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Godlike.Host offers hosted Starbound servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.
Install Starbound server mods in the dedicated server’s /mods directory, restart the server, and give every player the same mod files and versions. For Steam Workshop content, subscribe in Steam, open steamapps/workshop/content/211820/<WorkshopID>, copy each contents.pak to a staging folder, rename it uniquely, and upload it. For mods from other sources, upload the extracted .pak file or the complete unpacked mod folder. Back up the universe and configuration first: a bad or incompatible mod can crash the server or damage a world.
What does a Starbound server mod installation actually require?
A dedicated Starbound server loads mods when it starts. The normal, portable arrangement is to place each packaged .pak file or complete unpacked mod folder in the server’s /mods directory, then restart the process. The server administrator and every connecting player must use matching mod files and versions; otherwise the game can reject the connection with an asset-digest mismatch or behave unpredictably.
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The exact file-management method depends on where the server runs. A managed host generally gives you a web file manager, FTP/SFTP access and a restart control. A self-hosted server requires you to locate the installation used by the dedicated-server executable and perform those operations yourself. The mod layout and compatibility rules are the same in either case.
What should I do before changing the mod set?
Make a rollback copy before adding, removing or updating anything. A backup lets you restore a known-good universe and configuration if a mod conflicts with another mod, changes world data or prevents the server from starting.
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Back up the universe and configuration
Stop the server or otherwise ensure that no process is writing to the files, then copy the server’s universe data and configuration to a separate location. Keep the backup outside the live installation and label it with the date and the mod set it represents. Do not overwrite the only backup when testing a new collection.
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Prepare a staging folder
For Workshop files, use a temporary folder outside Steam’s Workshop tree. Copy files there before renaming or uploading them. Staging prevents an upload mistake from changing Steam’s local copy and makes it easier to verify that every file was copied completely.
Record the intended set
Write down each mod’s name, source and version, along with the filename you plan to use on the server. This simple inventory helps you compare the server and client sets later and identify which item was added or updated when a problem appears.
How do I install a mod in the server’s /mods directory?
Use this workflow for both managed and self-hosted servers. The server must be stopped while files are being replaced, and it must be restarted before the new content is loaded.
- Stop the server. Use the host panel’s Stop control, or stop the dedicated-server process on a machine you administer. Uploading into a running installation can leave a partial file or an inconsistent load.
- Open the correct
/modsdirectory. In a host panel, open the file manager and navigate to the Starbound server’s/modsfolder. On a self-hosted machine, use the/modsfolder belonging to the installation that actually launches the dedicated server, not a separate client copy. - Upload the mod in a supported layout. A packaged mod is a single
.pakfile. An unpacked mod is a complete folder whose internal structure must remain intact. Upload the folder as a folder; do not move all of its inner files directly into/mods. - Check names and completeness. Each packaged file needs a distinct filename so one upload cannot overwrite another. Confirm that the transfer finished and that the file size is plausible before proceeding.
- Restart the server. Starbound reads the
/modsdirectory during startup. A mod copied while the process is running will not become active until the server is restarted. - Read the startup output. The console or log normally identifies loaded mods and reports parsing, missing-file or other loading errors. Resolve an error before inviting players to connect.
- Synchronize clients. Install the same mod files and versions for every player, and remove extra files from a client’s local
/modsdirectory when comparing sets.
How do I install Starbound Steam Workshop mods?
Steam stores a subscribed Starbound Workshop item in a numbered directory rather than in the server’s normal /mods layout. Copying and uniquely renaming its contents.pak is the predictable method for dedicated servers and works across most hosting panels.
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Subscribe to the item in Steam and wait until Steam reports that the download is complete. Starting the copy before the download finishes can produce an incomplete package that the server cannot parse.
2. Open Starbound’s Workshop content directory
Browse to the Starbound installation’s Workshop tree:
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steamapps/workshop/content/211820/
211820 is Starbound’s Steam application ID. Inside that directory, each subscribed item has a folder named with its numeric Workshop ID. Open the numbered folder for the mod you want to deploy.
3. Locate and copy contents.pak
Find the file named contents.pak in the Workshop-ID folder. Copy it to the staging folder you prepared earlier. Work on the copy, not the file that Steam manages.
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4. Give the copy a unique filename
Rename the staged file to the Workshop ID or another descriptive, unique name, while retaining the .pak extension. For example, a filename based on the numeric ID prevents two different Workshop items from both being uploaded as contents.pak and overwriting each other. Use one consistent naming scheme for the whole server.
