Adding a mod to a Don’t Starve Together dedicated server requires two separate actions: download the Workshop item with dedicated_server_mods_setup.lua, then enable it with modoverrides.lua. A downloaded mod is not automatically active, and an enabled mod that was never downloaded cannot load.
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The procedure below covers single-shard and Master/Caves servers, Workshop collections, hosted control panels, configuration options, and the errors that most often prevent mods from loading.
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How the server’s mod system works
Don’t Starve Together separates obtaining a mod from turning it on. The dedicated server reads dedicated_server_mods_setup.lua when it starts and uses the Workshop IDs in that file to download content. It then reads modoverrides.lua for the world shard and decides which downloaded mods are enabled and which configuration values to pass to them.
| File | Purpose | Typical location | What happens if it is wrong or missing |
|---|---|---|---|
dedicated_server_mods_setup.lua |
Requests Workshop downloads | The server’s mods folder |
The mod is not downloaded at startup |
modoverrides.lua |
Enables downloaded mods and supplies settings | DoNotStarveTogether/config/server/Master/, and also Caves/ when that shard exists |
The downloaded mod remains inactive, or the shard can fail to load it |
server.ini |
Defines a shard’s role | Each shard’s server configuration folder | Master/Caves role confusion can prevent mods from working correctly |
Mods are downloaded during server startup, so editing either Lua file has no effect on an already-running process. Always restart after saving changes.
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Before you edit anything
- Stop the dedicated server cleanly. Editing while it is writing configuration files can overwrite your changes.
- Make a backup of the current
modsfolder and each shard’smodoverrides.lua, if present. - Confirm whether the world has only a Master shard or also a separate Caves shard.
- Use a plain-text editor that preserves Lua text. Do not use a word processor that adds smart quotes or formatting.
- Make sure the file names end in
.lua, not.txt. On systems that hide extensions, enable “show file extensions” before renaming files.
Step-by-step: add an individual Workshop mod
1. Find the Workshop ID
Open the mod’s Steam Workshop page and inspect its URL. The numeric value after ?id= is the Workshop ID. For example, in a URL ending with ?id=350811795, the ID is 350811795. Copy only the digits; do not include the question mark, the parameter name, or other URL text.
Keep a small list of the IDs you plan to install. A typo produces a different item or a failed download, and the server will not infer the correct mod from its display name.
2. Add the ID to dedicated_server_mods_setup.lua
Open the mods directory belonging to the dedicated server and create or edit dedicated_server_mods_setup.lua. Add one ServerModSetup line for every Workshop mod:
ServerModSetup("350811795")
ServerModSetup("1467214795")Use straight quotation marks and keep the ID inside quotes. Put each call on its own line. Do not add a comma between lines; these are function calls, not entries in a Lua table.
A syntax error in this file can stop the server instead of merely skipping one bad mod. If the server refuses to start immediately after an edit, restore the backup and check quotation marks, parentheses, and accidental extra characters.
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3. Create or edit modoverrides.lua for Master
For the overworld shard, place the file at:
DoNotStarveTogether/config/server/Master/modoverrides.luaExisting worlds may not have this file, so create it manually. A basic file that enables two mods is:
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return {
["workshop-350811795"] = {
enabled = true,
},
["workshop-1467214795"] = {
enabled = true,
},
}The key must contain the literal workshop- prefix followed by the exact Workshop ID. The enabled = true property is required; downloaded mods are not enabled by default.
4. Add configuration options only when the mod defines them
Mods that expose settings use a configuration_options table inside their entry. The option names, value types, and accepted values come from that mod’s own description or configuration documentation. Do not invent keys or change a number’s type:
return {
["workshop-350811795"] = {
enabled = true,
configuration_options = {
option_name = 1,
another_option = "value",
},
},
}If a mod has no options, omit the table rather than adding arbitrary values. A malformed table can keep the entire override file from loading, so check commas, braces, equals signs, and quotation marks carefully.
5. Duplicate the overrides for Caves
If the world uses a separate Caves shard, create or update:
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DoNotStarveTogether/config/server/Caves/modoverrides.luaCommunity server setups commonly keep the Master and Caves override files identical. Copy the complete file, including every enabled entry and its configuration options, rather than copying only the first mod. This ensures both shards receive the same mod definitions. A mod may still behave differently between shards if its own implementation is shard-aware, but the server must be able to resolve the entry on each shard.
6. Restart and watch the logs
Save every file, start the server, and inspect the startup logs. Look for messages showing Workshop downloads and mod loading. The first start after adding a mod can take longer while the server downloads content into a directory such as:
mods/workshop-350811795If the directory appears but the mod does not affect the world, the download step succeeded and the problem is usually in modoverrides.lua, the shard path, or the mod’s own compatibility. If no directory appears, check the setup file, the ID, permissions, and the server log before changing the override file.
Installing an entire Workshop collection
For a collection, use ServerModCollectionSetup in dedicated_server_mods_setup.lua with the collection’s ID:
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Collection download and mod activation are still separate concerns. Depending on the server build and the mods in the collection, you may need individual entries in modoverrides.lua for every contained mod. If a collection downloads successfully but nothing changes in-game, inspect the collection page for each item’s Workshop ID and add the corresponding workshop- entries with enabled = true. Do not assume that membership in a collection automatically enables every item.
