How to Install Mods on a Craftopia Server

To mod a Craftopia dedicated server, install the separate Craftopia Dedicated Server, choose either Steam Workshop/ModHub distribution or a manual BepInEx installation, and put the loader and plugin files in the server’s own directory. A manual installation normally requires winhttp.dll, doorstop_config.ini, and the BepInEx folder in the server root, with mod DLLs inside BepInEx/plugins. Many gameplay-changing mods must also be installed by every player. Stop the server before changing files, back up the world, and test plugins individually after Craftopia or BepInEx updates.

What do you need before installing Craftopia server mods?

Have the dedicated-server files, access to the server’s file system, and the exact requirements for every mod you intend to run. Craftopia supports several deployment methods, but the mod files ultimately need to be available to the process that launches the dedicated server.

• Craftopia Dedicated Server: Steam lists it as a separate application, app ID 1670340. The regular Craftopia game uses app ID 1307550.
• A deployment method: Steam, SteamCMD, or a managed-server control panel can be used to install the server.
• A loader: BepInEx is the loader used by the Craftopia Mod Loader listing.
• Mod dependencies: Some plugins require Configuration Manager or another library. Install every dependency named on the mod’s page.
• File access and backups: You need permission to stop the server, edit its installation directory, and copy the world to a safe location.
• Client copies when required: Players may need the same gameplay-changing plugin on their own Craftopia installations.

Confirm the game branch and loader requirements before downloading anything. The Workshop loader description mentions BepInEx 5.4.22, but that version is not a promise that it is compatible with every current Craftopia branch or every plugin.

Which Craftopia mod-installation route should you use?

Use Workshop/ModHub when the mod is published there and its author supports that distribution. Use manual BepInEx files when a mod is distributed as a DLL, is unavailable through Workshop, or gives explicit server-side installation instructions.

Consideration	Workshop/ModHub	Manual BepInEx
Distribution	Subscribe to the loader and mods through Steam Workshop, then enable them in ModHub.	Download the loader and plugin archives, extract them, and copy files into the correct directories.
Dependency handling	Workshop can expose required items, but you still need to read the mod page.	You must identify and install every dependency yourself.
Best fit	Mods maintained for Craftopia’s Workshop/ModHub workflow.	DLL releases, unsupported Workshop packages, or a host where you control the server files.
Server topology	Convenient for a local Steam installation; hosted panels may still require file uploads.	Works on a self-hosted Windows server or a managed host with a file manager or FTP access.
Client burden	Players may still need to subscribe to the same gameplay mod.	Players may need matching DLLs and dependencies copied into their own game directories.
Recovery	Disable the mod in ModHub and restart.	Remove or isolate files from BepInEx/plugins, then restore them one at a time.

Do not assume that a mod marked “available” is server-compatible. Read its installation notes for client-only, server-only, or required-both behavior before adding it to a live world.

How do you install the Craftopia Dedicated Server?

Install the dedicated-server application first; mod files should not be placed in the ordinary game folder unless the mod instructions specifically require a shared installation.

1. Choose the deployment method. Install the dedicated-server app through Steam, deploy it with SteamCMD, or create a Craftopia instance through a managed host.
2. Record the server directory. You will later copy the loader files to this exact root. On a managed host, use the panel’s file manager or FTP location for the server executable and configuration files.
3. Launch the unmodded server once. This confirms that the installation is complete and creates any initial folders or configuration files needed by the server.
4. Stop the server cleanly. Never overwrite loader files while the process is running. A clean stop also reduces the chance of a world-save being incomplete.
5. Make a world backup. Copy the world and server configuration to storage outside the installation directory before adding or updating plugins.

If the dedicated server is on the same computer as the game, you can use the working Craftopia installation as the source for loader files. If the server computer has no base-game installation, the dedicated-server documentation describes copying the relevant Steam Workshop folder and Craftopia app manifest/content data so the server has the files it needs.

How do you install Workshop and ModHub mods?

Workshop installation is subscription-based, but the mod is not active merely because it was downloaded. You must enable it in Craftopia’s ModHub and restart after changing the enabled state.

