Core Keeper Server Admin Commands: What Works in Vanilla and How to Use It (2026)

Core Keeper does not provide a verified vanilla chat-command system, RCON interface, or enabled developer console. Lists of /kick, /ban, /give, and /spawn are not reliable unless they identify the mod and game build that added them. On an unmodified server, use the in-game player-management menu for moderation, DedicatedServer/Admins.json for recovery or provisioning, and launch arguments for startup settings such as the world, password, player limit, port, and season.

The command and argument details below are primarily checked against Core Keeper 1.2.1.5 (verification in September 2026). Core Keeper 1.3 released on September 21, 2026, so reread the ARGUMENTS.txt shipped with your current server package before changing a live instance.

Are there Core Keeper server admin commands in vanilla?

No supported, verified chat-command or RCON language is available on an unmodified Core Keeper server. Supercraft’s 2026 guide states that “Core Keeper has no chat commands and no RCON, and its developer console is switched off.” That means typing a slash command in chat, sending an RCON request, or opening a stock console is not a dependable way to moderate a dedicated server.

Community pages may show commands such as /kick, /ban, /give, or /spawn. Treat each list as mod-specific or build-specific until it names the exact mod, server package, and version. A command copied from a different build can do nothing, produce an error, or be unsafe for a production world.

Vanilla administration is split into three different jobs:

• Runtime moderation: promote or demote administrators, manage bans, and manage players from the in-game interface.
• File-based access: edit DedicatedServer/Admins.json when an administrator is locked out or you are provisioning a server before anyone joins.
• Startup configuration: pass launch arguments for the world, connection settings, password, season, content, and player limit. These arguments are not typed in chat.

How do I make someone an admin in Core Keeper?

For a normal server, the first person who joins a newly created world automatically becomes an administrator. Akliz documents this as: “The first person to join the server after it was created automatically becomes admin.” That initial administrator can then grant or remove administrator status from the player list.

Promote a player from the in-game menu

1. Join the server with an account that already has administrator privileges.
2. Open the pause menu and open the player list.
3. Find the player you want to promote.
4. Click the player’s gray star. The star changes to the administrator state.
5. Have the player reconnect if the host or client does not immediately refresh the permission display.

The same player list uses a gold star to demote an administrator. The first administrator cannot remove themself through this interface, which prevents the server from accidentally losing its last in-game administrator.

Where are ban and player controls?

Use Manage players in the player-management interface. That screen is the vanilla place to work with administrator and ban lists; it is not necessary to enter a command in chat. If a player is disruptive, open the list while they are connected, apply the available moderation action, and verify the resulting list before closing the menu.

How do I recover or provision an administrator with Admins.json?

Use the server’s DedicatedServer/Admins.json file when the original administrator is unavailable, when you are preparing a dedicated instance before its first connection, or when the host panel cannot expose the normal in-game menu. Akliz’s instructions require adding the player’s Steam ID and character name, then assigning a privilege value.

Safe editing procedure

1. Stop the server through the host control panel or its normal shutdown procedure.
2. Make a dated backup copy of DedicatedServer/Admins.json and, separately, the world and configuration files.
3. Open the existing JSON in a text editor that preserves quotation marks and braces. Keep the file’s existing structure; do not replace it with a guessed format from a forum post.
4. Add the player’s Steam ID and character name in the same entry format already used by the file.
5. Set the documented privilege value: 1 for the regular administrator level or 2 for the first-admin level.
6. Save the file as valid JSON, upload it if your host uses a control panel, and restart the server when the panel requests it.
7. Connect with the account you added and confirm that the player list shows administrator controls.

Privilege 2 is the first-admin level in Akliz’s documentation. Do not assume that a higher number grants more power, and do not delete the original entry until the replacement account has successfully connected. A malformed comma, quote, or brace can prevent the file from loading, so restoring the backup is the fastest recovery if the server stops recognizing administrators.

How do I kick or ban a player from a Core Keeper server?

There is no verified vanilla /kick or /ban command. Use the player list and its Manage players controls instead.

During an active session

1. Open the pause menu with an administrator account.
2. Open the player list and select the offending player.
3. Use the available management action to remove or ban the account.
4. Check the ban list before leaving the menu so you know whether the action was temporary or persistent in your host’s interface.

If the player is not currently online, use the same management screen’s stored ban list. The exact visual wording can vary by host integration, but the administrative action remains menu-based in vanilla play. A slash-command guide that does not identify a mod should not be used as evidence that the action exists on your server.

Which Core Keeper dedicated-server launch arguments are available?

Launch arguments configure the server when it starts; they are not runtime chat commands. The following names come from the Core Keeper Codex reference transcribed from the official server package and are primarily pinned to Core Keeper 1.2.1.5, checked in September 2026. Confirm every name and spelling against the ARGUMENTS.txt included with your current build.

