Installing tModLoader Mods on a Terraria Server

Overview

Vanilla Terraria has plenty to do, but after enough boss fights, mining runs, and suspiciously tall storage rooms, a server can start to feel familiar. tModLoader solves that by adding mod support for new items, music, quality-of-life tools, visuals, and full gameplay overhauls.

With tModLoader, players can browse and download mods from inside the game, while servers can load the same mod files so everyone joins the same experience. This guide covers the full process: installing tModLoader, downloading mods, preparing the files, and uploading them to your HolyHosting Terraria server.

Install tModLoader

Before adding mods, both the server and every player need to use tModLoader. Players without it will not be able to join a modded server correctly.

Client Setup

1. Open Steam and go to the Store page.
2. Search for `tModLoader` in the top-right search bar, then open its page.

1. Scroll down and select Install now to begin the download.

1. Once it finishes, launch Terraria through tModLoader whenever you want mod support.

Server Setup

1. Open your HolyHosting server panel and locate the version selector in your panel settings.
2. Use the dropdown menu to search for `tModLoader`, then select the version you want to run.

1. Confirm the version change when prompted.
2. Choose whether to keep the current world or generate a new one. For modded play, a fresh world is usually the cleaner option.
3. Restart the server so the new files can load.

1. Open the console and wait for the server started message before continuing.

Download Terraria Mods

1. Launch tModLoader from Steam.
2. From the main menu, select Workshop, then choose Download Mods.

1. Search for the mods you want, or browse the list until you find them.
2. Press the download button for each mod and wait for it to finish installing.

1. Return to the Workshop hub, select Manage Mods, then click Enable All near the bottom-left corner.

1. Go back once more and wait for tModLoader to reload the enabled mods.

At this point, your client is ready. The server still needs the matching mod files, because Terraria is picky about everyone bringing the same toys to the sandbox.

Prepare the Mod Files

The server needs the downloaded `.tmod` files plus the `enabled.json` file that tells tModLoader which mods to load.

1. Start tModLoader through Steam.
2. Select Workshop, then Manage Mods.
3. Click Open Mods Folders at the bottom of the screen.

This opens two folders: one containing `enabled.json`, and another containing the mod files.

1. In the mods directory, open each mod folder and enter the newest version folder. These folders commonly use a format like `2022.6`, where the latest folder has the newest year and highest number.

1. Copy every `.tmod` file to your desktop or another easy-to-find folder.
2. Copy `enabled.json` from the other opened directory to the same place.

Upload Mods to the Server

1. Return to your HolyHosting server panel.
2. Open your file manager or connect with an FTP client to your server.

1. Log in if prompted, then browse to this folder:

`.../.local/share/Terraria/tModLoader/Mods`

1. Upload the copied `.tmod` files and `enabled.json` into that `Mods` directory.

1. Wait for every upload to reach 100%.
2. Return to the main server panel and restart the server.

If the files match what your client has enabled, the server should start with the selected mods loaded.

After Installation

Once the server is running, players can join through tModLoader. When the server has enabled mods, tModLoader can automatically download the required files for joining players, which keeps setup much simpler for everyone.

To add or remove mods later, update your local mod list first, copy the new `.tmod` files and updated `enabled.json`, then replace the old server files. Restart the server after each change so tModLoader can reload everything properly.

Useful Links

• tModLoader Steam page
• tModLoader GitHub
• Terraria server guides