To host a modded Terraria world, install the dedicated-server files for the same tModLoader release your players use, place an identical mod list on the server and every client, point the server at a world file, then expose the listening port to remote players. The current official Dedicated Server Utils documentation supports two deployment methods: a Docker container or a management script run directly on Windows, Linux, or macOS.
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The sequence below covers both methods, reproducible Workshop modpacks, headless operation, port forwarding, updates, and the failure points that commonly prevent friends from joining.
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Before you install: compatibility and prerequisites
Every participant must run a compatible tModLoader version and the same enabled mod set. A server can start while a client is missing a mod, using a different mod version, or loading a different dependency, but that client will normally be rejected or encounter errors when it joins. Treat the tModLoader build, enabled mods, and mod versions as one matched release.
- Check the CPU architecture first. The current official documentation states: “Currently ARM support does not exist for TML or the Dedicated Server.” An ARM VPS, Raspberry Pi, or ARM home server should therefore not be assumed to work. Use a supported x86 or x64 machine.
- Choose a host that can remain online. A home PC is suitable for a small group if it stays powered on and your upload connection is reliable. A paid game-server provider avoids leaving your own computer running, but you must verify that the provider supports the required tModLoader release and mod files.
- Have administrative access. You will need permission to install SteamCMD, Docker, or the management script, create directories, edit configuration files, and open a firewall or router rule.
- Keep a world backup. Copy both the
.wldworld file and its companion.twldfile, when present, before changing mods or updating tModLoader.
The dedicated-server wiki page was marked last modified on 11 March 2026, but it also warns that its older walkthrough is outdated for 1.4.4 dedicated servers. Use the current Dedicated Server Utils documentation for installation details and use the wiki as a reference for practical launch and networking settings.
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Choose Docker or the management script
Both routes run the same dedicated server. The difference is how the files and updates are managed.
| Choice | Isolation | File access and control | Updates | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Docker and Compose | The container isolates tModLoader from the host operating system. | Persistent Mods, Worlds, and configuration directories are mounted for you; host-level access is less direct. | Rebuild the image and recreate the container. Use a no-cache rebuild if a normal rebuild does not refresh the image. | Public operators or anyone who already administers Docker. |
| Management script | Runs directly on the host, with no container boundary. | Direct access to every file and more control over the installation. | The script can update tModLoader and mods together, or update either one separately. | Admins who want simple file access and hands-on control. |
Docker is not inherently required for a dedicated server. Conversely, the management script is not a graphical launcher: you still edit text configuration and supervise a long-running process. Pick one route and keep its directory layout consistent; do not mix files from unrelated installations.
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Make one top-level directory for the server and create these subdirectories:
tModLoader-server/
├── Mods/
│ ├── enabled.json
│ ├── install.txt
│ └── (local .tmod files, if any)
├── Worlds/
│ ├── your_world.wld
│ └── your_world.twld
├── serverconfig.txt
└── tmlversion.txtMods stores local .tmod files and the two files used to reproduce a Workshop modpack. Worlds stores Terraria world files. serverconfig.txt is optional but is the easiest way to make launches repeatable. tmlversion.txt is optional and pins a specific tModLoader version when the management workflow supports it. The management process may also create its own server and Steam Workshop directories; leave those in the location chosen by the installer.
Install tModLoader with the management script
The management route can obtain tModLoader through SteamCMD or from the latest GitHub release. Run the installer from the directory where you want the server files to live.
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Install from SteamCMD
- Install SteamCMD for your operating system and make sure the executable is available to the management script.
- Run the documented command, replacing the placeholder with the Steam account name permitted to download the files:
install-tml --username your_steam_username - When prompted for authentication or a Steam Guard code, complete the sign-in. Keep the account credentials off shared scripts and chat logs.
Install from the GitHub release
To use the latest release supplied by the project instead of SteamCMD, run:
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install-tml --githubIf the server must stay on a specific or legacy build, place the desired value in tmlversion.txt or set the documented TMLVERSION value before installation. Pinning is useful when a mod collection has not yet been updated for a newer tModLoader build.
Install with Docker and Compose
Docker is useful when you want the server isolated from the host and reproducible through a Compose file.