Argument	Purpose	Example or handling
-worldname	Selects the world name used at startup.	Use the name that matches the world data you intend to load.
-worldseed	Sets a world seed.	Use only when creating or intentionally selecting a seeded world.
-hashedworldseed	Supplies a hashed world seed.	Keep the value consistent with the world configuration.
-worldmode	Sets the world mode.	-worldmode Hard
-season	Selects the seasonal setting.	Use the value accepted by the shipped argument reference.
-activatecontent	Activates specified content.	Follow the current package’s value syntax.
-activateallcontent	Activates all available content supported by the build.	Check the current package before using it on a persistent world.
-datapath	Chooses the data directory.	Useful when separating test and production instances.
-gameid	Sets the server Game ID.	Must satisfy the character and length rules below.
-password	Sets the connection password.	Quote or escape the value according to your host shell.
-port	Sets the network port.	-port 7778
-ip	Sets the address used by the server process.	Use the address required by the host or direct-IP layout.
-maxplayers	Sets the configured player limit.	-maxplayers 16
-allowonlyplatform	Restricts connections to the specified platform.	Use the value documented by your current package.

The table is a reference to argument names, not a promise that every value is interchangeable between versions. An argument can be accepted by the executable yet behave differently after an update, so keep the exact command line in your server notes.

How do I set the world mode, player limit, password, port, or season?

Put the relevant flags in the server’s startup command or host-panel launch-argument field, then restart the process. Do not paste them into in-game chat.

Changing difficulty or capacity

For a hard-mode world, the documented example is -worldmode Hard. To configure a 16-player limit, use -maxplayers 16. The setting is a configuration limit, not a published guarantee about performance; no authoritative performance statistic is established for every hardware and network combination.

Changing the port or address

Use -port 7778 when the server package or host requires that port, and use -ip when the process must bind to a particular address. A direct-IP deployment may also require matching firewall, router, container, or host-panel rules. The launch argument alone does not open those external rules.

If your setup relies on the platform’s relay or invitation path, leave the relay-specific behavior to that platform and change direct-IP flags only when your host documentation calls for them. The supplied server reference does not establish a universal relay port or a single networking layout for every host.

Changing a password or season

Add -password with the value required by your shell or host panel. Treat the password as a secret: do not paste it into public support posts or commit it to a shared script. For seasonal behavior, use -season with a value accepted by the ARGUMENTS.txt shipped with your build; the permitted values are version-dependent in the available documentation.

What Game ID format does a dedicated server require?

The Core Keeper Codex reference specifies that a Game ID must contain 15 to 28 characters, use only letters and numbers, and exclude the characters Y, y, x, 0, and O. These restrictions apply to the value supplied with -gameid.

• Use at least 15 and no more than 28 characters.
• Use alphanumeric characters only; no spaces, punctuation, or separators.
• Check for forbidden look-alikes, especially zero versus the letter O and lowercase y versus other letters.
• Record the final ID in your deployment notes so a replacement host uses the same value.

If the server refuses to start or clients cannot identify it, validate the Game ID before changing unrelated networking settings. A value that looks valid at a glance can still fail because of one forbidden character.

Can I enable the Core Keeper developer console?

The game contains a Quantum Console developer surface, but it is disabled in stock play. Supercraft reports that a mod can set MenuManager.enableConsole to true and that the console opens with Ctrl+X in the referenced build. Both details are version-sensitive, and using console commands disables Steam achievements for that session according to the same guide.

Enable a console only on a disposable or test instance until you have confirmed compatibility with your exact game and server build. A mod update, input change, or altered menu code can invalidate the documented toggle. Never present the keyboard shortcut as a vanilla feature.

What do the internal command names mean?

The Codex code reference identifies internal methods named Spawn, SpawnByName, SpawnTile, SpawnInGrid, SetTimeScale, MarkEnemyAsKilled, ToggleEnemyBehaviour, KillCritters, and Unlit. These names show that the game contains internal or mod-facing capabilities; they are not a supported copy-and-paste command manual.

The shipped package does not document the syntax for those methods. Its first-party mod SDK includes CommandWithModSupportAttribute, confirming that mods can extend the command surface. Before using any console command, identify the mod, its release version, the game build it supports, and whether it changes achievement behavior.

Which administration method should I use?

