Update a tModLoader Terraria server by stopping it, backing up the complete installation and world data, then running the updater that matches your goal: install-tml for tModLoader only, install for tModLoader plus installed mods, or install-mods for mods only. Docker administrators should rebuild the image with docker compose build. Afterward, verify the reported tModLoader build and enabled mod list against a client before players reconnect.
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Choose the update scope before touching the server
tModLoader, the enabled mods, the mod configuration and the Terraria worlds are separate pieces. Updating one piece can make another incompatible, so decide what you intend to change first. The tModLoader Dedicated Server Utils documentation distinguishes three commands:
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|---|---|---|---|
| Update only tModLoader | ./manage-tModLoaderServer.sh install-tml --username your_steam_username |
The tModLoader server installation; installed mods are not intentionally refreshed. | You need a newer loader build while keeping the current mod versions for a controlled compatibility test. |
| Update tModLoader and installed mods | ./manage-tModLoaderServer.sh install |
The loader and the mods managed by the installation. | You are adopting a new modpack or a loader release and have checked every enabled mod. |
| Update only mods | ./manage-tModLoaderServer.sh install-mods |
Mod files, without deliberately replacing the tModLoader build. | The loader is known-good and a mod author has released a compatible fix. |
| Update a Docker deployment | docker compose build |
The image, including the tModLoader and mods supplied by that image definition. | The server is maintained through Docker Compose rather than a host installation. |
Do not run an update while the dedicated server is writing a world. A clean shutdown and a rollback copy are more valuable than a quick command.
Before the update: make a rollback point
Stop the server cleanly
- Tell connected players that maintenance is starting and prevent new connections.
- Use the server’s normal shutdown command or stop action so the world and player files are flushed.
- Confirm that the server process has exited before replacing files. A terminal prompt returning is not enough if a service manager is restarting the process.
Back up every stateful component
Create a dated backup outside the directory that will be replaced. Include the world files, player files, server configuration, mod configuration, modpack files and the complete current tModLoader installation. Keeping only the world is insufficient: a rollback also needs the loader and the exact mod set that created the world’s current state.
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- Worlds: all worlds used by the server, including backups the server relies on.
- Players: server-side player data and any associated character files.
- Configuration: server settings, launch parameters and permissions.
- Mod state: enabled-mod definitions, configuration files and the downloaded mod files.
- Installation: the entire pre-update server directory, or a Docker image tag and volume snapshot if the server is containerized.
Label the backup with the old tModLoader build and date. Do not delete it until players have completed a successful session on the new build. If the update fails, stop the server, restore the old installation and state files together, and test the restored copy before reopening access.
Find the installation and identify how it is managed
The command examples in this guide assume the official management script is in the server’s installation directory. Change into that directory before running it. On Linux, use the shell’s current-directory command to confirm where you are; on Windows, open the folder that contains the script in the terminal or use the equivalent path in your service definition.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchDistinguish the installation source before choosing a procedure:
- Script-managed SteamCMD or GitHub installation: the directory contains
manage-tModLoaderServer.sh. The script can install from SteamCMD or GitHub according to its documented options. - Docker Compose: the server is defined by a Compose file and normally stores worlds and configuration in mounted volumes. Do not modify a host installation and expect the container to use it unless the Compose file explicitly mounts that path.
- Manually assembled files: there may be no management script. Record the current build and mod files, then follow the distribution’s documented update method; do not guess which files can be safely replaced.
Record the current tModLoader build, enabled mod list and the location of each persistent volume before updating. This inventory makes it possible to compare the post-update server with the pre-update backup.
Update a script-managed server
Update only tModLoader
From the directory containing the management script, run:
./manage-tModLoaderServer.sh install-tml --username your_steam_usernameReplace your_steam_username with the Steam account used by the installation process. This is the documented path when the loader should change but the installed mods should remain at their current versions. It is useful for isolating whether a loader change, rather than a mod update, caused a problem.
