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Install the Rust dedicated server into its own directory, select Steam App ID 258550 with the SteamCMD parameter -beta staging, and launch it with the same server configuration you use for a normal Rust server. Every tester must also run the separate Rust – Staging Branch client and select its staging beta. A public Rust client and a staging server are different versions, so a branch mismatch is the most common reason the server does not appear or accept connections.
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What the Rust staging branch is
Facepunch describes the Staging Branch as a separate version of Rust where new updates and features are tested before release to the main game. It is intended for testing and feedback, not for an uninterrupted production community. Staging builds can change before they reach the public branch, and test servers may restart or update frequently.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe branch also follows its own wipe schedule. Facepunch says staging map wipes occur one week before regular Rust wipes. Treat anything built on a staging map as temporary, and tell testers that a wipe or forced update can occur as part of the test cycle.
There is no authoritative, universal staging performance or uptime benchmark. Your results depend on the server hardware, operating system, plugins, map and the particular build being tested.
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Plan the installation before changing branches
Use a dedicated directory
Choose an empty directory for the staging server, or create a separate directory beside an existing public server. Keeping the branches separate prevents a staging update from replacing files used by a live public instance and makes rollback straightforward. If you intend to run both branches at the same time, each instance needs its own installation and its own launch configuration.
Back up the data that matters
Before installing or switching a branch, copy your server configuration, identity and save data to a safe location. A branch change can involve a large download, a wipe or an incompatible update. A backup lets you restore the configuration or recover a save if the test build does not behave as expected.
Decide who will test
Everyone connecting to the server must be able to install the staging client and tolerate experimental behavior. Schedule maintenance around the possibility of frequent updates and restarts rather than promising the availability you would normally expect from a public server.
Install the Rust staging server with SteamCMD
- Install SteamCMD. Use the SteamCMD package appropriate for the operating system that hosts your dedicated server. Point SteamCMD at the empty or dedicated staging-server directory you selected.
- Start SteamCMD and authenticate anonymously. The Rust dedicated server is available through the anonymous SteamCMD login; no personal Steam account is required for this server download.
- Select the staging branch and install it. At the SteamCMD prompt, run:
app_update 258550 -beta staging
App ID 258550 identifies the Rust dedicated server, and-beta stagingselects the staging branch. Let SteamCMD finish before attempting to launch the server. - Confirm that SteamCMD finishes without an update error. If the command stops partway through, correct the SteamCMD or directory problem and run the same update command again. Do not invite testers until the installation has completed.
- Keep the branch selection explicit in maintenance scripts. Any scheduled update that is meant for this installation should continue to target the staging branch. Facepunch notes that only one listed branch should be chosen for an installation; do not try to combine public and staging selectors in one update operation.
The command above installs the current staging build offered through SteamCMD at the time you run it. Branch availability and build contents can change, so record the date and build information shown by your installation if you need to reproduce a test.
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Start the server
Launch the installed server with the same launch configuration used for a normal Rust dedicated server. Keep your usual identity, map, networking and administration settings unless the test itself requires a change. The staging selector belongs to the SteamCMD installation step; it does not require a special replacement for your ordinary server launch process.
Start the server before asking players to connect, then watch the console or service log until the process has completed its normal startup sequence. A successful process start does not prove that clients are compatible, so perform a real connection test with a staging client before opening the server to a larger group.
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Install and select the staging client
- Open Steam Library. Find Rust – Staging Branch, the separate staging entry supplied by Facepunch.
- Install or launch that entry. Do not use the ordinary Rust shortcut for this test.
- Open its properties. In Steam, open the staging game’s Properties window and choose Betas.
- Select the branch named
staging. Choosestagingfrom the branch list and allow Steam to download every required file before launching. - Connect with the staging client. Use the server’s normal connection method after the server has finished starting. A normal Rust client may not reliably discover or join a staging server because the two versions are separate.
Every tester needs the same client branch. If one person remains on public Rust, that person can appear to have a server, network or firewall problem when the actual issue is simply the version mismatch.
Switching to an auxiliary branch such as aux01 or aux02
Facepunch sometimes publishes short-lived auxiliary branches for focused tests. Names such as aux01 and aux02 are not permanent channels; an older announcement does not guarantee that the same name is available today.
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Client procedure
- Open Steam Library and select Rust – Staging Branch.
- Open Properties, then Betas.
- Select the exact auxiliary name currently listed, such as
aux01oraux02. - Wait for Steam to finish downloading, then launch the staging client.
Server procedure
Install the matching server branch with SteamCMD. For example, when Facepunch has made aux01 available, use:
app_update 258550 -beta aux01
Replace aux01 with the exact branch name shown in the current Steam client and current Facepunch announcement. The server and every client must use the same auxiliary name. If the name is absent from Steam’s Betas list, do not assume that a remembered command will work; wait for a currently published branch or use the regular staging branch.
