SquadJS is a self-hosted Node.js framework that reads Squad’s live logs and communicates with the game server through RCON. Install Git, Node.js 18.x and Yarn 1.22.0 or newer, install the dependencies with yarn install --ignore-engines, configure config.json, and start it with node index.js. You then enable plugins—such as DiscordRcon, DiscordAdminBroadcast or DiscordAdminCamLogs—in the plugins array.
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The important prerequisite is live log access. SquadJS must read the server’s log directory locally or through FTP/SFTP, while RCON requires the correct server address, query port, RCON port and password. This guide covers the setup sequence, secure configuration, Discord administration and the trade-offs between self-hosting and a hosted RCON dashboard.
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What SquadJS does on a Squad server
SquadJS is a framework rather than a single administration panel. It handles the difficult plumbing—RCON communication and live log parsing—so administrators can add or configure plugins without writing those systems themselves. The Team-Silver-Sphere documentation describes it as a base for scripts that need to collect server data and react to events.
Its architecture has two data paths:
- Logs: SquadJS follows the server’s live log files to detect events such as player activity, admin actions and broadcasts. The process needs access to the log directory on the same machine or through an FTP/SFTP connection.
- RCON: SquadJS sends commands and receives server responses using the game server’s Remote Console protocol. The connection uses the server host, query port, RCON port and RCON password.
Plugins consume those events and interfaces. For example, a plugin can forward an in-game administrator broadcast to Discord, expose an RCON console in a Discord channel, or record admin-camera use.
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Requirements and network access
| Requirement | What the documented setup specifies | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Git | Required to download or clone SquadJS | Provides the source tree and makes later updates manageable. |
| Node.js | 18.x | Runs index.js and the plugin framework. |
| Yarn | 1.22.0 or newer | Installs the project’s dependencies. |
| Server credentials | Valid query and RCON details | Without matching credentials, SquadJS cannot query or control the server. |
| Live log access | Local directory, FTP or SFTP | Log-driven plugins cannot work if the process cannot read new log lines. |
| Plugin-specific services | For example, a Discord bot connector, channel IDs or database settings | Individual plugins can impose additional requirements beyond the framework. |
Running SquadJS on the game-server box is the simplest arrangement because the log directory is local. A separate machine also works when the server exposes the logs over FTP or SFTP and the connection is reliable enough for live reading.
Install SquadJS
- Install the prerequisites. Put Git, Node.js 18.x and Yarn 1.22.0 or newer on the machine that will run SquadJS. Check that the commands are available in that machine’s shell before continuing.
- Download the project. Clone or otherwise download the SquadJS source tree into a dedicated directory. Keep this directory separate from public web files and restrict access to the account that operates the service.
- Install dependencies. From the project directory, run
yarn install --ignore-engines. The--ignore-enginesflag is part of the documented installation sequence and prevents dependency engine declarations from stopping the install. - Create the configuration. Edit
config.jsonand add the server, log-reader, administrator-list, connector and plugin settings that apply to your installation. Do not commit passwords or bot tokens to a public repository. - Start the process manually. Run
node index.jsfrom the SquadJS directory. Keep the terminal visible for the first launch so that connection and configuration errors can be read before you add more plugins.
Start with the framework and one simple plugin, confirm that the server connection works, and only then add Discord or database integrations. This isolates configuration errors that would otherwise appear as a long list of unrelated startup failures.
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Configure the Squad server connection
The server object
The server section in config.json identifies the game instance and its interfaces. The documented fields are:
| Field | Purpose | Configuration advice |
|---|---|---|
id |
A unique numeric identifier for the server | Use a different value for every server when one SquadJS installation manages multiple instances. |
host |
Hostname or IP address of the Squad server | Use the address reachable from the machine running SquadJS. |
queryPort |
Port used for server queries | Copy the value from the server host’s configuration rather than assuming a standard port. |
rconPort |
Port used for RCON commands | It must match the active RCON listener and any firewall rule. |
rconPassword |
Password for the RCON connection | Store it in a protected configuration file and use a least-privileged administrator account where the server permits that arrangement. |
logReaderMode |
Determines how SquadJS reads logs | Select the mode that corresponds to local, FTP or SFTP access. |
logDir |
Local log-directory path | Required when the selected reader mode expects logs on the same machine. |
When a server is remote, the configuration can include FTP or SFTP connection blocks with the necessary host, port, username, password and path details. Use the method supported by your host and verify that the account can read newly written files, not merely list an old directory.
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RCON settings and the default port
Squad’s RCON settings are defined in Rcon.cfg. The Squad Wiki installation guidance identifies 21114 as the default RCON port, but that is a default, not a universal value. Multi-server machines commonly assign different ports, and hosting panels may expose a custom value.
An external client needs three matching values: the server IP or hostname, the RCON port and the RCON password. Treat the port as configuration data. Copy it from the running server configuration and open only the required firewall path between SquadJS and the game server.
Administrator lists and remote files
The adminLists setting can point to local, remote or FTP sources. Confirm that the configured account can read the selected list and that the path is the one used by the live server. A successful RCON connection does not prove that the administrator list or log reader is configured correctly; these are separate access paths.
Enable and configure plugins
SquadJS loads built-in plugins from the plugins array. Each entry has a disabled setting: use false to enable a plugin and true to leave it installed but inactive. Add the options documented by that plugin to the same entry.
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The README uses auto-tk-warn as an example of a plugin entry. Keep the initial array small. Enabling every available module before the core connection is proven makes it difficult to identify whether a failure comes from RCON, log parsing, Discord, a database or a permissions rule.
DiscordRcon
DiscordRcon turns a specified Discord channel into an RCON console. Configure the Discord connector name and the destination channel ID explicitly. Its permissions option maps Discord role IDs to the commands those roles may use.