5. Upload and restart
Upload the renamed file to the server’s /mods directory, repeat the process for every Workshop mod, then restart the server. Check startup output for each item and correct any parsing error before testing a client connection.
Can I upload the numbered Workshop folders instead?
Some panels can scan the original numbered folders, but hosting instructions generally recommend extracting or renaming each contents.pak into a straightforward /mods layout. The copied-file method is easier to move between providers, makes filenames unambiguous and gives you explicit control over the files that the server loads.
How do I install a non-Workshop mod?
Obtain the mod from its author or the official community repository, then inspect the downloaded archive before uploading it. Starbound’s loader accepts either a packaged .pak file or an unpacked mod directory.
Packaged download
If the archive contains a .pak file, extract it locally and upload that file to /mods. Keep a distinctive filename and do not leave two versions of the same mod in the directory.
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Unpacked download
If the archive contains a mod folder rather than a package, extract the complete folder and upload it to /mods. Preserve the author’s internal paths and files. Flattening the folder, or uploading only a subdirectory, can make the loader report missing assets even though the files appear to be present.
After extraction
Remove archive files that the loader does not use, such as the original compressed download, unless the author specifically requires them. Restart the server and inspect the startup output; a clean upload is not proof that the mod parsed correctly.
Should I make the server read Workshop files directly through sbinit.config?
A direct Workshop path can avoid copying every package, but it relies on an older community workaround and gives up some portability. For most servers, copying renamed packages into /mods is the safer default.
A Chucklefish forum tutorial from 2016 documents adding this entry under assetDirectories in sbinit.config:
"..\..\..\workshop\content\211820\"That setting tells the dedicated server to scan the Workshop content tree. It is not a current vendor guarantee, so a game, host panel or directory layout change can make the path fail. Relative paths can also behave differently when a host launches the server from a different working directory.
Another Chucklefish modding guide explains why administrators often move and rename contents.pak files into /mods: the arrangement is easier to carry to another machine and gives you clearer control over which files are loaded. Use the direct path only when you understand its path and update implications, can edit and restore sbinit.config, and have a reason not to maintain copied packages.
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Do players need exactly the same Starbound mods?
Yes. Players should have the same mod files and versions as the server. Matching names alone are not enough if one side has an older package, a different unpacked folder or an extra file that changes loaded assets.
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What is an asset-digest mismatch?
Starbound calculates a digest from the assets it loads. If the client’s digest differs from the server’s, the connection can fail with an “assets digest mismatch” message. Compare the server and client mod inventories, game versions, filenames and load paths rather than assuming that a successful upload means the sets match.
Should I disable checkAssetsDigest?
The historical checkAssetsDigest setting exists to detect mismatched loaded assets. Disabling the check may allow a connection, but it can also conceal genuinely different content and leave players with inconsistent behavior. Treat it as a diagnostic or compatibility decision, not as a substitute for synchronizing the files.
How should a server administrator distribute client files?
Give players the same package versions that the server uses and tell them when a mod is replaced. If a client has additional files in its local /mods directory, remove those extras while diagnosing a mismatch so the comparison is meaningful.
What is different on a managed host and a self-hosted server?
The installation sequence is identical; the difference is who supplies file access and process controls.
| Task | Managed host | Self-hosted server |
|---|---|---|
| Stop and start | Use the provider panel’s stop and restart controls. | Stop and launch the dedicated-server process yourself. |
Locate /mods |
Open the panel file manager, or connect with the provider’s FTP/SFTP details. | Find the Starbound installation used by your server executable. |
| Transfer files | Upload through the file manager or FTP/SFTP. | Copy files locally or transfer them to the machine by your chosen administration method. |
| Read errors | Open the panel console or log viewer. | Read the dedicated-server console and its log files. |
| Recover | Restore your saved universe and configuration through the panel or file access. | Replace the live files with your own backup and restart the process. |
Managed hosting reduces the amount of operating-system administration, but it does not remove the need to stop before an upload, retain backups or keep client files synchronized. Self-hosting gives you direct control over paths and versions, while making every backup, transfer and restart your responsibility.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which installation method is best: Workshop copying, manual files or a direct path?