- Install Docker Engine or Docker Desktop with Compose support on a supported x86/x64 host.
- Download the project Dockerfile and Compose file supplied by the official Dedicated Server Utils documentation.
- Open
docker-compose.ymland set the container user ID and group ID (UIDandGID) to values appropriate for the host account that should own the persistent files. - Place the Compose file and Dockerfile in the server directory, then start the service:
docker compose up -d - On first start, the documented setup creates
ModsandWorldsdirectories if they do not already exist. Stop the container before copying a large world or replacing the mod set, then start it again.
Keep the host directories that Compose mounts into the container. Deleting a container is safe only when those persistent directories remain intact; deleting the mounted directories deletes your worlds and mod configuration.
Reproduce the exact mod list
Do not build the server’s mod list by guessing from human-readable Workshop names. The server workflow identifies Workshop content through files generated by the tModLoader client.
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Export a modpack from a client
- Launch tModLoader on a client that already has the desired collection.
- Open Workshop, then Mod Packs.
- Choose Save Enabled as New Mod Pack.
- Open the newly created modpack folder and locate
Mods/install.txtandMods/enabled.json. - Copy both files into the dedicated server’s
Modsdirectory. Preserve the filenames and JSON/text contents.
enabled.json records which mods are enabled and their load order. install.txt gives the management workflow the Workshop items it must obtain. Copy any private or locally built .tmod files into the same Mods directory; every client that joins must have an equivalent file.
Install Workshop mods on the server
After copying the two files, run the management script’s mod installation operation:
install-modsAllow it to finish before launching the world. If a mod is unavailable, renamed, or requires another dependency, the command output will identify the missing item. Correct the client modpack, copy the revised files, and run the operation again rather than manually enabling a partial list.
Keep clients synchronized
Distribute the same modpack files or an equivalent Workshop modpack to every player. Have clients disable unrelated mods before connecting. A server-side copy of enabled.json is not enough if a client has a different version of one of the listed mods.
Configure the world and server
Copy the example serverconfig.txt supplied with the installation and edit it with a plain-text editor. The following settings are the ones most administrators need.
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| Setting | Purpose and accepted use |
|---|---|
worldname |
Name used when the server must autocreate a new world. |
world |
Exact path to an existing or new .wld file. In Docker, use a container path such as /tModLoader/Worlds/your_world.wld, not the host’s path. |
autocreate=1 |
Creates a world when the selected world does not exist. Use this only when you intentionally want a new world. |
maxplayers |
Maximum concurrent players for this server configuration. The wiki reference lists a range of 1 to 255. An Official Terraria Wiki search result reports a current default maximum of 16 for dedicated servers; verify the default for the exact game and tModLoader version you installed instead of assuming either figure. |
port |
TCP listening port. The walkthrough uses 7777 as the default. If you choose another value, use that same value in the firewall, router rule, and client connection. |
password |
Password required to join. Leave it unset only when an intentionally public server is appropriate. |
npcstream |
Controls NPC streaming behavior described by the server configuration reference; retain the example value unless you have a reason to tune it. |
modpath |
Overrides the directory from which the server loads mods. Use it only when your Mods folder is not in the normal installation path. |
modpack |
Selects a modpack configuration when more than one is available. |
A minimal configuration for an existing Docker world could look like this:
world=/tModLoader/Worlds/your_world.wld
port=7777
maxplayers=8
password=choose-a-strong-passwordDo not add a Windows host path such as C:Games... to a Docker configuration. The process inside the container can see only the mounted container directories.
Launch the dedicated server
Windows
Run start-tModLoaderServer.bat from the installation directory. If you keep settings in a configuration file, pass the world and config explicitly when needed:
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start-tModLoaderServer.bat -world "C:pathtoyour_world.wld" -config serverconfig.txt -nosteamThe exact path must match the file on disk. Use -nosteam when you want the non-Steam server mode described by the walkthrough.
Linux or macOS
Run the shell launcher:
./start-tModLoaderServer.sh -world /path/to/your_world.wld -config serverconfig.txt -nosteamMake the script executable first if your operating system reports a permission error. For a server accessed over SSH, start it inside screen or tmux. These terminal multip multiplexer sessions keep the process alive after your SSH window closes:
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- Start a named session with your chosen tool.