An empty permissions dictionary disables command permissions. That setting is not an appropriate shortcut for a public channel: it removes the command restriction mechanism. Instead, restrict the channel to trusted administrators and define only the commands each role needs. Treat every role ID and channel ID as part of the security boundary.
DiscordAdminBroadcast
DiscordAdminBroadcast copies in-game administrator broadcasts into a chosen Discord channel. The plugin needs the correct Discord connector name and channel ID. Verify that the bot can view and send messages in that channel before troubleshooting SquadJS itself.
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DiscordAdminCamLogs
DiscordAdminCamLogs records admin-camera use in Discord. It uses the same connector and channel-identifier pattern, but it serves an audit purpose rather than providing an interactive console. Give it a channel that the people responsible for moderation can read and retain according to your community’s policy.
A safe first-run validation sequence
- Start with the server running and confirm the host, query port, RCON port and password in the Squad configuration.
- Run
node index.jswithout adding optional plugins. Read the startup output for authentication, port or configuration errors. - Confirm that the selected log-reader mode can read a file that is actively changing. For local mode, check the configured
logDir; for FTP or SFTP, check the remote path and read permissions. - Enable one plugin and restart SquadJS. Validate its specific connector, channel, database and permission settings before enabling another.
- Perform a harmless test: observe a known log event, send a permitted RCON command, or create an administrator broadcast. Confirm the expected output in the server or Discord channel.
- After the setup works, run SquadJS under the operating account and process supervision method used by your host. Keep the configuration file readable only by administrators because it contains credentials.
Troubleshoot in this order
1. Server, port or password errors
First verify that the Squad server is running. Then compare host, queryPort, rconPort and rconPassword character for character with the active server settings. Check firewalls and host-level port forwarding between the SquadJS machine and the game server. If the server uses a non-default RCON port, replace 21114 with the configured value everywhere.
2. Log-reader errors
If RCON works but event-driven plugins remain silent, inspect log access next. Confirm the logReaderMode, the local logDir when applicable, and the FTP/SFTP credentials and path for remote setups. The account must be able to read the live log files as they grow. A directory listing or an old downloaded log is not sufficient evidence that live parsing works.
3. Startup and dependency errors
Run yarn install --ignore-engines again from the project directory if modules are missing, then launch with node index.js and read the first error. Fix the framework-level problem before testing plugins. Node.js 18.x and Yarn 1.22.0 or newer are the documented baseline; individual plugins may add their own requirements.
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4. Plugin-specific failures
After the core process starts, inspect one enabled plugin at a time. Check the exact Discord connector name, channel ID, role ID mapping, database settings and any required permissions. A typo in a connector name can look like a Discord outage even when RCON and log parsing are healthy.
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Temporarily increase verbosity for SquadServer, LogParser or RCON when you need to see connection and parsing details. Return to an operational level after the fault is identified so routine logs remain usable.
SquadJS versus a hosted RCON administration tool
SquadJS is the self-hosted option. Hosted dashboards move the application maintenance to a provider and present administration through a web interface. Game Host Bros lists BattleMetrics and SquadJS among Squad administration tools that connect through RCON, so a hosted dashboard is a reasonable alternative when a team does not want to maintain a Node.js process.
| Decision area | SquadJS | Hosted dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | You maintain Node.js, Yarn, the process, configuration and plugin updates. | The provider operates the dashboard; you still maintain the Squad server credentials and permissions. |
| Extensibility | Plugins can be enabled and configured, and the framework is intended for custom scripting. | Features are limited to the provider’s supported integrations and plan. |
| Discord | DiscordRcon, DiscordAdminBroadcast and DiscordAdminCamLogs cover interactive commands, broadcasts and camera-use records when configured correctly. | Discord support depends on the service’s current feature set; a complete benchmark is not established here. |
| Audit and history | You decide what plugins record and where those records are stored. | A provider may offer centralized history or multi-server views, but the exact scope varies by service. |
| Data location and access control | Logs, credentials and plugin data remain under your infrastructure and policies. | Connection data and dashboard records are handled by the provider, so review its access controls and retention terms. |
| Recurring cost | The researched documentation does not state a SquadJS license fee; you supply the machine and administration time. | Current pricing and plan limits are not established in the available material and must be checked with the provider. |
Which approach fits your server team?
Choose SquadJS when control and customization come first
- You can run a small Node.js service and keep it updated.
- The server exposes local, FTP or SFTP logs reliably.
- You need custom event handling or Discord workflows beyond a fixed dashboard.
- You want credentials, logs and plugin data in infrastructure you control.
Choose a hosted dashboard when reducing maintenance is the priority
- No administrator wants to maintain Node.js dependencies and a continuously running process.
- Your team prefers a ready-made web interface for one or more servers.
- The provider’s supported RCON, history and Discord features meet your moderation workflow.
- You accept provider-managed data storage and recurring service terms.
Whichever route you take, begin by documenting the server’s actual query and RCON ports, the log location and the administrator accounts permitted to issue commands. Those details determine whether any administration layer can connect safely and consistently.
Operational checklist
- Record the configured RCON port instead of relying on the 21114 default.
- Keep
rconPassword, FTP/SFTP credentials and Discord secrets out of public repositories. - Use a least-privileged administrator account where the server supports it.
- Restrict DiscordRcon to trusted channels and role IDs; do not leave command access broadly open.
- Test log reading separately from RCON so a working console is not mistaken for a working event pipeline.
- Add and validate plugins one at a time.
- Use verbose logs during diagnosis, then reduce verbosity for normal operation.
With those checks complete, SquadJS provides a controllable foundation for Squad administration: the framework handles log parsing and RCON communication, while the plugin configuration determines which alerts, commands and audit events your community receives.
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