Terraria Dedicated Server: Admin Commands & TShock/TML Guide
Data Verified: May 2026Definitive Terraria server reference. Configure serverconfig.txt, run TShock or tModLoader, manage cross-play with mobile clients, and size hardware for stable multi-world hosting.
Commands & configuration database
| Command | Default Value | Description | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
world | (empty) | Absolute path to the .wld world file the server should load. | |
autocreate | 2 | Auto-create world size if missing: 1 = Small, 2 = Medium, 3 = Large. | |
seed | (empty) | World generation seed used when autocreate creates a new world. | |
difficulty | 1 | World difficulty: 0 = Classic, 1 = Expert, 2 = Master, 3 = Journey. | |
maxplayers | 8 | Maximum concurrent players. Hard cap is 255. | |
port | 7777 | TCP port the server listens on. | |
password | (empty) | Password required to join the server. Leave blank for public servers. | |
motd | (empty) | Message of the day broadcast when a player connects. | |
worldpath | (empty) | Override default world save directory. | |
upnp | 1 | Attempts UPnP automatic port-forwarding. Disable on managed hosts. | |
secure | 1 | Enables anti-cheat protection against common chest/spawn exploits. | |
language | en-US | Server locale for chat broadcasts. | |
npcstream | 60 | NPC movement update interval in ticks. Lowering improves smoothness at cost of bandwidth. | |
priority | 1 | Server process priority: 0 = Realtime, 1 = High, 2 = AboveNormal, 3 = Normal. |
Showing 14 of 14 configuration parameters.
| Command | Default Value | Description | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
help | N/A | Lists all available console commands. | |
playing | N/A | Shows all currently connected players. | |
kick <name> | N/A | Kicks a player from the server. | |
ban <name> | N/A | Bans a player by name and IP. | |
password <new> | N/A | Sets or changes the server join password at runtime. | |
save | N/A | Forces a world save to disk. | |
exit | N/A | Saves the world and gracefully shuts down the server. | |
exit-nosave | N/A | Shuts down the server without saving (use only for rollbacks). | |
say <message> | N/A | Broadcasts a global chat message from the server console. | |
motd <text> | N/A | Updates the message-of-the-day at runtime. | |
/user add <name> <password> <group> | N/A | TShock: creates an account and assigns it to a permissions group. | |
/group add <name> <permissions> | N/A | TShock: creates a new permission group with a comma-separated permission list. | |
/region define <name> | N/A | TShock: defines a protected region from your current selection. | |
/butcher | N/A | TShock: kills all hostile NPCs on the map to reduce lag. |
Showing 14 of 14 admin console commands.
Recommended hosting providers
Vetted hosts with one-click Terraria installs. Links are affiliate placeholders and marked rel="sponsored".
One-click Terraria installs with vanilla, TShock and tModLoader presets and automatic Workshop world hosting.
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Visit Host Havoc →Hardware specifications
Sizing guidance for self-hosting a Terraria dedicated server.
| Tier | Specification | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| Small (1-8 players) | 2 GB RAM / 1-core 3.0 GHz+ CPU | Vanilla small/medium world. Terraria is extremely lightweight. |
| Standard (8-24 players) | 4 GB RAM / 2-core 3.5 GHz+ CPU / SSD | TShock public server on a large world with active events. |
| Modded / Large (24+ players) | 8 GB RAM / 4-core 4.0 GHz+ CPU / NVMe SSD | tModLoader with heavy modpacks (Calamity, Thorium) or multi-world TShock clusters. |
Default file locations
Default installation paths for Terraria dedicated servers installed via SteamCMD.
Windows
C:\TerrariaServer\Linux
/home/steam/terrariaserver/Pro-Tip: Always stop the server completely before editing configuration files, or the server will overwrite your changes upon restart.
Default ports for port forwarding
Open these on your router and firewall before exposing the server to the internet.
| Service | Protocol | Port |
|---|---|---|
| Game Port | TCP | 7777 |
| Query Port | - | N/A (no Steam query) |
| RCON / Telnet | TCP | 7878 (TShock REST) |
Frequently asked questions
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Host your own Terraria server
All hosting guides →Step-by-step install and deploy walkthroughs (panels, ports, RAM sizing). Pair these with the command reference above.