serverconfig.json is Vintage Story’s main dedicated-server configuration file. It controls the server’s name, network port, public listing, password, player access, roles, performance limits, mods, logging, and the settings used when a world is created. On Windows it is normally at %appdata%/VintageStoryData/serverconfig.json; on Linux the usual path is /var/vintagestory/data/serverconfig.json, unless you configured a different data directory. Stop the server before editing, keep the JSON valid, save a backup, and relaunch: configuration changes do not apply while the process is running.
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What serverconfig.json controls
A dedicated Vintage Story server reads serverconfig.json from its data path at startup. The file is separate from the game client’s options and from an individual world save. It determines how the server presents itself, where it listens, who can join, which role new players receive, how much work it attempts to do, where it finds mods, and which world-generation options are used for a new world.
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The official Server Config reference was last verified for Vintage Story 1.20.0. Field names and access-control behavior can change between game versions, so check the comments in the configuration generated by your own server before copying an older file.
Finding the file on Windows and Linux
Windows default location
The multiplayer setup guide gives this default Windows path:
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%appdata%/VintageStoryData/serverconfig.jsonIn File Explorer, enter %appdata% in the address bar and open the VintageStoryData folder. If you started the server with a custom data-path argument or service configuration, use that configured directory instead of assuming the default.
Linux default location
The documented Linux path is:
/var/vintagestory/data/serverconfig.jsonPackage layouts, containers, systemd units, and manual installations can place the data directory elsewhere. The authoritative location is the server’s configured data path. If you cannot find the file, inspect the startup command or service unit for its data-directory setting, then look for serverconfig.json below that directory.
If no file exists
Run the dedicated server once so it can create its data files, stop it cleanly, and then inspect the data directory. Do not create several copies in different folders and edit one at random; the server will only read the file associated with the data path used at launch.
Core server settings
The following fields are the ones most administrators change. Values shown as defaults are the documented values in the official 1.20.0 example; your generated file may contain additional fields or comments.
| Setting | Purpose | Documented default or behavior |
|---|---|---|
ServerName |
Name shown to players and in listings | Set the text you want displayed |
ServerDescription |
Longer description for the server browser | Set your own description |
WelcomeMessage |
Message shown when a player joins | The {0} token is replaced by the player’s nickname |
Ip |
Network interface on which the server listens | If omitted, listens on all interfaces |
Port |
TCP/UDP game-listening port | 42420 |
Upnp |
Whether the server attempts automatic router port forwarding | Controlled by the generated configuration |
AdvertiseServer |
Whether to publish the server in the public list | Disabled by default starting with version 1.20 |
Password |
Password required to log in | A non-null value enables password login |
MaxClients |
Maximum simultaneous players | 16 |
MaxChunkRadius |
How far around players the server keeps chunks active | 12 |
ClientConnectionTimeout |
How long a client connection may take before timing out | 150 seconds |
DefaultRoleCode |
Role assigned to a newly joining player | Choose a role such as suplayer or a restricted suvisitor |
ModPaths |
Directories searched for server mods | Use paths appropriate to your installation |
WorldConfig |
Nested world-save and world-creation settings | Contains save location, world name, type, play style, and generation options |
JSON is case-sensitive. Keep property names exactly as generated, use double quotation marks around strings, and do not leave a trailing comma after the final property in an object.
Changing the listening port and network exposure
Port and interface
Set Port to the number clients should use. The documented default is 42420. If another application already occupies that port, choose an unused port and allow it through the host firewall. The Ip field limits listening to a particular local interface; omitting it makes the server listen on all interfaces, which is convenient for multi-interface machines but exposes more network interfaces than a deliberately bound address.
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UPnP and manual forwarding
Upnp controls whether the server asks a compatible router to create a port-forwarding rule automatically. UPnP can simplify a home setup, but it depends on router support and gives the application a way to alter router mappings. If you prefer predictable network changes, disable UPnP and create a forwarding rule manually for the selected port, then open the same port in the operating system firewall.