- Run
start-tModLoaderServer.shinside that session. - Detach without stopping the process.
- Reconnect later and attach to the session to read the console or issue a shutdown command.
Prevent unattended startup prompts
For a machine that reboots or runs without a logged-in user, define the Steam mode and an explicit .wld world path. Supplying -world and -config, or placing those values in serverconfig.txt, prevents the server from pausing for interactive world-selection questions.
Open the port for remote players
Players on the same local network can usually connect to the host’s private IP address. Players on another network need a router rule that forwards the server port to the computer running tModLoader. The wiki’s wording is direct: “If you want other people to connect to your server from another network, you must open up the port your server will run on.”
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- Allow the chosen port through the host operating system’s firewall for the tModLoader server process. The walkthrough uses port
7777. - In the router’s port-forwarding page, create a rule for the same external and internal port and target the host’s private IP address.
- If you changed
portinserverconfig.txt, forward that new number instead of7777. - Start the server, then have a player outside your home network test the connection using your public address and the selected port.
Do not publish your router password or expose unrelated administrative ports. If local players can join but remote players cannot, the usual causes are an incorrect private IP, a blocked host firewall rule, a router rule pointing at the wrong device, or carrier-grade NAT that prevents inbound forwarding.
Connect clients and verify the setup
Start the server first and wait until its console reports that the world is loaded and it is listening. On each client, enable the same tModLoader version and modpack, then use Terraria’s multiplayer option to connect to the host address and port. A client on the same network should use the host’s private address; an internet player should use the public address and the forwarded port.
- If the client reports missing mods, compare
enabled.json,install.txt, and every local.tmodfile. - If the client reports a version mismatch, pin or install the same tModLoader release on both sides.
- If the client times out, test the server locally first, then check the firewall and router forwarding.
- If the world prompt appears on a headless machine, add an explicit
-worldpath and ensure the file exists where the server process expects it.
Update without breaking the world
The management script’s install operation updates tModLoader and installed mods together. Separate operations are available when you want to update only mods or only tModLoader. Update deliberately: a mod that works on one tModLoader build may fail on another.
- Stop the server cleanly and back up the
.wldand.twldfiles. - Record the current tModLoader version and copy the current
Modsdirectory. - Update either the server and clients together, or leave both on the pinned version.
- Regenerate and redistribute the modpack files if the enabled list changes.
- Start the server and inspect the console for load errors before inviting players.
For Docker, rebuild the container after changing the image or tModLoader version, then start it again. If a normal rebuild still uses stale layers, perform a no-cache rebuild before bringing the service up. Keep the mounted Mods and Worlds directories so updates do not replace your saves.
Home hosting or a paid provider?
Running the server at home gives you direct control over files and avoids a recurring hosting bill, but the host PC, power, upload bandwidth, and router must remain available. You also handle operating-system updates, backups, firewall rules, and troubleshooting.
A dedicated game-server provider charges for a machine that remains online and usually supplies a web console, automated restarts, and network connectivity. Before paying, verify that the service allows tModLoader dedicated servers, the specific 1.4.4-era build you need, custom Workshop or local .tmod files, and the player limit and port settings your group requires. Provider compatibility and terms change, so confirm them at the time of purchase.
Quick Recap
Operational checklist
- Use an x86/x64 host; current official documentation says ARM support is unavailable.
- Choose Docker for isolation or the management script for direct file control.
- Create persistent
ModsandWorldsdirectories. - Install the intended tModLoader version and pin it when necessary.
- Export Workshop → Mod Packs → Save Enabled as New Mod Pack.
- Copy
install.txtandenabled.jsoninto the server’sModsdirectory, then runinstall-mods. - Point
worldat the correct.wldpath and useautocreate=1only for a new world. - Set
port,password, andmaxplayersdeliberately; the walkthrough’s default port is7777. - Launch with the platform script and explicit
-world,-config, and (when appropriate)-nosteamarguments. - Run Linux or macOS servers inside
screenortmuxwhen working over SSH. - Forward the selected port to the host and permit it through the host firewall.
- Back up both world files before updates, and update clients and server as one compatibility set.
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