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Change a dedicated Garry’s Mod server’s branch in SteamCMD with the app_update command for App ID 4020. Use app_update 4020 -beta dev validate, -beta prerelease, or -beta x86-64 for the documented alternate branches. To return to the normal public build, explicitly run app_update 4020 -beta public validate; removing -beta by itself may leave SteamCMD on the previously selected beta.
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Stop the server and back up its configuration and add-ons before changing branches. Development builds can be unstable, and players may need to select the same Garry’s Mod branch in Steam before they can connect.
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What a Garry’s Mod server branch changes
A SteamCMD branch determines which build Steam downloads for the dedicated server. The normal public branch is the stable release. The dev and prerelease branches contain work intended for upcoming updates, while x86-64 is the documented 64-bit dedicated-server beta.
This is a track-selection mechanism, not a general-purpose tool for choosing any historical Garry’s Mod version. SteamCMD updates the installation to the current files available on the selected branch. If you need an old build that is no longer offered on that branch, the commands below cannot manufacture or retrieve it.
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Branch changes affect the server files, binary architecture, and compatibility with add-ons. A client and server running different update tracks may fail to connect, behave unpredictably, or expose errors that do not occur on the normal release.
Choose the branch before you update
| Branch parameter | Typical meaning | Stability | Architecture | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
-beta public |
Normal public release | Most stable of the listed choices | Standard public server build | You want the default production server |
-beta prerelease |
Next update before general release | Less proven than public | As provided by that branch | You are testing the upcoming update |
-beta dev |
Development build containing changes planned for a future update | Unstable; updated regularly | As provided by that branch | You are testing new changes and can tolerate breakage |
-beta x86-64 |
64-bit dedicated-server beta | Beta-level compatibility | x86-64 | Your operating environment and add-ons support the 64-bit server |
Steam’s branch descriptions identify None as the ordinary game version, Pre-Release as the next update, and Dev as the bleeding-edge option. Facepunch warns that development branches are updated regularly and may not be stable. Branch names and contents can change, so check the current Garry’s Mod documentation before putting a branch switch into unattended production automation.
Prepare the server safely
Stop the running process
Shut down the Garry’s Mod server cleanly before SteamCMD replaces files. Updating an active installation can leave a partially changed server or cause the running process to load a mixture of old and new files. Confirm that srcds.exe on Windows or srcds_run on Linux is no longer running before you start the update.
Back up configuration and add-ons
Copy the server’s configuration, map and workshop settings, startup scripts, and add-on directories to a separate location. At minimum, preserve the files and folders you would need to rebuild the server if an add-on or branch update causes a problem. Keep the backup outside the directory that SteamCMD updates so a validation operation cannot overwrite your only copy.
Plan a maintenance window
Tell players when the server will be unavailable and record the branch you are changing from and to. A branch update can download a large set of files and may require add-on testing before the server is reopened. For a production server, test the selected branch on a separate installation first rather than changing the live directory without a rollback plan.
Change a dedicated server with SteamCMD
The dedicated Garry’s Mod server uses Steam App ID 4020. The examples below assume SteamCMD is installed and that you can open its console or run its executable.
1. Open SteamCMD and log in
- Launch SteamCMD.
- At the SteamCMD prompt, enter
login anonymous. - Wait for the anonymous login to complete before issuing the update command.
Garry’s Mod dedicated-server files are available through the anonymous SteamCMD account, so a personal Steam account is not required for this procedure.
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2. Set the installation directory
Set the directory that contains the dedicated server before running app_update. Use a path appropriate for the operating system:
- Windows example:
force_install_dir c:my_garrysmod_server - Linux example:
force_install_dir ../gmodds
Use the directory that actually contains your server. If you set a different path than the one used by your startup script, SteamCMD will update one installation while you continue launching another.
3. Install or update the public branch
For the normal release, run:
app_update 4020 validate
The validate option checks the downloaded files and replaces files that are missing or different from the selected branch. It is useful after a branch change, after an interrupted download, or when the server reports that files are corrupt.
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4. Select an alternate branch
Add the branch name with -beta and keep validate at the end of the command:
- Development:
app_update 4020 -beta dev validate - Pre-release:
app_update 4020 -beta prerelease validate - 64-bit beta:
app_update 4020 -beta x86-64 validate
SteamCMD downloads the current files for that branch into the installation directory. Do not assume that a successful download means every add-on is compatible; start the server and test maps, scripts, and player connections before declaring the change complete.
5. Exit SteamCMD and restart the server
- Enter
quitat the SteamCMD prompt. - Start the server with the executable and arguments appropriate to your operating system.
- Watch the console during startup for missing libraries, script errors, unsupported add-ons, or an architecture-related failure.
- Connect with a test client on the same branch and exercise the main game mode before reopening the server to everyone.
Typical launch commands are srcds.exe on Windows and ./srcds_run -game garrysmod on Linux. Keep your existing map, game-mode, networking, and administrative arguments when restarting; changing the branch does not replace the startup options you already use.
