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A Linux VPS gives Terraria a public, always-on home, while Docker Compose makes the server reproducible and easy to rebuild. The reliable setup is to publish Terraria’s TCP port 7777, permit that port in both firewall layers, and mount the server’s data directory from the VPS so worlds and configuration survive container replacement.
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This guide covers vanilla Terraria and tModLoader, including unattended startup, UID/GID ownership, backups, updates, and a connection troubleshooting sequence.
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What you need before deploying
Prepare these pieces before creating the container:
- A Linux VPS with a public IPv4 address (and IPv6 if you intend to use it).
- Administrative SSH access. Keep SSH available while changing firewall rules.
- Docker Engine and Docker Compose V2 installed on the VPS. Verify Compose with
docker compose version; the command must use the space-separated Compose V2 syntax. - Terraria server files, or a Docker image that includes the server you intend to run. Choose vanilla for an unmodded server and tModLoader for a modded one.
- A host directory with enough storage for worlds, configuration, mods, logs, and backups.
- Permission to create inbound rules in both the VPS operating-system firewall and the provider’s cloud firewall, security group, or network ACL.
The VPS provider’s acceptable-use policy and game-server policy still apply. Select a data-center or virtual-server plan that offers consistent uptime; LinuxGSM lists Ubuntu 24.04, Debian 11, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 among distributions commonly used for game servers.
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How the Docker deployment is arranged
The VPS runs Docker, Docker runs the Terraria process, and Docker Compose describes the service, port mapping, volume, and restart behavior. A bind mount keeps the important files on the VPS rather than in the container’s writable layer.
Use a project directory such as this:
terraria-server/
├── docker-compose.yml
├── Dockerfile # only if you build an image yourself
├── .env # local secrets or chosen IDs; do not publish it
└── data/
├── Worlds/
├── Mods/ # tModLoader servers
├── enabled.json # tModLoader enabled-mod metadata
├── serverconfig.txt
└── other server filesThe exact subdirectories vary by image. Some images place the data root at /data; others use a tModLoader-specific path. Read the selected image’s documentation and mount its documented data directory. The critical rule is that Worlds, serverconfig.txt, Mods, enabled.json, ban files, and any other state must be below the host path in the volume mapping.
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| Decision | Vanilla server | tModLoader server |
|---|---|---|
| Use it when | Every player uses the unmodded Terraria client. | The world requires mods or tModLoader-specific server features. |
| Client requirement | Players use the matching Terraria release. | Every player uses a compatible tModLoader build and the same enabled mods. |
| Persistent data | Worlds, server configuration, bans, and logs. | All vanilla data plus the Mods directory and enabled-mod metadata such as enabled.json. |
| Upgrade concern | Image or Terraria-version changes can affect saves and connections. | Build changes and mod updates can affect both saves and client compatibility. |
| Operational choice | Use a pinned vanilla image tag when the image project supports version tags. | Use a pinned tModLoader image or release rather than an unqualified rolling tag. |
The tModLoader Dedicated Server Utils documentation describes a Docker workflow based on a Dockerfile, Compose file, a configured UID/GID, and serverconfig.txt for unattended startup. Projects that publish separate vanilla and tModLoader tags also recommend pinning a specific version so an automatic image change does not unexpectedly alter the server or save format.
Create the Compose service
From the project directory, create docker-compose.yml. This is the deployment shape; replace the image value with the pinned image and data path required by that project.
services:
terraria:
image: your-pinned-terraria-or-tmodloader-image:tag
ports:
- "7777:7777/tcp"
volumes:
- ./data:/data
restart: unless-stoppedThe left side of ./data:/data is the persistent directory on the VPS. The right side must match the path used inside the image. If the image expects a different internal directory, change only that right-hand path. Do not remove the /tcp suffix: Terraria’s documented server port is TCP 7777.
Some tModLoader Compose examples define a container user with UID and GID values. Keep those values in the service or its .env file as the image documentation specifies. The process must be able to read and write the mounted files.
Prepare the data directory
- Create the project and data directories:
mkdir -p ~/terraria-server/data. - Copy an existing world,
serverconfig.txt, mods, or other files into the documented locations underdata. If this is a new server, the image can usually create the initial files on first boot. - Set ownership to the UID and GID configured for the container. Substitute the actual values from the image documentation:
sudo chown -R UID:GID ~/terraria-server/data. - Keep
.envreadable only by the administrator if it contains credentials or private settings.