Public listing
AdvertiseServer controls publication in Vintage Story’s public server list. Leave it false for a private group and give players the address directly. If you turn advertising on, use a strong password or whitelist rather than treating obscurity as access control.
Passwords, whitelist modes, and player roles
Password access
Set Password to a non-null string to require a login password. Use a long, unique value and distribute it through a private channel. A password is shared by everyone who needs access; it does not replace per-player authorization when you need individual control.
Whitelist behavior in version 1.20 and later
Access-control naming is version-sensitive. The Dedicated Server guide states that dedicated servers use whitelisting by default as of game version 1.20. Use the current WhitelistMode field, whose documented values are:
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The older OnlyWhitelisted field is obsolete for 1.20 and later. Do not add both fields and expect them to be merged; remove or ignore the legacy setting according to the version-specific guide.
Adding and removing players
For a 1.20-or-newer server, the documented command to whitelist a player is:
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/player <username> whitelist onRun it from the server console or an authorized in-game account, replacing <username> with the player’s exact game name. Use the corresponding whitelist-off command when access should be revoked. Keep administrative permissions limited to trusted operators.
Default roles
DefaultRoleCode determines the role given to new players. The guide uses suplayer for a normal survival player and suvisitor for a more restricted visitor role. Assign the least-privileged default that fits your community, then grant elevated privileges deliberately rather than making every new account an administrator.
Performance limits: MaxClients and MaxChunkRadius
Player capacity
MaxClients defaults to 16. Raising it does not create extra CPU or memory; it permits more simultaneous connections and increases the work the server may need to perform. The official comments warn that higher values require more RAM and CPU.
Chunk radius
MaxChunkRadius defaults to 12. A larger radius keeps more terrain available around players, which can improve the experience for fast travel and distant visibility but increases memory use, chunk loading, and generation work. Change one performance setting at a time and watch server behavior under the actual number of players and mods you run.
Connection timeout
ClientConnectionTimeout is documented as 150 seconds. A lower value can drop very slow or unstable connections sooner; a higher value gives a struggling client longer to complete its connection. It is a connection-establishment limit, not a way to fix overloaded simulation performance.
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Mods and client synchronization
ModPaths tells the server where to search for installed mods. Keep paths explicit and ensure the account running the server can read them. The dedicated-server guide distinguishes mod types:
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- Server-side and universal mods can be offered for client download through the server’s mod mechanism.
- Client-side-only mods must be installed by each player separately.
When a mod update causes startup errors or join failures, first confirm that the server and clients have compatible versions, then temporarily remove the newest mod from the configured path and relaunch. Avoid changing the mod directory while the server is running; stop it, make a backup, adjust one mod at a time, and review the log after restart.
Understanding the WorldConfig section
WorldConfig contains settings tied to a world save and to the options used when a new world is generated. Important members include SaveFileLocation, WorldName, WorldType, PlayStyle, and a nested WorldConfiguration object.
Generation and play options
The nested world configuration can include game mode, climate, seasons, death punishment, days per month, cave-ins, and related generation choices. These options determine the initial rules and terrain of a newly created world. Keep them in the world section rather than looking for separate top-level server fields.
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The official setup guidance recommends creating the world in single-player with the advanced world-creation options, then transferring that save to the server while the server is stopped. The workflow is:
- Create and test the world in single-player using the desired advanced settings.
- Locate the resulting
.vcdbssave file and make a backup copy. - Stop the dedicated server before changing files.
- Copy the save into the server’s data area, rename it to
default.vcdbs, or setWorldConfig.SaveFileLocationto the chosen.vcdbsfile. - Start the server and confirm that the expected world name, climate, and rules load before inviting players.
Changing initial-generation values in serverconfig.json does not regenerate terrain in an existing save. For an already-created world, use the documented world-configuration commands where supported, or create a new save when a generation change cannot be applied safely.
A safe edit-and-restart procedure
- Stop the server cleanly. Editing while it is running risks having the process overwrite your changes or continuing with old values.
- Back up both
serverconfig.jsonand the active.vcdbsworld save. Include the date in the backup filename. - Open the configuration in a text editor that does not silently convert quotes or add formatting. Make a small, clearly identified change.
