The Tool Desk
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The workflow below applies to the Windows and Linux folder layouts commonly used for dedicated servers. Core Keeper’s mod support, Workshop behavior and directory conventions can change with game patches, so check the current official documentation and each mod’s own instructions before applying a version-specific change.
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What the dedicated server actually needs
The server reads mod files from its own installation. A subscription made on a player’s account is not a server-side installation method, and the server will not automatically download the files that a player has subscribed to. Even when a mod is already installed on your gaming PC, download a separate copy for the dedicated server.
- Server files: The mod’s server-compatible files must be present in the server’s local
Modsfolder. - Client files: Players must install the client portion when a mod is marked for both client and server use.
- Dependencies: Every library or prerequisite named on the mod’s download page must be installed too.
- Version alignment: The server and players need a compatible Core Keeper game build and matching mod versions.
- Manual maintenance: A manually copied mod does not update itself. Recheck every mod after a game patch.
Think of the server as a separate mod installation. Your Workshop or mod.io account can be a convenient way to obtain a package, but it does not replace downloading and copying that package into the server’s data directory.
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Choose the correct mod and download route
mod.io and Steam Workshop are download sources, not server feeds
Both mod.io and Steam Workshop can provide files for players. Neither subscription automatically populates a dedicated server’s local storage. Download the archive or package for each mod, then install it manually on the machine running the server.
| Source | What it provides | What the dedicated server still requires |
|---|---|---|
| mod.io | A player-facing mod download | A separately downloaded copy extracted into the server’s local Mods folder |
| Steam Workshop | A player-facing Workshop download or subscription | Manual server-side download and extraction; the personal subscription is not read by the server |
Workshop availability and its release status have changed across Core Keeper versions. Do not rely on an old guide’s description of a beta or full release; use the current official documentation and the mod author’s current page for the build you are running.
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| Mod target | Server operator installs | Players install |
|---|---|---|
| Client-only | Nothing on the dedicated server unless the author explicitly documents a server component | The client-side package on each player’s game installation |
| Client and server | The server-compatible package and all listed dependencies | The corresponding client package and the same required dependencies |
A mod tagged for both sides is not complete when only the server has it. Conversely, placing a purely client-side mod in the server directory will not make it a server feature. Read the mod’s compatibility label and installation notes rather than inferring behavior from its name.
Find the server’s data directory
The required folder is inside the server’s data directory, not in a player’s ordinary Workshop subscription folder. Use the path that matches the operating system hosting the dedicated server.
| Operating system | Mods directory | Path details |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | CoreKeeperServer_DataStreamingAssetsMods |
Create Mods under StreamingAssets; capitalization matters. |
| Linux | (installdir)/CoreKeeperServer_Data/StreamingAssets/Mods |
Use the equivalent path below the server installation directory; capitalization matters on case-sensitive filesystems. |
If the server was installed in a custom location, search from the directory that contains CoreKeeperServer_Data. Do not create a parallel Mods folder beside the server executable when the data directory is elsewhere. The folder name must be exactly Mods, including the capital M.
Do not guess the configuration-file location
Mod configuration files are not documented consistently across the guides commonly cited for Core Keeper. Some instructions refer to a Save/mods directory, while others refer to DedicatedServer/mods. Those locations should not be treated as interchangeable or universal. Follow the individual mod’s documentation for configuration files, and leave the package in the server’s StreamingAssetsMods or StreamingAssets/Mods folder unless the author gives a different, version-specific instruction.
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Install a mod safely, step by step
1. Stop the dedicated server
Shut down the server before creating folders, replacing files or changing the mod set. Editing a live installation can leave partially written files or a world that was saved while its code was changing. This shutdown step is a cautious operational practice; verify the current server-management procedure for the launcher or host you use.
2. Back up the worlds folder
Make a complete copy of the server’s worlds folder before the first installation and before each later mod change. Keep the backup outside the live server directory and label it with the date and the mod set you were running. A backup gives you a recovery point if a mod fails to load or a world becomes unstable.
- Keep the original backup untouched.
- Make a new backup before adding, removing or upgrading a mod.
- Do not assume that uninstalling a mod reverses changes it already made to a world.
3. Create the exact Mods folder
Open the server data directory and create this folder if it is missing:
CoreKeeperServer_Data/StreamingAssets/ModsOn Windows, the same location is written with backslashes:
CoreKeeperServer_DataStreamingAssetsModsUse the exact capitalization. On Linux, mods, MODS and Mods are different directory names, so a lower-case folder can be ignored even when all files appear present.
4. Download the server copy of the mod
Download the mod package from the source named by its author, whether that is mod.io or Steam Workshop. A file already present in your personal game installation is not a substitute for a server copy. Check the package’s stated Core Keeper version, operating-system support, server/client target and dependency list before extracting it.
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5. Extract each mod into its own subfolder
Give every mod a separate, uniquely named directory under Mods. A descriptive name makes updates and rollback easier:
CoreKeeperServer_Data/StreamingAssets/Mods/
├── ExampleModA/
├── ExampleModB/
└── ExampleDependency/The names above are illustrative folder names, not files that you should download. Preserve the package’s internal structure when extracting. Do not merge two mods into one directory, and do not overwrite one mod’s files with another’s unless the author explicitly instructs you to do so.
6. Install every listed dependency
Open the mod’s download or documentation page and identify required libraries, frameworks or companion mods. Download and extract each dependency as its own package, using the same server-side location when the author describes it as a server dependency. A mod can appear to be installed correctly yet fail because one prerequisite is absent or is the wrong version.
Install dependencies before the mod that requires them when the author specifies an order. If no order is documented, keep the packages separate and use the author’s compatibility notes as the authority.
