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To run a Steam Workshop map on a Garry’s Mod dedicated server, install or update the server with SteamCMD, make the map available through a public or unlisted Workshop collection (or a supported Workshop-ID file), then start the server with +host_workshop_collection and +map. When the active map is in that collection, Garry’s Mod can mark it for automatic client download. Server installation and client delivery are separate jobs: resource.AddWorkshop() does not install an addon on the dedicated server.
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How Workshop maps reach a Garry’s Mod server
A working setup has three distinct stages:
- Server installation: The dedicated server downloads the Workshop addon and mounts it.
- Map selection: The server starts, or later changes to, the map using its BSP filename.
- Client delivery: Players receive the active Workshop map through Garry’s Mod’s Workshop download path.
A player subscribing to a map in the regular Garry’s Mod client does not install that map on your dedicated server. The server needs its own Workshop collection or Workshop-ID configuration.
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Facepunch documents two server-side ways to identify Workshop content. A collection is usually the simplest operational choice; an ID list is useful when you need to select items individually.
| Configuration | How it is supplied | Visibility or access requirement | Update and administration model | Version support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workshop collection | Add the collection ID to the startup command with +host_workshop_collection COLLECTION_ID. |
The collection must be public or unlisted so the dedicated server can access it. | Add or remove maps in one Workshop collection. The server downloads and mounts the collection’s addons at startup. | Supported by the standard collection workflow. |
| Per-ID configuration | Put Workshop IDs in garrysmod/cfg/srcds_workshop_ids.txt. |
No collection object needs to be published; the server reads the IDs from its local configuration. | Provides item-by-item control instead of changing a collection. Use the syntax required by the server version in the file’s documentation. | Facepunch identifies this file as new in Garry’s Mod version 2026.09.22 or newer. |
Use a collection when staff want one shared list that is easy to maintain. Use the ID file when a server needs a deliberately curated set of individual items or when collection membership is not the desired administration model. In either case, the server must be able to access every item before it can mount the content.
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Prerequisites before adding a map
- A Garry’s Mod dedicated-server installation that you can stop, update and start with your normal
srcdscommand. - SteamCMD, with the server installed or updated using app ID
4020. - The Workshop collection ID or the individual Workshop IDs you intend to use.
- The map’s BSP filename. Garry’s Mod commands use the filename without the
.bspextension, not necessarily the map’s display title. - Any supported Source-game content required by the map, mounted through
garrysmod/cfg/mount.cfgwhen applicable.
Keep the server stopped while changing its startup command or Workshop-ID configuration. A restart is also the normal way to make collection changes take effect, because the collection is downloaded and mounted during startup.
Install or update the dedicated server with SteamCMD
Open SteamCMD and run the Garry’s Mod dedicated-server update command:
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Create a Workshop collection for the server
- Open the Garry’s Mod Workshop and create a collection for the server’s maps.
- Add each required Workshop map to that collection. If a map depends on additional Workshop items, include those items when the map’s distribution requires them.
- Set the collection to Public or Unlisted. A private collection cannot be accessed by the dedicated server through this workflow.
- Copy the collection’s numeric ID. You will place that value in the server startup command, not the collection’s display name.
- Save the collection before starting the server, so the server sees the intended membership on its first request.
An unlisted collection is not shown as openly as a public one, but it remains accessible by its ID. That makes it useful when you want server access without presenting the collection as a public directory.
Attach the collection to the server startup command
Add +host_workshop_collection followed by the collection ID. The same command should include the gamemode and the initial map. Facepunch’s example is:
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srcds.exe +maxplayers 20 -console +host_workshop_collection 157384458 +gamemode sandbox +map gm_constructIn this example:
+maxplayers 20sets the advertised player limit.-consolekeeps the dedicated server in console mode.+host_workshop_collection 157384458tells the server which Workshop collection to download and mount.+gamemode sandboxselects the gamemode.+map gm_constructstarts the server on the map namedgm_construct.
Replace 157384458 with your collection ID and replace gm_construct with the target map’s BSP name. Do not append .bsp to the map argument.
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When this command runs, the server downloads the collection at startup and mounts all downloaded addons. If you change the collection, restart the server so the new membership is fetched and mounted during the next startup.
Use the Workshop-ID file instead of a collection
On Garry’s Mod versions 2026.09.22 and newer, Facepunch documents garrysmod/cfg/srcds_workshop_ids.txt for servers that need a list of Workshop IDs rather than a collection. Create or edit that file inside the server’s garrysmod/cfg directory and add the required Workshop items using the syntax supported by your build.
This approach keeps selection in the server’s configuration. It is useful when you want to add or remove one item without editing a shared collection. It does not change the map command: after the IDs have been made available to the server, start the desired map with +map MAP_NAME, still omitting .bsp.
If the server is older than 2026.09.22, use the collection workflow instead of assuming that srcds_workshop_ids.txt is supported.
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Start the map and change it later
Start on a Workshop map
Use the map’s BSP filename without its extension:
+map MAP_NAMEFor example, +map gm_construct starts gm_construct.bsp. The Workshop item’s marketing title can differ from the filename, so use the actual BSP name expected by the server.
Change maps while the server is running
From the server console, issue:
changelevel MAP_NAMEUse the same no-extension BSP naming rule. Changing levels does not replace the server’s Workshop configuration; it only selects another map that the server has available.