- Check JSON syntax: matching braces, commas between properties, double-quoted strings, and valid JSON booleans such as
trueandfalserather than quoted words. - Save the file in the same data directory the server uses. Confirm that the editor did not create
serverconfig.json.txt. - Relaunch the dedicated server. The official guide states that serverconfig changes do not take effect until the server is relaunched.
- Read the startup log and test the changed behavior with a non-administrator account before opening the server to everyone.
For supported values, commands can be safer than direct editing on a live installation. Examples documented by the guide include:
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/serverconfig name <new-name>
/serverconfig password <new-password>
/serverconfig advertise <true|false>
/serverconfig upnp <true|false>
/serverconfig WhitelistMode <off|on|default>Use the command spelling and value format accepted by the version running on your server, then verify the resulting configuration after a restart.
Troubleshooting changes that do not apply
The server still shows the old name or port
- Confirm the process was fully stopped and relaunched; a reload is not enough.
- Check that you edited the data directory used by the startup command, not a second installation.
- Verify the property name and capitalization, especially
Port,Ip, andAdvertiseServer. - Look for a JSON parse error in the startup log caused by a missing comma or quote.
Players cannot connect after a port change
- Give clients the new port and confirm the host firewall allows it.
- Forward the same port on the router if the server is behind NAT.
- If relying on UPnP, verify that the router accepted the mapping; otherwise use a manual rule.
- Check that
Ipis not bound to an interface that does not carry the incoming traffic.
Players are rejected unexpectedly
- Check the active
WhitelistModevalue and the player’s exact username. - On version 1.20 or later, do not rely on obsolete
OnlyWhitelistedsettings. - Check whether a password is still configured and communicate the current value securely.
- Verify that the player’s assigned role is not more restrictive than intended.
A world setting appears unchanged
World-generation choices apply when a world is created. Editing them after terrain already exists will not rebuild that terrain. Restore the backup if necessary, use a supported world-configuration command, or make a new world with the desired options.
Security and administration checklist
- Use a strong password whenever password access is enabled.
- Keep
AdvertiseServerset tofalsefor a private server. - For version 1.20 and later, use
WhitelistModeand the documented/player <username> whitelist oncommand. - Grant administrator privileges deliberately through console commands or controlled startup commands.
- Back up the configuration and world before edits, migrations, mod changes, or version updates.
- Limit filesystem permissions so ordinary users cannot replace the configuration or world save.
- Review logs after every restart and investigate unknown connection or privilege changes.
Self-hosting decisions that affect this file
Whether the server runs on a home PC, a Linux virtual machine, a container, or managed infrastructure, the same operational questions determine how easy serverconfig.json is to maintain:
| Concern | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows, Linux, and ARM64 support for the server build and any required runtime |
| Data-path control | Which directory actually contains serverconfig.json and the .vcdbs save |
| Backups | Whether configuration and saves can be copied and restored without the process running |
| Networking | Firewall rules, port forwarding, UPnP behavior, and public-listing control |
| Mods | How server-side, universal, and client-side mods are installed and synchronized |
| Resources | RAM and CPU headroom for the selected MaxClients and MaxChunkRadius |
| Administration | Console access, controlled restarts, logs, and permission management |
| Updates | A rollback plan for the server binary, configuration, mods, and world save |
On Linux, a systemd service or container can make restarts and backups repeatable, but it also makes the service’s data path less obvious. Record the path in the service definition and test a restore before relying on automation.
Documented defaults at a glance
| Field | Value | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
Port |
42420 | Official Server Config example |
MaxClients |
16 | Default capacity; higher values require more RAM and CPU |
MaxChunkRadius |
12 | Higher values increase resource use |
ClientConnectionTimeout |
150 seconds | Connection timeout shown in the official example |
The Bottom Line
Edit the serverconfig.json that belongs to the server’s actual data path, stop the process first, validate the JSON, and relaunch before testing. Use top-level server fields for networking and access, WorldConfig for world and generation options, and version-appropriate whitelist commands for player control.
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