7. Install the client side where required
Send every player the exact mod list they need. For a client-and-server mod, each player needs a compatible client installation in addition to the server copy. Players should use the same mod release and the same Core Keeper game build as the server. A player who has subscribed to the right Workshop item may still need to verify that the installed version matches the server’s manually downloaded package.
8. Start with a known-good vanilla server
If this is a new server, start it without mods and confirm that the unmodified server runs and the world loads. This separates a base server problem from a mod problem. If the vanilla server is already established, back it up and preserve that working state before proceeding.
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9. Add one mod at a time
After the vanilla check, add one mod and its dependencies, start the server, and test the relevant feature. Repeat for the next mod. Installing a large collection in one operation makes it difficult to identify which package caused a startup failure, incompatibility or unexpected world behavior. Keep a simple record of the order, package versions and date of each change.
10. Test with the intended player group
Have at least one player join with the same client-side set required by the mod. Test the feature in a safe area or a disposable world copy when the mod author recommends it. Do not expose the main world to a new mod until the server starts reliably and the required clients can connect.
Windows and Linux considerations
Windows
Use CoreKeeperServer_DataStreamingAssetsMods. Check that Windows has not left the downloaded package inside an extra archive layer. The folder directly below Mods should be the mod’s extracted directory, not merely another compressed file, unless the mod’s instructions explicitly require a different layout.
Linux
Use (installdir)/CoreKeeperServer_Data/StreamingAssets/Mods and preserve capitalization. A community guide indicates that some Windows-only mods may not load on a Linux server. That is a single-source, low-confidence compatibility warning rather than a universal rule, so verify the specific mod’s operating-system support before planning a Linux deployment.
Linux operators should also check file ownership and permissions after extracting a package. The account that launches the server must be able to read the mod directory and its files; if it cannot, correct the permissions using the host’s normal administration method rather than moving the files to a different, undocumented folder.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to diagnose a failed installation
The server behaves as if no mod is installed
- Confirm the path ends in
CoreKeeperServer_Data/StreamingAssets/Mods(or the Windows backslash equivalent). - Confirm the directory is named exactly
Mods, with a capitalM. - Confirm you copied extracted files, not only a downloaded archive or a personal Workshop subscription.
- Confirm the mod’s target includes the server; a client-only mod will not add server functionality.
- Remove the newest mod, restore the backup if necessary, and repeat the one-at-a-time process.
The server fails after adding a mod
Stop the server, move the most recently added mod out of the live Mods directory, and start again. If the server returns to its previous working state, check that mod’s Core Keeper version, dependencies and operating-system support. Restore the world backup before retrying when the failed run changed the world or when the mod author recommends a clean rollback.
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A dependency error appears
Return to the mod’s current download page and compare its required dependencies and versions with the folders you installed. Install missing prerequisites as separate subfolders. Do not assume that a similarly named library already present in another mod satisfies the requirement; use the dependency’s stated version and compatibility information.
One player cannot join
- Compare that player’s Core Keeper build with the server’s build.
- Compare the player’s client mod list and versions with the server’s required list.
- Install the client component for any mod marked client-and-server.
- Remove outdated duplicates and re-download the package when a game update has changed the mod.
A personal Workshop or mod.io subscription is not proof that the player’s installed files match the server. Compare the actual mod release and game build.
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Manual installations do not update themselves. After every Core Keeper patch, check each mod’s page for a compatible release, back up the worlds folder, and test the server with the updated packages one at a time. If no compatible release exists, remove the affected mod, restore the last known-good backup if required, and wait for the author or official documentation to confirm support.
Updating, removing and rolling back mods
Updating a mod
- Stop the server.
- Back up the worlds folder and preserve a copy of the currently working mod directory.
- Read the mod’s current notes for dependencies, client requirements and Core Keeper version.
- Replace the old server package with the new extracted package, keeping the folder name unique.
- Update the client installations that need the mod.
- Start the server and test before updating another mod.
Keeping the old package outside the live directory gives you a direct rollback option. Do not leave two releases of the same mod active in separate folders unless the author explicitly supports that arrangement.
Removing a mod
Stop the server and back up the world before removing a mod. Remove only the mod and dependencies that are no longer required, then test with the backup or a copy of the world when the mod may have added items, blocks or saved data. Some mods alter world data in ways that are not automatically undone by deleting their files; consult the mod’s removal instructions before opening the main world without it.
Rolling back
For a failed update, stop the server, restore the previous mod package and the corresponding client versions, then restore the pre-change world backup if the failed run affected the save. Keep the backup and failed package until the server has been stable long enough to establish that the rollback worked.
A practical compatibility checklist
- Server is stopped before file changes.
- A dated copy of the worlds folder exists outside the live installation.
- The exact
CoreKeeperServer_Data/StreamingAssets/Modsdirectory exists. - The folder is named
Modswith the correct capitalization. - Each mod has its own uniquely named subfolder.
- Every listed dependency is installed in a compatible version.
- The mod is intended for the server operating system.
- Client-only and client-and-server requirements are understood.
- Every player has the required client packages and the same game build.
- The vanilla server was verified before the first mod.
- Mods were introduced one at a time and recorded.
- Update checks are scheduled after every game patch.
What to verify when documentation conflicts
Core Keeper modding instructions are version-sensitive. When two guides disagree about Workshop status, a configuration directory or a required file, prefer the current official documentation and the mod author’s page for the exact release you are installing. The server’s fundamental rule remains consistent: it loads server files from its local mod directory, while players must supply their own required client files. Paths outside that directory, especially configuration paths, should be treated as mod-specific rather than universal.
Final operating rule
Use the dedicated server’s local Mods folder as the source of truth. Download server packages separately from personal subscriptions, install dependencies, match clients and game builds, back up before every change, and stage additions one at a time. That process minimizes world risk and makes a broken or outdated mod identifiable and reversible.
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