1. Open the official Craftopia Workshop listings. Subscribe to Craftopia Mod Loader (BepInEx), Configuration Manager if required, and each target mod.
2. Read every requirements section. Note the required loader version, libraries, game version, server support, and whether clients also need the mod.
3. Start or restart Craftopia. This allows Steam and the game to register newly subscribed Workshop content.
4. Open ModHub and check the mod. Confirm that the loader and target plugins appear and that each intended mod is enabled.
5. Restart after changing the enabled state. Craftopia’s ModHub instructions require another restart after enabling or disabling mods so the change is loaded.
6. Apply the same requirements to the server. A local Workshop subscription does not automatically place files on a remote dedicated server. For a remote machine, follow its documented upload or synchronization method.

Workshop is easiest when the server and game share a Steam environment. On a remote host, verify where the host expects Workshop content and whether the panel supports automatic Workshop downloads; otherwise, use the host’s file manager and the mod author’s dedicated-server instructions.

How do you install BepInEx manually on a Craftopia server?

A manual installation has two parts: install the loader in the directory that launches Craftopia, then put plugin DLLs in BepInEx/plugins. The server must be stopped while you copy or replace these files.

Prepare a known-good Craftopia installation

1. Download the BepInEx package specified by the Craftopia mod documentation. Do not substitute a generic build without checking compatibility.
2. Extract the package into the Craftopia installation root, the folder containing the game executable. The extracted layout should include winhttp.dll, doorstop_config.ini, and the BepInEx directory.
3. Launch Craftopia once. The first launch lets BepInEx generate its configuration and logging files.
4. Exit the game completely. Do not copy partially generated files while the process is still open.
5. Place each mod’s DLL in BepInEx/plugins. If an archive contains a subfolder or additional library, preserve the structure required by that mod’s instructions.

Copy the loader to a local dedicated server

When the game and dedicated server are on one computer, copy winhttp.dll and doorstop_config.ini from the working Craftopia installation into the dedicated-server installation. Copy the complete BepInEx folder as well when the server does not already have the same generated loader structure. Then place server plugins under the server’s BepInEx/plugins directory.

Copy the loader to a server without the base game

If the server machine has only the dedicated-server application, follow the dedicated-server deployment documentation for copying the Steam Workshop folder and Craftopia app manifest/content data. After the server has a valid Craftopia runtime, place winhttp.dll, doorstop_config.ini, and BepInEx in that runtime’s server root, then add plugins to BepInEx/plugins.

Upload files to a managed host

1. Stop the Craftopia instance in the host control panel.
2. Open the server root in the file manager or connect with the host’s supported file-transfer method.
3. Upload winhttp.dll, doorstop_config.ini, and the entire BepInEx folder to the root, not into a nested upload folder.
4. Open BepInEx/plugins and upload the mod DLLs there.
5. Check that the names and capitalization match the downloaded files; do not rename DLLs unless the mod author says it is safe.
6. Start the server and inspect its console or log output for BepInEx and plugin loading messages.

The essential layout is:

Craftopia server root/
├── winhttp.dll
├── doorstop_config.ini
└── BepInEx/
    ├── config/
    ├── LogOutput.log
    └── plugins/
        ├── ModOne.dll
        └── ModTwo.dll

Folder names can vary slightly by loader package, but plugin DLLs belong in BepInEx/plugins; placing them beside the server executable will not load them.

Do all players need to install Craftopia mods?

Not always. Server-only utilities can run without a client copy, while mods that alter items, recipes, enemies, world generation, interfaces, or other gameplay commonly require installation on every player’s client.

Check the mod’s declared scope

• Server-only: The server owns the behavior and clients connect without installing the plugin.
• Client-only: The plugin changes presentation or local controls and may not belong on the server.
• Server and client: Install matching versions on the server and every client, including dependencies.
• Conditional support: Some authors support a dedicated server only with a particular configuration or loader version.

Read the mod page rather than inferring scope from the DLL name. A client that lacks a required gameplay plugin may fail to connect, disconnect after loading, or see inconsistent behavior. Have every player close Craftopia before replacing their plugin files, then start the game again after the server is ready.

How should you back up and update a modded Craftopia server?