Public Rust versus staging: choose the right branch
| Consideration | Public branch | Staging branch |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Stable release intended for normal play and live communities. | Pre-release testing of updates and features before they reach the main game. |
| Client compatibility | Requires the ordinary Rust client. | Requires the separate Rust – Staging Branch client with the matching beta selected. |
| Update and restart behavior | Follows the normal public release cadence. | May update and restart frequently during testing. |
| Wipe timing | Uses the regular Rust wipe schedule. | Facepunch says staging map wipes occur one week before regular Rust wipes. |
| Plugins and procedures | Designed around the public release you support. | Unreleased changes can break plugins or invalidate test procedures; compatibility is not guaranteed. |
Use staging when the goal is to test an upcoming feature, collect feedback or reproduce a problem before public release. Use public for a community that needs predictable availability. A staging server is not a drop-in performance test: official material does not provide a universal benchmark comparing the two branches.
Troubleshoot a staging server that does not appear or accept connections
Check the branch on both sides first
Facepunch support identifies the correct client version as the first check when servers do not appear. Confirm that the server was installed with -beta staging (or the exact auxiliary selector) and that the player launched Rust – Staging Branch with the corresponding beta selected. A normal Rust client and a staging server are not interchangeable.
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Check that Steam has finished downloading
Steam can show a branch selection while files are still downloading. On the client, wait for the staging download to finish before launching. On the server, let SteamCMD complete the app_update operation and check its output for an error before restarting the service.
Check for a branch that no longer exists
Auxiliary branches are release-specific. If aux01 or another name is missing from the current Betas list, the server cannot be kept on that branch through a guessed or historical command. Select a branch that Facepunch currently publishes, and update all clients to that same choice.
Check restart timing
Staging test servers may update and restart frequently. A server that disappears briefly can be following the test cadence rather than failing permanently. Monitor the server process and schedule automated jobs or test sessions around planned maintenance windows.
Check the launch configuration after an update
Start the staging installation with the same launch configuration used by the public server. If the process starts but behaves differently, compare the configuration and data backups you made before the branch change. Do not assume that a third-party plugin supports an unreleased build.
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Return the installation to the public branch
Back up configuration and save data before switching. Then use the public branch parameter documented by Facepunch:
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app_update 258550 -beta public
Explicitly selecting public may be needed to return an installation to the default branch after it has been moved to a newer build. Let SteamCMD finish, then start the server with the public launch configuration and test it with the ordinary Rust client.
If the installation is confused after multiple branch changes, Facepunch also documents removing the Rust steamapps folder and reinstalling the desired branch. This is a destructive maintenance step: preserve your configuration and save backups first, and make sure you are deleting the folder inside the intended server directory rather than another Steam installation.
Run public and staging servers side by side
- Create separate server directories, one for public and one for staging.
- Install each directory with its own SteamCMD branch selector.
- Keep separate configuration and save-data locations so a test wipe or update cannot overwrite the live server.
- Use distinct launch settings where necessary for the two processes, and document which branch each service starts.
- Test each service with the matching client before advertising either address.
Side-by-side directories are safer than repeatedly converting one installation when you need a persistent public server and a disposable test environment. They also make it easier to compare behavior without claiming that the two branches have identical performance.
A practical staging maintenance routine
Before an update
- Confirm the intended branch name in the current Steam Betas list and Facepunch announcement.
- Back up configuration and save data.
- Tell testers that the branch may wipe, restart or change without the public release schedule.
- Check whether your plugins and test scripts are safe to run on an unreleased build.
After an update
- Run the matching SteamCMD
app_updatecommand and wait for completion. - Update every tester’s client to the same branch and wait for Steam to finish.
- Verify the server and client report the expected build or branch.
- Make a controlled connection test before inviting the full tester group.
- Record any plugin, configuration or map behavior that changed so it can be reproduced after the next update.
When ending the test
- Decide whether the server should remain on staging, move to public or be removed.
- Preserve logs and backups needed for bug reports.
- Use the public selector or a clean reinstall for a public return rather than mixing files from both branches.
What testers should expect
Staging is useful precisely because it is ahead of the public release, but that also means interruptions and incompatibilities are normal risks. Facepunch’s official staging-test announcement is dated 04 April 2017, and later staging cycles continue to be release-specific rather than governed by a permanent auxiliary-branch promise. Explain the temporary nature of the server before testers join, especially if they are bringing builds, progress or plugins they cannot easily replace.
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Quick Recap
Final verification checklist
- The server directory is dedicated to the intended branch.
- SteamCMD used Rust server App ID 258550.
- The server update used
-beta stagingor the currently published auxiliary selector. - The server starts with the normal Rust dedicated-server launch configuration.
- Every tester installed Rust – Staging Branch and selected the matching beta in Properties → Betas.
- Steam and SteamCMD finished downloading before the connection test.
- Backups exist for configuration and save data.
- Testers know that staging wipes and restarts can occur ahead of public Rust.
- Plugins and test procedures have been checked for unreleased-build risk.
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