Starbound Mod Installation
This guide covers how to install, manage, and troubleshoot mods on your Starbound dedicated server, including Steam Workshop support and manual mod installation. For initial server setup and configuration, see Starbound Server Setup Guide. For admin commands, see Starbound Admin Commands.
Enabling Workshop Support
Starbound supports Steam Workshop mods on your dedicated server. To enable Workshop support, you must set the WORKSHOP startup variable.
- Stop your server in GPanel.
- Go to the Startup tab.
- Set the WORKSHOP variable to
1. - Start the server.
Adding Workshop Mods
- Browse the Starbound Steam Workshop and find the mods you want to install.
- Copy the Workshop Item ID from the mod's URL. The URL format is:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=ITEM_ID - On your server, locate or create the Workshop configuration. Depending on your egg setup, mods may be specified via a configuration file or a startup variable. Check the GPanel Startup tab for any mod-related fields.
- Alternatively, you can manually install mods by downloading them and uploading the mod
.pakfiles to themods/directory on your server via the File Manager or SFTP. - Restart the server to load the new mods.
Manual Mod Installation
If you prefer not to use the Workshop, or a mod is not available on the Workshop:
- Download the mod files (typically a
.pakfile). - Stop your server.
- Upload the
.pakfile to themods/directory on your server. - Start the server.
Mod Load Order
Starbound loads mods in alphabetical order by filename. If you have mods that depend on other mods, ensure the dependency mod's filename comes first alphabetically, or consult the mod author's installation instructions for specific load order requirements.
Important Notes
allowAssetsMismatch is set to false in your server config, players with mismatched mods will be unable to connect. Even with it set to true, mismatched mods can cause visual glitches, missing items, or crashes.
storage/ directory before making mod changes. If you experience crashes or errors after adding mods, try removing recently added mods one at a time to identify the conflict.
Related Articles
- Starbound Server Setup Guide
- Starbound Admin Commands
- How to Find Your Server IP and Port
- How to Upload Files via SFTP
- Server Startup Guide
Need Help?
If you are experiencing issues not covered in this guide, our support team is available to assist. Open a ticket at legionhosting.net/submitticket.php with your server details and a description of the problem.