A mismatch between the host ownership and the container’s configured UID/GID commonly produces missing worlds, failed mod writes, or a server that starts without saving changes.
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Use serverconfig.txt for unattended startup
Place serverconfig.txt in the path expected by the image and reference it using the image’s documented environment variable or command option. The file should specify the world and server settings so the process can start without an interactive menu after a reboot. Because variable names differ between projects, copy the exact names from the selected image’s Compose example rather than assuming one universal setting.
Open Terraria’s network port at every layer
Clients connect to the VPS public IP on TCP port 7777. A successful Docker mapping is necessary but not sufficient: the host firewall and the provider’s cloud firewall must also allow the connection.
- In
docker-compose.yml, publish7777:7777/tcp. - In the VPS operating-system firewall, allow inbound TCP 7777. Keep SSH allowed before enabling or reloading the firewall so you do not lock yourself out.
- In the provider control panel, add an inbound cloud-firewall, security-group, or network rule for TCP 7777 to the VPS. Providers often maintain this second firewall independently of the Linux host firewall.
- Do not open unrelated ports. Restrict administration to SSH and expose only the game port required by the server.
Use the VPS public IP address, not a private Docker or host-network address, in the Terraria or tModLoader multiplayer client. If you assign a DNS name, it must resolve to that public address.
Start and verify the server
- Change into the project directory:
cd ~/terraria-server. - Start the service in the background:
docker compose up -d. - Watch startup output:
docker compose logs -f. Look for world loading, the configured port, and a message indicating that the server is ready. Stop following logs withCtrl+C; this does not stop the container. - Check the service state:
docker compose ps. A repeatedly restarting or exited service indicates a process, configuration, permission, or image problem. - Confirm the port mapping with
docker compose port terraria 7777or the equivalent inspection command documented by the image. - Connect from a Terraria client using the VPS public IP and port 7777. For tModLoader, launch the tModLoader client rather than the vanilla client.
For server administration, the tModLoader documentation describes attaching to the console with docker attach and issuing commands with docker exec. Use the method supported by your image; an attach session can send input directly to the server process, while docker exec is useful for a specific command in a running container.
Keep the world when replacing a container
Containers are disposable. The bind-mounted host directory is what preserves the game. If ./data remains intact, docker compose down, image replacement, and container recreation do not remove the files stored there.
Before deleting anything, verify the mount and inspect the host directory. World files should be visible below the VPS project directory, not only inside the container. Keep these items on persistent storage:
- The
Worldsdirectory and every world file. serverconfig.txtand other server configuration.- The
Modsdirectory for tModLoader. enabled.jsonand mod metadata used to reproduce the enabled set.- Ban lists, permissions, TShock data when applicable, and any image-specific persistent files.
Never use docker system prune as a substitute for a backup. Pruning removes unused Docker objects, while your world’s safety depends on an independently stored copy of the host data.
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Run tModLoader reliably
Align the server and every client
All players must use the compatible tModLoader build and the same enabled mod set. A client with one additional mod, a different version, or a different tModLoader build may fail during connection or produce world and gameplay errors. Record the enabled set in the persistent Mods data and distribute the same set to players before inviting them.
Fix UID/GID problems before first boot
The mounted tModLoader folder must be owned by the UID and GID configured in Compose. If the container runs as one numeric identity but the host files belong to another, the process may be unable to create worlds, update mods, or write logs. Apply a recursive ownership change to the mounted directory, then restart the service:
sudo chown -R UID:GID ~/terraria-server/data
docker compose up -dReplace UID:GID with the values required by your selected image. Do not blindly use root ownership if the image is designed to run as an unprivileged user.
Pin the tModLoader release
An unqualified rolling tag can change when the container is recreated. Pin a specific image tag or release when the server’s stability matters. Change that pin deliberately, back up the world first, rebuild, and test a player connection before removing the backup.
Back up worlds before upgrades
Back up the persistent world directory before changing the Docker image, Terraria or tModLoader build, or enabled mod set. A simple archive from the project directory is:
tar czf backup-$(date +%F).tar.gz data/tModLoader/WorldsAdjust the path if your image stores worlds elsewhere. Keep the archive outside the live container and preferably on a different system or storage service. Periodically test restoration by extracting a copy into a separate directory; an archive that has never been restored is only an assumption of recoverability.
