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What you need before installing anything
A tModLoader multiplayer server is a separate installation from the ordinary Terraria server. The server and every connecting client must use the same tModLoader branch and compatible version, then load the same enabled mods. A player with a different branch, version, or enabled set can fail the connection even when the world and network settings are correct.
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- A tModLoader 1.4 server installation. Use the stable branch unless your group deliberately uses the 1.4 preview branch.
- A client installation of the same branch and version for creating the mod pack and testing it.
- The Workshop mods, or local
.tmodfiles, that you intend to run. - A world and server configuration. For unattended operation, prepare a
serverconfig.txtfile.
No authoritative source establishes a universal RAM requirement, player limit, or performance figure for every mod combination. Hardware needs vary with the world, number of players, and mods, so do not treat an unofficial capacity number as a guarantee.
Install the correct tModLoader server branch
Stable Dedicated Server Utils installation
The official Dedicated Server Utils workflow installs tModLoader with its management script. From the directory where you want the utilities, run one of these commands:
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./manage-tModLoaderServer.sh install-tml --username your_steam_usernameThat form obtains the Steam-based installation. To install the GitHub release instead, use:
./manage-tModLoaderServer.sh install-tml --githubFollow the script’s prompts and let it finish before copying mod metadata. In this layout, the utilities create a server directory for the tModLoader installation and a Steam Workshop area for downloaded content.
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1.4-preview installation
The 1.4-preview documentation also describes an --install flow. A GitHub-based installation defaults to ~/tModLoader; a SteamCMD-based installation defaults to ~/Steam/steamapps/common/tModLoader. Keep a note of the actual directory because the server-start and mod-install commands must be run against that installation.
Do not mix a stable server executable with preview clients, or vice versa. Select the branch first, then install that branch on both the server and every player’s client. Installing a second copy in another directory is a common source of confusion: a command can complete successfully while updating a copy that is not the one your start script uses.
Create the mod pack in the tModLoader client
Build the authoritative list from the client rather than recreating it manually on the server.
- Open tModLoader.
- Choose Workshop, then Mod Packs.
- Enable the mods your group will use.
- Select Save Enabled as New Mod Pack.
- Select Open Mod Pack Folder.
- Locate the generated
install.txtandenabled.jsonfiles.
The Workshop does not identify mods by the names displayed in its interface. The generated metadata records the identifiers needed to retrieve the intended items, so copying these files avoids selecting a similarly named or renamed mod.
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| File | Purpose | What happens if it is missing |
|---|---|---|
install.txt |
Lists Workshop content that the server’s utility should install. | No Workshop mods are installed by the utility. |
enabled.json |
Specifies which installed mods are enabled when the server starts. | No mods are enabled; an installed mod alone will not load. |
Local .tmod file |
Provides a mod file stored with the server rather than downloaded from Workshop. | The local mod is unavailable unless it is copied into the expected server location and included in enabled.json. |
Copy both metadata files even if you currently use only local mods. The enabled list must include every mod that should load, including local files.
Why generating the files is safer than typing names
A Workshop display name is presentation text, not the identifier the server uses to locate an item. Names can be similar, changed by an author, or represented differently from the underlying Workshop metadata. The client-generated files preserve the exact identifiers for the enabled pack, which makes a rebuilt server reproducible and prevents a silently different mod from being selected.
Regenerate the pack whenever you intentionally add, remove, or replace a mod. Treat the resulting pair as one revision: copying only one file can leave the server installing one set while enabling another. Keep an untouched backup of each revision so you can identify which list was running when a world was created.
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Copy the mod-pack files to the server
Management-script layout
Copy install.txt and enabled.json from the client’s mod-pack folder into the directory documented for the management script. Place any local .tmod files in that same server or script location expected by the installation. The exact working directory matters: running the command from a different copy of the files can produce a server with no mods or an outdated list.
The stable utilities create a server directory for the tModLoader installation and a Steam-workshop area for downloaded content. Verify that the metadata is next to the files read by the utility, not merely somewhere inside the parent directory. If you maintain separate test and production servers, give each its own metadata copy and record which branch and version it uses.
Keep a backup copy of the two metadata files outside the live installation. That gives you a reproducible list if a Workshop item changes, a server is rebuilt, or you need to roll back a version.
Docker deployment
The official 1.4 documentation describes Docker as another deployment route. The container layout must provide the required Terraria folder, configuration and world files, enabled.json, install.txt, and any local .tmod files. Mount these files into the locations expected by the image or container instructions you are using, then run the documented container startup command.
Make sure the mounted files are persistent rather than existing only inside a temporary container layer. Otherwise a container replacement can remove the mod metadata or world even though the image itself still exists. A container does not remove the version requirement: the image’s tModLoader branch, metadata, and clients still need to match.