Windows one-line update commands
You can perform an update without entering each SteamCMD command interactively. Facepunch documents this form for a public server:
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steamcmd.exe +login anonymous +force_install_dir c:my_garrysmod_server +app_update 4020 validate +quit
For an alternate branch, add the corresponding beta parameter to app_update. For example, a development update is:
steamcmd.exe +login anonymous +force_install_dir c:my_garrysmod_server +app_update 4020 -beta dev validate +quit
Use the same safeguards as an interactive update: stop the server first, verify the path, preserve backups, and inspect the update output. A scheduled task should not repeatedly apply a development branch to a live server without a maintenance and rollback procedure.
Return a server to the stable public branch
To switch back, select the public branch explicitly:
login anonymous
app_update 4020 -beta public validate
quit
Facepunch specifically cautions that simply deleting the -beta parameter is not sufficient. SteamCMD can continue updating the last beta that was activated, so the -beta public argument is important even though the public branch is the default choice for a new installation.
After the command finishes, restart the server from the same directory and test it with a client on the public branch. If the server still reports files from the previous track, stop it again and repeat the explicit public update with validate, checking that SteamCMD’s force_install_dir matches the directory your startup script launches.
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Change the branch for a player’s Garry’s Mod client
A server operator can change the dedicated server independently, but players must also select a compatible client branch when the server is running a development or pre-release build.
- Exit Garry’s Mod.
- Open Steam and select Library.
- Right-click Garry’s Mod and choose Properties.
- Open the Betas tab.
- Under Beta Participation, choose the branch you need.
- Close the properties window and wait for Steam to download the client update.
- Start Garry’s Mod again and connect to the server.
The Private Betas field is not used for Garry’s Mod’s documented branch selection. Choose the named option in the Beta Participation menu instead. To return the client to the normal release, select the entry labeled None and allow Steam to finish updating.
Client and server compatibility
Use matching update tracks
The safest arrangement is a client and server on the same branch and current update. A player on the normal public client may not be able to join a server running dev or prerelease. Conversely, moving a client to a development branch does not make a public server use that branch.
Expect add-on differences
Branch updates can change game behavior, scripting interfaces, networking behavior, or binary expectations. An add-on that works on the public build may fail on a development or 64-bit server, and an add-on updated for a beta may not work after you return to public. Test the actual collection of maps, game modes, server-side scripts, and administrative tools that your community uses.
Account for architecture on x86-64
The x86-64 branch changes the server architecture. Native modules and other binary components built for the standard architecture may require a compatible 64-bit build or may not work at all. Treat this branch as a technical migration, not merely a faster download channel, and verify every binary dependency before switching a public server.
Linux and macOS considerations
The SteamCMD procedure works with the Linux examples shown above. Linux operators may need 32-bit libraries for SteamCMD and for server binaries, depending on the distribution and installed compatibility packages. Resolve those operating-system prerequisites before diagnosing a branch update as a Garry’s Mod problem.
macOS dedicated servers are no longer shipped. A Mac can be used as a client where supported, but these dedicated-server commands target a Windows or Linux server installation.
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Troubleshooting branch changes
SteamCMD keeps updating the old beta
Run app_update 4020 -beta public validate rather than omitting the beta argument. Removing -beta alone may leave the previously activated beta selected.
The server starts, but players cannot join
- Confirm the client and server are on compatible branches.
- Have the player select the required option in Steam’s Garry’s Mod Properties > Betas screen.
- Check that Steam has completed the client download before reconnecting.
- Verify that the server was updated in the same directory used by its startup command.
The update reports missing or damaged files
Stop the server and rerun the appropriate app_update 4020 ... validate command. Validation is branch-specific, so include the intended beta parameter rather than validating a different track. If the problem persists, check disk space, permissions, the SteamCMD output, and the installation path.
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Disable the failing component and test the server with the branch’s basic files. Then install a version of the add-on that explicitly supports the selected branch and architecture, if one exists. If no compatible version is available, restore the backup and return to the public branch with the explicit public command.
The server will not launch on Linux
Review the startup output for missing 32-bit libraries or executable permissions. Linux SteamCMD and server binaries may require 32-bit compatibility libraries even on a 64-bit operating system. Correct those platform dependencies before changing branches again.
A repeatable update and rollback workflow
- Record the current branch and the server directory.
- Stop the server cleanly.
- Back up configuration, add-ons, startup scripts, and any custom files.
- Update a staging installation first when the branch is
dev,prerelease, orx86-64. - Use
force_install_dirto target the intended directory. - Log in anonymously and run App ID
4020with the exact branch parameter andvalidate. - Exit SteamCMD with
quit. - Start the server and inspect its console output.
- Test a client on the matching Steam branch, including the important maps, game modes, and add-ons.
- Open the server to players only after the test succeeds.
- If the branch is unsuitable, stop the server, restore any incompatible files from backup, and run
app_update 4020 -beta public validateto return to the normal release.
What “version” means in SteamCMD
For this server, “version” normally means the currently published build on a Steam branch. The documented commands select public, dev, prerelease, or x86-64; they do not specify a numeric build identifier. Because each branch can receive updates, two installations on the same branch may differ if one has not been updated recently.
For predictable administration, record the date, branch argument, validation result, and add-on changes each time you update. Do not silently switch a production server to a branch whose contents may change regularly. Development branches are best treated as test environments unless you have confirmed client, add-on, and operational compatibility.
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