Terraria server types compared: Vanilla, TShock and tModLoader

TerrariaUpdated Oct 24, 20263 min read

Every Terraria plan can run three server types. Terraria Vanilla is the official server, the plain game. TShock adds server plugins, player accounts, permissions and anti-cheat, and players still join with the normal game. tModLoader runs Steam Workshop mods such as Calamity, and every player needs tModLoader on Steam. A new server starts as Terraria Vanilla, and you switch with Edit Server Type on the Overview page.

The three types

	Terraria Vanilla	TShock	tModLoader
Name in the panel	Terraria Vanilla	TShock	tModLoader
Adds	nothing, the plain game	server plugins, accounts, groups, permissions, anti-cheat	client mods from the Steam Workshop
Players join with	Terraria	Terraria	tModLoader (free on Steam)
Terraria version	the newest	follows a new Terraria within days	Terraria 1.4.4 until tModLoader moves to 1.4.5
Mods or plugins page	none	Modding, Plugins tab	Workshop
Extra settings	special seeds, Journey powers, anti-cheat, rollback copies, slow liquids, NPCStream	World Evil, and `config.json` (PvP, spawn protection, logins, whitelist)	Language, Workshop mods
Kick, ban, Bans list	yes	yes	yes, with the server language on English

Which one should I pick?

Terraria Vanilla if you want the normal game with friends, on the newest version, with special seed worlds.
TShock for a public or community server: accounts, admin groups, spawn protection, a whitelist and plugins, while players use the normal game. See How to install TShock plugins on your Terraria server.
tModLoader for content mods like Calamity, Thorium or Magic Storage. Everyone plays through tModLoader and gets the server's mods when they join. See How to add Steam Workshop mods to your tModLoader server.

TShock does not load tModLoader mods, and tModLoader does not load TShock plugins.

Your world and the types

All three keep worlds in saves/Worlds, so a world is still there after a switch: set World Name to it. Two limits:

tModLoader runs Terraria 1.4.4 and cannot open a world saved by Terraria 1.4.5: tModLoader cannot open your Terraria world.
After a Terraria update, TShock can take a few days to follow, and until then it will not open a world the newest Terraria saved.

Switch type

On Overview, click Edit Server Type. Full steps and what to tick: How to switch your Terraria server to TShock or tModLoader.

The Modding tab of a Terraria Vanilla server with the TShock and tModLoader card

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