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Stable utility command
From the directory containing the stable utilities and the copied metadata, run:
./manage-tModLoaderServer.sh install-modsThe utility reads install.txt and downloads the Workshop items it identifies. It then uses the enabled list when the server starts. If install.txt is absent, the documented behavior is to install no Workshop mods. If enabled.json is absent, no mods are enabled.
1.4-preview mod-only flow
The 1.4-preview utilities document a --mods-only option for installing or refreshing the mod set without repeating the complete server installation. Use the option exactly as shown in the preview documentation for your script version, and run it against the same directory that contains the metadata files.
After either flow completes, check that the expected Workshop content and local files are present before starting a live world. A successful download does not prove that a mod is enabled; installation and enablement are separate steps. Conversely, an enabled entry without its local file or downloaded Workshop item cannot load successfully.
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Start the dedicated server
Interactive start
Change to the tModLoader installation directory and launch the server script:
./start-tModLoaderServer.shYou can also use the management script’s start command when using the stable utility layout. Start the server after install-mods has completed so the process sees the current Workshop files and enabled list.
Headless or unattended start
Interactive prompts are inconvenient for a machine that reboots or runs without a desktop. Copy the supplied serverconfig.txt, edit its world and server settings, and launch the documented server script with that configuration. Supplying the configuration lets the process obtain the world and other settings without waiting for keyboard input.
Keep the configuration, world, install.txt, and enabled.json in your backup plan. They are separate from the tModLoader program files and are what you need to reconstruct the server after a failed update. Test the unattended command manually once, because a configuration file that points to a missing world will still stop startup even when the mod installation is correct.
Make every player match the server
Give players the same branch and version name that the server runs, then have them install and enable the same mod set before joining. The practical sequence for each player is:
- Select the server’s tModLoader branch and update to the server’s version.
- Install every Workshop mod represented by the server’s mod pack.
- Install any supplied local
.tmodfiles through the client’s normal mod-management process. - Enable every mod in the same set and disable extras that the server does not use.
- Launch multiplayer and connect only after the client has finished loading the matching set.
“Same mods” means the same enabled content, not merely a similar list of names. A mod can be installed but disabled, or two items can have similar display names while representing different Workshop identifiers. Give new players the two generated metadata files or the mod-pack revision used by the server so they reproduce the list rather than guessing.
Pin versions before a coordinated update
Version changes should be treated as a coordinated maintenance event. Update the server and clients together, then regenerate or verify the mod-pack metadata from a client running the target version.
The stable utilities support a tmlversion.txt file supplied by a mod pack or a TMLVERSION environment variable when you need a specific or legacy GitHub version. Pinning is useful when an unplanned update would make clients incompatible, but the pinned value must be available to the installation method you selected.
- Choose the target tModLoader version and branch.
- Apply that version to the server installation.
- Apply the identical version to each client.
- Open the client on that version and regenerate or inspect the mod pack.
- Copy the resulting
install.txtandenabled.jsonto the server. - Run the mod installation step and test with one client before inviting the whole group.
For a rollback, restore the previously backed-up metadata and version pin, reinstall the corresponding mods, and start the server only after one matching client has connected successfully. Keeping the world and configuration backups alongside each mod-pack revision makes it clear which combination is safe to restore.
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Self-hosting versus managed hosting
A managed tModLoader service can remove some operating-system administration, but it does not change the need for matching versions and metadata. Decide using the responsibilities below rather than assuming one route is universally better.
| Decision area | Self-hosted server | Managed service |
|---|---|---|
| Files and versions | Direct control of scripts, metadata, local .tmod files, and pinned versions. |
Provider controls the panel and may limit which files or versions can be selected. |
| Administration | You maintain the operating system, tModLoader installation, permissions, and optional Docker stack. | The provider handles much of the host administration. |
| Updates and backups | You schedule updates, retain worlds, and back up configuration and mod metadata. | Check exactly what the service backs up and whether you can download your world and configuration. |
| Network setup | You configure the listening port, firewall, router, and public reachability. | The provider generally supplies a reachable endpoint, subject to its plan and network rules. |
| Recurring cost | Uses your existing machine and connection, with their electricity and administration costs. | Requires a recurring hosting fee; pricing and included resources vary by provider. |
There is no universal price or capacity figure to apply to every host. Compare the provider’s recurring fee and included resources with the value of direct file control, your willingness to maintain updates, and whether you need Docker or a pinned legacy version.
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Troubleshoot the common failure modes
No Workshop mods install
- Confirm that
install.txtexists in the exact directory read by the management script. - Check that you ran
install-mods(or the preview mod-only flow) after copying the file. - Verify that the server is using the intended installation directory rather than a second tModLoader copy.
- Reopen the client mod-pack folder and copy a freshly generated file if the existing list was empty or belongs to another branch.
Mods install but none load
- Confirm that
enabled.jsonis present alongside the server’s metadata. - Regenerate the mod pack if the file was edited manually or came from a different client.
