To make a Terraria server, pick Terraria, choose a server type (vanilla, tModLoader or TShock), pick a plan and start it. A new world is made on the first start, which takes about a minute. Then your friends join with the address and port shown on Overview.
What you need
- Terraria for every player. PC players on Steam or GOG can join, on Windows, Mac or Linux. Phones can join too when their version matches the server. Consoles can’t join yet.
- For tModLoader, every player also needs tModLoader, which is free on Steam for Terraria owners.
- A plan with enough RAM (the server’s memory):
| Your server | Plan |
|---|---|
| Vanilla or TShock, small or medium world, up to about 8 players | 2 GB |
| Vanilla or TShock, large world or a bigger group | 4 GB |
| tModLoader with a handful of mods | 4 GB |
| tModLoader with large content mods or big mod packs | 6 GB or more |
The performance guide explains what uses memory.
Create your server
-
Pick Terraria from the game list.
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Choose the server type:
- Terraria (vanilla): the game exactly as Re-Logic made it, on the newest version.
- tModLoader: Terraria with mods from the Steam Workshop. Everyone needs the same mods, and tModLoader fetches them for players when they join.
- TShock: vanilla Terraria plus admin tools, player accounts and plugins.
Not sure? Read vanilla, tModLoader or TShock.
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Pick a plan from the table above.
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Pick the region closest to most of your players: EU or US East.
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Choose a name. It becomes your address, like
terrarium.play.wilderack.com. Names use 3 to 32 characters: lowercase letters, numbers and hyphens.
Pick your world before the first start
Open Settings before you start the server for the first time:
- World name, size (small, medium or large) and difficulty (Classic, Expert, Master or Journey).
- Seed, if you want a particular world or a secret seed.
- Max players and a password.
Size, difficulty and seed only apply to a new world, so choose them now. If you have a world from single player, bring it over instead.
The first start
The game files install from the official source: Re-Logic’s dedicated server from terraria.org, tModLoader from Steam, or TShock from its official releases. We never ship them ourselves.
The first start makes your world. A small world takes under a minute. A large one takes a few minutes. Watch the Console: the server is ready when it says it has started, and Overview shows Running.
Admin on your server
Vanilla and tModLoader have no in-game admin rank. Admin jobs happen in the Console, without a slash:
| Command | What it does |
|---|---|
playing |
Lists who is on |
say <message> |
Sends a message to everyone |
kick <player> |
Kicks a player |
ban <player> |
Bans a player |
dawn, noon, dusk, midnight |
Changes the time of day |
save |
Saves the world |
The Console also has quick buttons for Make it morning and Message everyone.
TShock gives you real in-game admin, with accounts and groups. On the first start, it prints a one-time setup code in the Console. The config reference shows how to use it to make yourself owner.
Invite your friends
To play: send them the address and port from the address card, like terrarium.play.wilderack.com:37777, and the password. The connection guide has the steps in the game.
To help run it: open Friends and send an invite link with a role. A Moderator can restart the server and use the console. An Admin can also change settings, install mods and restore backups.
When the server sleeps
Your server naps when nobody’s playing, so you aren’t paying for an empty server to sit awake. Terraria saves the world when the last player leaves, and we keep a safe copy every time the server falls asleep.
Joining wakes it again, usually in a couple of seconds. Your friend’s game waits while it wakes. Friends can also open the wake link from the address card, play.wilderack.com/w/terrarium.
What to read next
Questions
How much RAM does a Terraria server need?
2 GB runs a vanilla or TShock server for most groups. Pick 4 GB for a large world, a big group or a few tModLoader mods, and 6 GB or more for large mod packs.
Should I pick vanilla, tModLoader or TShock for my Terraria server?
Pick vanilla to play Terraria as it is, tModLoader to play with mods from the Steam Workshop, and TShock for admin tools and plugins on a vanilla game. You can switch later in Settings, and a backup is made first.
How many players can join a Terraria server?
Up to 255, set with maxplayers. Vanilla servers allow 16 by default. TShock has its own limit, MaxSlots, which starts at 8.
Can I play on my Terraria server when my friends are offline?
Yes. The world lives on the server, so anyone can play at any time. When nobody is on, the server naps and wakes when someone joins.
Sources we checked
- ServerTerraria Wiki
- Terraria downloads (dedicated server)Re-Logic
- Starting a modded servertModLoader
- TShock documentationPryaxis