Confirm that the server made the map available to players
Watch the server console during startup and map changes. When the running map is in the server’s Workshop collection, Garry’s Mod automatically marks it for client download. The console should contain this exact message:
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Server installation is not the same as client delivery
A frequent configuration mistake is using resource.AddWorkshop("WORKSHOP_ID") as though it installs the addon on the server. It does not. Facepunch explicitly distinguishes this client download declaration from the server-side Workshop installation workflow.
+host_workshop_collectionor the supported Workshop-ID configuration lets the dedicated server download and mount server content.resource.AddWorkshop()tells clients what to download; it does not install the Workshop addon on the dedicated server.- All
resource.Add*functions share an 8,192 downloadable-file limit. This limit is relevant to client resource declarations and is not a substitute for server-side Workshop installation.
If the server has never downloaded the map, adding resource.AddWorkshop() will not repair the server. Fix the collection or ID configuration first, then verify the startup log.
Fix missing textures, models and other assets
A map can load on the server while players see missing textures, error models or other incomplete assets. The usual reason is that the map depends on content from another Source game or on additional files that have not been mounted or delivered.
Mount supported Source-game content
Use garrysmod/cfg/mount.cfg to mount installed folders from supported Source games such as Counter-Strike: Source and Team Fortress 2, when the map requires their assets. The game must actually be installed on the machine running the server, and the mount path must point to the correct directory.
Check Linux path capitalization
Linux paths are case-sensitive. A path that appears correct on a case-insensitive Windows installation can fail on Linux if a directory or filename uses different capitalization. Check every component of the path in mount.cfg and correct the case to match the filesystem.
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Separate dependency problems from download problems
- If the server cannot change to the map, check the collection or ID configuration and the BSP name first.
- If the server changes level but clients see missing assets, inspect
mount.cfgand the map’s required game content. - If clients never begin downloading the map, look for the console message confirming Workshop client availability and verify that the active map is in the configured Workshop content.
WorkshopDL, FastDL and ServerDL: which delivery path fits?
Facepunch separates WorkshopDL, FastDL and ServerDL. They are not interchangeable names for the same operation.
| Delivery method | Setup effort | Transfer behavior | Update handling | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WorkshopDL | Low additional setup when the content is already published on the Workshop and the server is configured with a collection or Workshop IDs. | Clients obtain Workshop-hosted content through Garry’s Mod’s Workshop path after the server makes the active map available. | Workshop item revisions are handled through the Workshop workflow; restart the server when changing the server’s collection or ID configuration. | Workshop-hosted maps and addons. |
| FastDL | Requires separate file hosting and synchronization of the downloadable files. | Clients retrieve files from the configured HTTP download location rather than the Workshop item itself. | You must update the hosted copy when the server content changes. | Custom files that you host outside the Workshop or content for which you control a dedicated download mirror. |
| ServerDL | Uses the game server as the delivery source, with no separate Workshop collection requirement for files that are served this way. | Clients download directly from the server, consuming its available bandwidth. | Replace or update the server-side files and configuration yourself. | Situations where direct server delivery is acceptable, especially for limited or non-Workshop content. |
For a map that is already on the Steam Workshop, WorkshopDL is the natural first choice. FastDL and ServerDL are alternatives with different hosting, bandwidth and update responsibilities; switching to one does not fix a missing server-side Workshop installation.
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Troubleshooting by symptom
The server starts, but the map is not found
- Confirm that the startup command contains
+host_workshop_collectionand the correct collection ID, or that the ID file is supported and populated. - Verify that the collection is public or unlisted rather than private.
- Check the
+mapvalue orchangelevelvalue. It must be the BSP filename without.bsp. - Restart after changing the collection so the server can download and mount the revised content.
The server has the map, but players are not prompted to download it
- Make sure the active map is one of the Workshop items made available to the server.
- Look for
Making workshop map available for client downloadin the server console. - Do not rely on
resource.AddWorkshop()to install the map on the server; it is a client-side declaration. - Check whether the content is actually being delivered through WorkshopDL, FastDL or ServerDL, and make sure the chosen method matches where the files are hosted.
Players join but see missing textures or error models
- Identify whether the map depends on Counter-Strike: Source, Team Fortress 2 or another supported Source-game folder.
- Mount the required game in
garrysmod/cfg/mount.cfg. - On Linux, correct capitalization in every mount path.
- Check whether the dependency itself is included in the Workshop configuration or is expected to be supplied through another download method.
The collection changed, but the server still uses the old content
Stop and restart the dedicated server after changing collection membership. The collection is downloaded and mounted at startup; changing the Workshop page while the process is running does not replace that startup step.
The ID-file method does not work
Check the server version first. Facepunch documents srcds_workshop_ids.txt as new in version 2026.09.22 or newer. On an older build, use +host_workshop_collection with a public or unlisted collection instead.
Recommended setup checklist
- Run SteamCMD and update the Garry’s Mod dedicated server with
app_update 4020. - Create a Workshop collection containing the maps and any required Workshop dependencies.
- Set the collection to Public or Unlisted.
- Copy the collection ID, or prepare
garrysmod/cfg/srcds_workshop_ids.txtif the server is version 2026.09.22 or newer and you need individual IDs. - Add the Workshop configuration to the startup command.
- Start the desired map with
+map MAP_NAME, without.bsp. - Confirm the console message
Making workshop map available for client download. - If assets are missing, inspect
mount.cfg, dependency installation and Linux path capitalization. - After changing collection membership or ID entries, restart the server and test a fresh client connection.
The dependable pattern is: configure Workshop content for the server, mount and start the map by its BSP name, then verify the separate client-download signal. Treating those as three checks makes it much easier to locate whether a failure is in server installation, map selection or player delivery.
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