- Ensure every intended Workshop mod and every local
.tmodfile appears in the enabled list. Installation by itself does not enable a mod. - Check that the local files are in the expected server location and that the enabled entries were copied with the files.
Players cannot join
- Compare the exact tModLoader branch and version on the server and each client.
- Compare enabled sets, not just Workshop display names.
- Have players disable client-only extras and install any server-required local files.
- After correcting the set, restart the server and have clients restart tModLoader so stale loading state is cleared.
The Workshop list is different from what you expected
Do not try to repair the list by guessing from names. Return to the client, open Workshop → Mod Packs, select Save Enabled as New Mod Pack, and copy the newly generated metadata. Workshop identifiers, rather than display names, are what the server uses to locate content.
A headless server waits for input
Create or edit serverconfig.txt with the world and server settings, then launch the documented server script with that configuration. An unattended process cannot answer an interactive world-selection or setup prompt.
A repeatable maintenance checklist
- Record the tModLoader branch and exact version in your server notes.
- Keep the client-generated
install.txtandenabled.jsontogether as one mod-pack revision. - Back up the world,
serverconfig.txt, metadata files, and local.tmodfiles. - Run the appropriate mod installation command after every metadata change.
- Test a join with one client before announcing an update to everyone.
- When changing versions, update server and clients as one coordinated change and regenerate the mod pack.
- For Docker, verify that the mounted
Terrariafolder and persistent world/configuration paths survive container replacement.
Quick command reference
| Task | Command or action |
|---|---|
| Install stable Steam-based tModLoader | ./manage-tModLoaderServer.sh install-tml --username your_steam_username |
| Install stable GitHub release | ./manage-tModLoaderServer.sh install-tml --github |
| Install Workshop mods with stable utilities | ./manage-tModLoaderServer.sh install-mods |
| Install preview branch | Use the documented 1.4-preview --install flow. |
| Install preview mods only | Use the documented 1.4-preview --mods-only flow. |
| Start directly from the installation directory | ./start-tModLoaderServer.sh |
| Start through the stable utility | Use the management script’s start command. |
Frequently asked questions
Can I copy only the enabled mod names?
No. Workshop identification is metadata-based, not display-name-based. Copy the client-generated install.txt and enabled.json files.
Does installing a mod automatically enable it?
No. install.txt controls Workshop installation, while enabled.json controls the enabled set.
Can the server use local mods?
Yes. Place the local .tmod files where the server expects them and include them in enabled.json along with the Workshop mods.
Do Docker containers avoid client version matching?
No. Docker changes deployment, not multiplayer compatibility. The container, server metadata, and clients still need the same tModLoader branch, version, and enabled mod set.
Where does a GitHub or SteamCMD preview installation go?
The documented 1.4-preview defaults are ~/tModLoader for GitHub and ~/Steam/steamapps/common/tModLoader for SteamCMD. Confirm the actual path and run the start and mod commands against that copy.
What should I back up before changing mods?
Back up the world, serverconfig.txt, both mod-pack metadata files, and every local .tmod file. Keep the files together with the branch and version note for that revision.
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Why does a successful download still produce an empty server?
Downloading and enabling are separate operations. A missing or incomplete enabled.json leaves mods disabled even when Workshop files are present.
Is there a guaranteed RAM or player count for a modded server?
No authoritative universal figure applies to every world and mod combination. Capacity depends on the actual workload and must be evaluated on the machine and pack you intend to run.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I add Steam Workshop mods to a tModLoader 1.4 dedicated server?
Create a mod pack in the client through Workshop → Mod Packs → Save Enabled as New Mod Pack, copy install.txt and enabled.json to the server’s documented utility directory, run install-mods (or the preview –mods-only flow), and start the server.
Why do players need the same mods as the server?
Multiplayer clients must use the same tModLoader branch and version and load the same enabled mod set. Installed-but-disabled mods and similarly named Workshop items do not count as a match.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsCan I mix Workshop mods and local .tmod files?
Yes. Use install.txt for Workshop downloads, place local .tmod files in the expected server location, and include every Workshop and local mod that should load in enabled.json.
How do I run the server without interactive prompts?
Prepare a serverconfig.txt containing the world and server settings, then launch the documented tModLoader server script with that configuration.
What is the safest way to update a mod pack?
Update the server and clients together, regenerate or verify the client-generated metadata on the target version, copy both files to the server, reinstall mods, and test with one matching client before inviting everyone.
Should I self-host or use managed hosting?
Self-hosting gives direct control of files, versions, Docker, and backups but leaves administration and network setup to you. Managed hosting reduces host administration but adds recurring cost and may limit file or version choices.
The Bottom Line
Install the same tModLoader 1.4 branch on the server and clients, generate the mod pack in the client, copy both install.txt and enabled.json, install the Workshop content, add any local .tmod files to the enabled list, and test one matching client before opening the server to the group.
Quick Recap
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