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When the command finishes, do not assume that every mod is compatible with the new loader. Start the server for a controlled test, inspect its log for load errors, and compare the build shown to clients. If the server refuses to start or a critical mod fails, restore the complete rollback copy instead of mixing old and new files.
Update tModLoader and the installed mods together
Run:
./manage-tModLoaderServer.sh installThe documented install operation updates tModLoader and the installed mods. Choose this when you have intentionally accepted a new loader and want the mod files refreshed in the same maintenance window. Because two compatibility variables change at once, capture the old mod list and configuration first and test with a client before inviting the whole player group.
Update only mods
Run:
./manage-tModLoaderServer.sh install-modsThis is the narrowest update. Use it when the loader build is staying fixed and you have verified that the new mod files support that build. A mod-only update can still change recipes, world behavior or saved data; the world backup remains mandatory.
Pin a reproducible loader version
For a legacy modpack or a server that must be rebuilt identically, supply a tmlversion.txt file from the modpack or set TMLVERSION to a specific GitHub version. The documentation gives v2022.06.96.4 as an example value:
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TMLVERSION=v2022.06.96.4Pinning prevents an unattended rebuild from selecting a newer loader than the one your modpack was tested against. Keep the pin under version control or in the same backup as the modpack, and change it deliberately during a planned upgrade.
Update a Docker Compose server
Rebuild the image
Stop the running container, back up its mounted worlds and configuration, then run the Compose build from the directory containing the Compose file:
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docker compose buildThe official Docker update instructions state that the rebuild updates tModLoader and the mods as well. Rebuilding is therefore a compatibility change, not merely a container refresh.
When the old image is reused
Build caches can leave an unchanged layer in place. If the resulting container reports the old loader or mod set, force a clean rebuild:
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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 problemsdocker compose build --no-cacheAfter the build, recreate the service using the same Compose workflow you normally use, then verify that the world and configuration volumes are mounted at the expected paths. A clean image rebuild must not erase persistent data; deleting a volume while troubleshooting can destroy the rollback point.
Pin Docker inputs
If the image definition supports a TMLVERSION environment value, set it to the exact loader version required by the modpack, such as v2022.06.96.4, or provide the documented tmlversion.txt through the modpack. Keep the Compose file, environment file and volume backup together so another rebuild uses the same inputs.
Keep client and server mods synchronized
Create a modpack from the client
- Open tModLoader and choose Workshop, then Mod Packs.
- Choose Save Enabled as New Mod Pack.
- Open the resulting modpack folder in the file manager.
- Copy both
install.txtandenabled.jsoninto the server’s mod configuration area, replacing the server’s corresponding files only while the server is stopped.
The two files are important because Workshop does not use mod names as identifiers. Names can be changed or duplicated, while the generated installation and enabled-state files provide the reliable synchronization mechanism documented by the project.
Synchronize after an update
Use the same modpack files for every client that joins the server. A client should enable the same mods and compatible versions, not merely mods with similar display names. Have one client connect first and compare the server’s reported build and enabled list with that client’s screen. Only then allow normal play.
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Account for Workshop limits
Workshop support is available but not required. Some mods may never be updated for a newer Terraria game version, so a loader update can make an otherwise healthy modpack unusable. If one enabled mod has no compatible release, keep the previous loader and mod files pinned rather than forcing the world onto a broken combination.
Post-update verification checklist
Start the server with access restricted to administrators or a test player. Check each item before announcing that maintenance is complete:
- The server starts without a loader initialization failure.
- The reported tModLoader build is the intended build, including any version pin.
- The enabled mod list matches the approved
enabled.jsonand the client modpack. - Every enabled mod loads without a missing dependency or incompatible-version error.
- The test player can join, load the target world and see expected characters, items and world data.
- Server commands, permissions, world saves and scheduled backups still work.
- The server log remains free of repeating errors during a short movement and combat test.
Keep the maintenance backup until this checklist succeeds in a real play session. A server that merely reaches its title prompt has not yet proved that its world and mods are usable.