Check the Master and Caves shard roles
Each shard has a server.ini. The Master shard must declare:
is_master = trueThe Caves shard must declare:
is_master = falseVerify these values in the correct shard directories. If they are reversed, duplicated, or missing, the server can treat a shard as the wrong role and report apparently unrelated mod failures. Correct the role values, save the files, and restart both processes.
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Reports from community-hosted setups differ depending on the world and server version. Newly created worlds are sometimes populated with a modoverrides.lua based on the entries in dedicated_server_mods_setup.lua. Existing worlds commonly do not receive a new override file automatically. For predictable behavior, inspect the shard directory yourself and create the file when it is absent instead of relying on automatic generation.
Automatic generation also does not remove the need to verify enabled = true, the workshop- prefix, and the Caves copy. Treat the generated file as a starting point and check its contents before launching a public server.
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Hosted control panels and remote servers
Game-hosting panels often relocate the installation, expose only a web file manager, or separate configuration from the executable files. The logical file names and Lua structure remain the same, but the visible path may differ. Use the panel’s file manager and documentation to locate:
- the server’s
modsdirectory containingdedicated_server_mods_setup.lua; - the Master shard’s
config/server/Master/directory; - the Caves shard’s
config/server/Caves/directory, if enabled; and - the startup log viewer.
Some panels provide a separate “Workshop collection” field or a mod installer. If you use that interface, verify the resulting files rather than assuming the panel enabled the mods. The same two-stage rule applies: the Workshop content must be downloaded and each shard must have valid overrides.
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| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
No mods/workshop-<id> directory after restart |
The download request was not read | Confirm the file is in the server’s actual mods folder, the ID is numeric, the line uses ServerModSetup("…"), and the log shows no syntax error |
| The directory exists, but the mod is absent in-game | The mod was downloaded but not enabled | Check the shard’s modoverrides.lua, the workshop- prefix, and enabled = true |
| Master works but Caves does not | Caves has no override file or a different one | Copy the validated Master file to config/server/Caves/modoverrides.lua and confirm the Caves server.ini has is_master = false |
| Both shards fail immediately after an edit | Lua syntax error | Check unmatched braces or parentheses, missing commas, smart quotes, and accidental text outside the returned table |
| Only one shard fails with a role-related message | Incorrect is_master value |
Master must be true; Caves must be false |
| The server starts but ignores every override | Wrong filename or extension | Ensure the name is exactly modoverrides.lua, not modoverrides.lua.txt, and that it is inside the shard’s config/server directory |
| A collection downloads, but some items are inactive | Collection membership was treated as activation | Add each affected item’s Workshop ID to the override table with enabled = true |
Validate Lua structure before restarting
Read the file from the first character to the last. A valid override file normally starts with return {, contains one bracketed Workshop key per mod, and ends by closing the outer brace. Every opening brace must have a matching closing brace. Keep a backup copy so you can revert to the last known-good version if the server stops during startup.
Use the log to separate download from activation
Do not troubleshoot both stages at once. First establish whether the server created the Workshop directory. If it did not, fix dedicated_server_mods_setup.lua. If it did, inspect modoverrides.lua, the shard location, and the enabled flag. This distinction prevents repeatedly editing the wrong file.
Removing or disabling a mod
To disable a mod without deleting its downloaded files, remove its entry from the relevant modoverrides.lua or change its enabled value to false, then restart. To stop requesting future downloads, remove its ServerModSetup line from dedicated_server_mods_setup.lua. On a two-shard world, make the same change in both override files so one shard does not continue loading the mod.
Keep a copy of the old configuration before removing a mod from an established world. A mod can add or alter saved-world data, and whether that data remains safe after removal depends on the mod; the server files alone cannot guarantee a reversible change.
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The older ForceEnableMod method
Older forum and guide examples use ForceEnableMod("workshop-<id>") in modsettings.lua, especially for mods without configuration options. Reports disagree about when this method is preferable, and its continued support on the current game build is not established. Use the download-plus-modoverrides.lua method as the current baseline. If you are maintaining an old server that already uses ForceEnableMod, treat it as an unverified legacy configuration and test it after a game update rather than assuming it is interchangeable with shard overrides.
Production checklist
- Stop the server and back up the current configuration.
- Copy each mod’s numeric Workshop ID from its Workshop URL.
- Add one
ServerModSetup("id")line per mod, or add the collection withServerModCollectionSetup("collection-id"). - Create
DoNotStarveTogether/config/server/Master/modoverrides.luaif it does not exist. - Add each mod under a
workshop-key withenabled = true. - Add only documented
configuration_optionsvalues. - Copy the complete override file to the Caves directory when a Caves shard is used.
- Confirm
is_master = truefor Master andis_master = falsefor Caves. - Check that every file really ends in
.lua. - Restart and inspect the logs for downloads and load messages.
- Verify the mod in-game before inviting players.
Following this order makes the source of a failure clear: the setup file controls acquisition, the override file controls activation, and the shard configuration determines where each activation is applied.
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