Update deliberately
- Announce a maintenance window and stop new players from joining.
- Create and verify a world backup.
- Change the pinned image or tModLoader release in Compose.
- Rebuild as directed by the image or official tModLoader documentation:
docker compose build. - Recreate or start the service with
docker compose up -d. - Follow
docker compose logs -funtil startup completes and check for mod-loading errors. - Connect with a test client. Keep the previous backup until the world and mod set have been verified.
Rebuilding updates the image; it does not update files that live in the persistent bind mount unless the image’s documented startup process explicitly does so.
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Restart behavior and routine operations
Use restart: unless-stopped for a service that should return after a VPS reboot but remain stopped when an administrator intentionally stops it. Some tModLoader examples use restart: always. Choose the policy that matches the image’s shutdown behavior and your maintenance workflow.
Useful routine commands from the project directory include:
docker compose ps— show whether the service is running or restarting.docker compose logs -f— follow startup, shutdown, and mod errors.docker compose restart— restart without changing the image definition.docker compose down— remove the Compose-managed container and network while retaining the bind-mounted host data.docker compose up -d— create or start the service from the current Compose definition.docker exec -it <container-name> <command>— run a command inside a running container when supported by the image.
Replace the container-name and command values with the actual names shown by docker compose ps; keep variable syntax inside the command rather than copying the angle brackets literally.
Troubleshoot connection and startup failures in order
1. The container is not healthy
Run docker compose ps and docker compose logs -f. An exited process, invalid environment variable, missing configuration file, failed world path, or permission error must be fixed before network testing is meaningful.
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Confirm the Compose entry is exactly 7777:7777/tcp and that the server log reports listening on 7777. A container can be running while the game process has failed, so check both Docker’s mapping and the application log.
3. One of the firewalls is blocking traffic
Check the Linux VPS firewall and the provider’s cloud firewall or security group independently. Allow inbound TCP 7777 in both. This two-firewall failure is a frequent reason a server appears healthy locally but cannot be reached by friends.
4. The address or client mode is wrong
Verify that players are using the VPS public IP and port 7777. A vanilla server requires the vanilla Terraria client; a tModLoader server requires the tModLoader client. Do not use a private address from Docker, localhost, or an old VPS address.
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5. tModLoader versions or mods differ
Compare the server’s tModLoader build and enabled mod list with every player’s client. Temporarily disable a newly added mod only after backing up the world, then inspect logs for the first reported dependency or version error.
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Inspect the host-side data directory and verify that the volume points to the path you populated. Check recursive ownership against the container UID/GID. If files exist only inside the old container, copy them to the persistent host directory before recreating anything.
Security and maintenance checklist
- Use SSH keys or another strong SSH policy and keep SSH reachable during firewall changes.
- Expose TCP 7777 and SSH only; do not publish Docker’s management socket or unrelated services.
- Keep the Compose file, image tag, enabled mods, and backup dates documented.
- Back up before every image, tModLoader, Terraria, or mod-set change.
- Store at least one backup away from the VPS and test a restore periodically.
- Review logs after reboots and updates, especially when the restart policy automatically starts the container.
- Pin versions when predictable behavior matters, and schedule upgrades rather than allowing an unqualified image tag to change unexpectedly.
Vanilla or tModLoader: which deployment fits?
Choose vanilla when the group wants the standard game and the fewest moving parts. Choose tModLoader when mods are the reason for hosting the server and everyone can coordinate the same client build and enabled set. In both cases, the non-negotiable infrastructure is identical: a public Linux VPS, Docker Compose, persistent host storage, TCP 7777 permitted through every firewall, and tested backups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run the server without Docker Compose?
Yes, Docker can run a container directly, but Compose keeps the port mapping, volume, restart policy, image pin, and environment settings in one reproducible definition. That makes deliberate rebuilds and recovery easier.
Will deleting the container delete my Terraria world?
Not when the world is stored in the host directory used by the bind mount. Verify that the world is below the mounted path and maintain an independent backup before removing containers.
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Why can I connect locally but not from outside the VPS?
The usual cause is an unopened firewall layer. Confirm TCP 7777 in Docker, the Linux host firewall, and the provider cloud firewall, then verify that the client uses the VPS public IP.
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