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The server still reports the old build
Confirm that you ran the command in the active installation directory. For Docker, verify that the service was recreated from the newly built image and that no stale container is still answering connections. If a cache prevented refreshed layers, repeat with docker compose build --no-cache. Check version pins: tmlversion.txt or TMLVERSION intentionally overrides a newer default.
A mod is missing or disabled
Compare the server’s install.txt and enabled.json with the files from the client’s saved modpack. Copy both files again while the server is stopped. Do not try to correct the mismatch by typing mod display names; Workshop does not identify mods that way.
The server starts but a client cannot join
Compare the client’s tModLoader build and enabled mod versions with the server’s report. A client using a different loader branch or a different mod revision can fail before entering the world. Have the client recreate or load the same modpack, then retest with one player.
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The world crashes or behaves incorrectly
Stop the server and preserve the new logs. Disable the recently changed mod set only if you have a copy of the world and understand the mod’s save behavior. The safest recovery is to restore the pre-update installation, configuration, mod files and world backup as one set. Reopen the server on the old combination, then investigate compatibility in a disposable world before attempting another migration.
The updater cannot download files
Check the host’s network access, Steam credentials and filesystem permissions, then rerun the same scoped command. Avoid deleting partially downloaded files until the rollback copy is safe. If a GitHub or SteamCMD source is temporarily unavailable, keep the server on the backed-up version rather than substituting files from an unrelated build.
Decide which maintenance model fits your server
| Method | Operating-system context | Installation source | Mods updated with loader? | Version pinning | Rollback and automation | Administrative complexity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Management script: install-tml |
Typically Linux or another shell-capable host | SteamCMD or GitHub | No, intentionally loader-only | Supported through tmlversion.txt or TMLVERSION |
Simple command automation; rollback depends on your backups | Low after the script is configured |
Management script: install |
Typically Linux or another shell-capable host | SteamCMD or GitHub | Yes | Supported | Convenient, but two compatibility surfaces change together | Moderate because mod testing is required |
Management script: install-mods |
Typically Linux or another shell-capable host | SteamCMD or GitHub | Loader remains unchanged | Loader pin remains in effect | Good for small, isolated changes if backups are retained | Low command complexity; mod compatibility still requires testing |
| Docker Compose rebuild | Any host running Docker | Image definition and its configured sources | Yes, according to the official Docker instructions | Use the supported version file or environment value | Repeatable builds; volume and image backups must be managed separately | Higher initial setup, then predictable rebuilds |
Choose the narrowest operation that solves the problem. A loader-only change is easier to diagnose than a simultaneous loader-and-mod replacement, while a pinned Docker or script installation is easier to reproduce months later.
A repeatable maintenance runbook
- Announce a maintenance window and stop the server cleanly.
- Copy worlds, players, configuration, modpack files and the complete current installation to a dated rollback location.
- Record the current tModLoader build, enabled mods, installation source and persistent paths.
- Choose one scope:
install-tml,install,install-modsor a Docker rebuild. - Apply any required
tmlversion.txtorTMLVERSIONpin before updating. - Run the update from the active installation directory, or rebuild the Compose image.
- Synchronize
install.txtandenabled.jsonfrom the approved client modpack when the mod set changes. - Start in a restricted test mode and compare the loader build and enabled list with a client.
- Load a copy or test session, verify world and player data, and inspect logs for repeating errors.
- Open the server to players only after the verification checklist passes; retain the rollback copy until the next successful session.
What to do when you must stay on an older build
Some communities depend on a mod that has not been updated for a newer Terraria version. In that case, an older tModLoader build is a deliberate compatibility choice, not an incomplete update. Preserve the old installation and world backup, pin the loader with tmlversion.txt or TMLVERSION, and distribute the matching modpack files to clients. Document the exact build in the server’s maintenance notes so an automatic rebuild does not silently move the group to a newer, unsupported combination.
When the required mod eventually receives an update, test the new loader and mod set on a duplicate world first. Keep the production server on the pinned version until the test confirms that saved data, player inventories and progression remain intact.
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