely cosmetic, or may have effects applied to them. Physical objects can cycle through colours and opacity, which may be distracting while playing. In contrast, what may look like physical objects can also be background objects, which may again fool the player (for example fake spikes, sawblades, and thorns). Other objects may be used as markers to identify routes or hazards (punctuation marks, crosses, arrow signs, etc). Three-dimensional blocks were also introduced in Update 1.9 and in-game text with 12 different fonts was introduced in Update 2.0, which does not affect gameplay but makes a level look more polished. Moving, pulsing and disappearing triggers can also be used to either confuse a player or make a level better and more vibrant.

Background and transition
The background can change colour as a way to create a more vibrant gameplay experience. Other map components can enter and leave the screen, not physically affecting anything, as further visual enhancement, but may reduce the amount of time the player has to react to their entry. With Update 2.0, infinite colour channels were introduced and the player can use them as convenience to change colours of the background and transition, as well as second ground colour, but only for grounds introduced in Update 2.0 and later.