Choose based on how much version control and portability you need, not merely on where the mod was published.
| Method | Strength | Trade-off | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
Copy and rename Workshop contents.pak |
Predictable /mods layout and explicit filenames. |
Requires a copy whenever the Workshop item updates. | Most dedicated servers and hosted panels. |
Upload a manually sourced .pak or folder |
Administrator controls the exact version and file set. | You must track updates and preserve unpacked folder structure. | Servers that need pinned versions or author-provided files. |
Direct sbinit.config Workshop path |
Avoids duplicate package copies. | Older community workaround; path and compatibility depend on the launch environment. | Administrators who deliberately manage the configuration and accept the maintenance risk. |
Workshop subscriptions are convenient because Steam handles downloads and updates on the subscribing computer. Manual deployment is more deliberate: it lets you keep a known package while deciding when an update reaches the server. In either case, the server and clients must be brought to the same version before play.
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How do I troubleshoot a Starbound mod that will not load?
Change one variable at a time and use the startup log as your first source of evidence. Removing all mods and adding them back individually is slower than guessing, but it identifies the conflicting item reliably.
- Read the startup message. Note the mod name, path and parsing or missing-file error shown by the server console or log.
- Stop the server and remove the newest change. Take out the mod that was most recently added or updated, then restart. If the server works again, that item or its interaction with another item is implicated.
- Recheck Workshop transfers. Confirm that every
contents.pakwas copied completely from its numbered Workshop folder and renamed uniquely. An incomplete transfer or an accidental overwrite can look like a mod incompatibility. - Compare both sides. Check client and server mod files, versions, filenames, game versions and load paths. Remove extra client files while testing so an unrelated local mod does not change the digest.
- Test one mod at a time. Disable the complete set, start the server, then enable one mod and test. Continue one at a time until the failing item or combination is identified. The official Starbound Support FAQ recommends this isolation approach: “If you’re using mods and having issues – first try disabling all mods to identify if they may be a factor, then enable one test which may be causing the error.”
- Restore when necessary. If an update caused crashes or world errors, stop testing, restore the backed-up universe and configuration, and contact the mod’s author with the relevant log details.
Common symptoms and likely checks
- The server starts but the mod has no effect: verify that the file is in the active server’s
/modsdirectory, that an unpacked folder was not flattened, and that the server was restarted after upload. - The server reports a parse or load error: re-copy the package, check that the archive was extracted as required, and remove the newest mod before testing the remainder.
- Players receive an asset-digest mismatch: compare exact files and versions on both sides, including extra client files and different load paths.
- The server crashes after an update: remove the updated item, restore the last known-good backup if the universe is affected, and test the update separately before returning it to the live set.
How can I maintain a modded server safely?
Maintenance is mostly disciplined file and version management. Keep the live set small enough to audit, and make every change reversible.
- Keep a dated backup of the universe and configuration before each mod addition or update.
- Maintain a plain inventory of filenames, sources and versions for the server and clients.
- Use unique names for copied Workshop packages so a second upload cannot silently replace the first.
- Do not mix an old and new copy of the same mod in
/mods. - Stop the server before replacing files and restart after the complete transfer.
- Read startup output after every change rather than waiting for a player to report a failure.
- When an update is suspect, test it alone with a backup instead of changing several mods simultaneously.
- Tell players when the server’s set changes and provide the matching files or versions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I update a Workshop mod while the Starbound server is running?
Do not replace a package in the live /mods directory while the server is active. Stop the server, stage and verify the new copy, upload it, then restart so Starbound reads one complete version during startup.
What should I do if Steam has several folders with similar Workshop IDs?
Open each numbered folder and identify the one containing the intended mod’s contents.pak; the folder number is the Workshop item ID, not a version label. Keep your own filename inventory so you can associate the copied package with the correct mod and avoid deploying an obsolete subscription.
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The supported layouts are an author-provided packaged file or the complete unpacked folder. Unless the author documents a packaging procedure, leave the folder structure unchanged rather than creating a package that may omit required paths.
Can I recover a universe after a mod damages it?
Stop the server immediately and restore the dated universe and configuration backup made before the change. Keep the problematic mod disabled while testing, because restarting with the same incompatible files can write further changes before you isolate the cause.
Why does a mod work for me locally but not on the dedicated server?
A local client may be loading Workshop content through Steam while the dedicated server only scans its own /mods directory. Copy the package into the server layout, confirm the startup log sees it, and then match that exact file on every client.
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