Need	Best-fit method	Why	Main risk
Promote a trusted player while everyone is online	In-game player list	It is the normal vanilla workflow and requires no file editing.	The first administrator cannot remove themself through the interface.
Recover access after an administrator is unavailable	Admins.json	You can provision an account directly with its Steam ID, character name, and privilege.	Invalid JSON or a wrong ID can leave the account without access.
Kick or ban a connected player	Manage players	It is the verified vanilla moderation surface.	Menu wording and host integration can differ.
Set world, password, season, port, or capacity	Startup arguments	These values are read when the server process starts.	Flags are not chat commands and may change after an update.
Use spawn or time-control functions	Mod-enabled console	Only a mod can expose the disabled console and add command handling.	Syntax is undocumented, support is build-specific, and achievements are disabled for the session.

How should Steam relay and direct-IP settings be handled?

Choose the connection path your host actually supports rather than adding every networking flag. For a direct-IP server, -ip and -port belong in the startup configuration, and the same port must be allowed by the host’s firewall or forwarding rules. For a platform-relay or invitation-based setup, do not assume that a direct-IP port change is required; follow the platform and host instructions for that deployment.

Keep a note of whether players connect through a relay/invitation flow or a manually entered address. That distinction makes failures easier to isolate: a direct-IP problem can involve binding or firewall rules, while a relay problem may be unrelated to the process’s listening port.

What changed between the documented builds?

The command and argument evidence is primarily tied to Core Keeper 1.2.1.5 and was verified in September 2026. Core Keeper 1.3 released on September 21, 2026. After a major update, reread the current server package’s ARGUMENTS.txt instead of assuming that a 1.2.1.5 flag, console toggle, or mod command still works.

Record these details before troubleshooting:

• Game version and dedicated-server package version.
• Host operating system, control-panel template, or container image.
• The complete startup argument line, with secrets removed from copies shared for support.
• Whether the server is vanilla or modded, including mod versions.
• The date and result of the last known-good startup.

How do I stop a Core Keeper server safely?

In the standard PowerShell server window, press Q to request a clean stop. A clean shutdown gives the process an opportunity to finish writing world data.

If you are using the wiki’s auto-restart wrapper, stop the wrapper with Ctrl+C, then press Y and Enter, and finally stop the server process. Do not kill the process first when the wrapper is still supervising it; otherwise it may immediately start the server again or interrupt a save.

What should I do before changing a production server?

1. Back up the world, configuration, and Admins.json.
2. Copy the current ARGUMENTS.txt and record the exact executable or package version.
3. Test the new argument, admin entry, or mod on a disposable instance.
4. Confirm that an administrator can join and open the player-management menu.
5. Stop the server cleanly and verify that the world reloads before inviting the full player group.
6. Keep a rollback copy of the previous startup line and files.

This process matters most for permissions and networking changes. A successful process launch does not by itself prove that the intended Game ID, administrator account, player limit, or direct-IP binding is working.

How do I troubleshoot common administration failures?

A slash command does nothing

First assume the command is not part of vanilla Core Keeper. Check whether a specific mod installed it and whether that mod supports your exact build. If no such mod exists, use the player-management menu or the documented startup/file method instead.

The player is still not an administrator

Verify the Steam ID, character name, privilege value, and JSON syntax. Restart as required by the host panel, then reconnect the account. If the file was edited while the server was running, restore the backup, stop cleanly, edit again, and restart.

The server will not start after an argument change

Remove the newest flag, compare its spelling and value with the current ARGUMENTS.txt, and test again. Pay particular attention to the Game ID’s length, forbidden characters, and the shell’s handling of password punctuation.

Players cannot connect after changing the port

Confirm that the server is bound to the intended address, that the host firewall and forwarding rules use the same port, and that clients are using the correct connection path. If the deployment uses a relay or invitation flow, undo unnecessary direct-IP changes and test the host’s documented relay workflow.

The console shortcut is missing

The stock game keeps the console disabled. Confirm that the enabling mod loaded successfully and supports your build; do not expect Ctrl+X to work in an unmodded session.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a server panel provide Core Keeper RCON even though the game does not?

Only a panel or wrapper that explicitly implements its own bridge could offer that behavior; it would not be native Core Keeper RCON. Ask the host which package handles the bridge and which game and mod versions it supports before relying on it for moderation.

Will changing Admins.json reset the existing ban list?

The administrator file and player-management data serve different purposes, so do not assume that editing one updates the other. Back up both the permissions file and the host’s player-management data before making a recovery change, then verify administrators and bans separately after restart.

Do launch arguments apply to a world that already exists?

Some flags select how the server starts while others affect the world or connection configuration. Test any world-related change on a copy first and keep the original startup line available for rollback; the current package’s argument reference is the authority for that build.

Why is my Game ID rejected when it has the right number of characters?

Length alone is insufficient: the ID must be alphanumeric and must not contain uppercase Y, lowercase y, lowercase x, zero, or uppercase O. Recheck visually confusing characters and remove spaces or punctuation before testing again.