Back up before the first mod installation, before removing a plugin, and before every Craftopia or loader update. Keep at least one copy outside the server directory so a bad update cannot overwrite both the live world and its backup.

1. Stop the server. Use the console or hosting panel’s stop command and wait until the process exits.
2. Copy the world files and server configuration. Give the backup a date and identify the Craftopia, BepInEx, and plugin versions used at that point.
3. Update one layer at a time. Update Craftopia, then verify an unmodded launch if possible; update BepInEx and plugins only after checking their compatibility notes.
4. Start with a test world or a copy. Confirm that the server reaches a ready state and that players can connect before opening the production world.
5. Record changes. Keep a simple list of added, removed, and updated DLLs. This makes rollback and fault isolation much faster.

The Craftopia Workshop loader description identifies BepInEx 5.4.22 as an updated build, but treat that as the version described by that listing, not as a universal requirement. Verify the current loader and each plugin against the game branch you actually run.

Why did the Craftopia server stop starting after an update?

The most common cause is an incompatible plugin or loader. Isolate the plugin set before restoring the world or changing unrelated server settings.

Use the quickest isolation procedure

1. Stop the server and make a fresh backup of the current files.
2. Temporarily move every DLL out of BepInEx/plugins into a separate backup folder. Do not delete them.
3. Start the server with an empty plugins folder. If it starts, the base server and loader are probably functioning.
4. Restore one plugin, start the server, and check the console or BepInEx log. Repeat until the failure returns.
5. Remove the plugin that causes the failure and check its page for an updated build, a missing dependency, or a required configuration change.

Match symptoms to likely causes

Symptom	Checks
The server does not launch at all	Confirm winhttp.dll and doorstop_config.ini are in the server root, verify the BepInEx files were extracted at the correct level, and test with no plugins.
BepInEx starts but a mod is missing	Check that the DLL is directly under BepInEx/plugins, that its dependencies are installed, and that the file belongs to the server’s game version.
Players cannot connect after a mod is added	Check whether the mod requires client installation, then compare plugin and dependency versions on every client and the server.
The server worked until Craftopia updated	Empty the plugins folder, test the loader, and restore plugins individually. Look for an author update or a loader version requirement.
ModHub changes appear to do nothing	Confirm the mod is checked in ModHub and restart Craftopia after changing the enabled state.

Do not restore all old DLLs at once after an update. One incompatible plugin can prevent the process from reaching a useful log message, while incremental restoration identifies the exact file to replace or remove.

Can you manage a modded Craftopia server from the command line?

Yes. Pocketpair’s dedicated-server announcement states, “CLI function has been added to Dedicated Server.” The announcement confirms command-line support, but the exact switches and configuration syntax depend on the server build and should be checked in the current dedicated-server documentation.

Use the command line to automate launching, scheduled restarts, log capture, and controlled shutdowns, but keep the same file rules: the process must start from the directory containing the loader files, and plugins still belong in BepInEx/plugins. Test any startup script without mods first, then add the loader and plugins.

What is the safest way to introduce a new mod?

Install one mod at a time on a copied world, verify the server and a client connection, and only then add the next plugin.

1. Read the mod’s requirements and supported client/server scope.
2. Back up the live world and copy it to a test location.
3. Stop the test server and install the loader dependency, if it is not already present.
4. Copy the mod DLL into BepInEx/plugins or subscribe and enable it through the supported Workshop/ModHub path.
5. Start the test server and inspect the BepInEx log for errors.
6. Connect with a client that has the required matching files.
7. Exercise the feature that the mod changes, then stop the test server before promoting the files to production.

This process takes longer than copying a large bundle of DLLs, but it gives you a known-good rollback point and makes later update failures much easier to diagnose.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Craftopia server plugins folder?

For a BepInEx installation, open the dedicated server’s installation root and then BepInEx/plugins. The plugin DLL should be inside that folder, not merely inside the general BepInEx directory or next to the server executable.

Can I use Workshop mods on a non-Steam dedicated server?

The server still needs the mod files and dependencies in a form its installation can load. A remote or non-Steam deployment may require copying the relevant Workshop content or using the mod’s manual release instead of relying on a local subscription.

How do I remove a Craftopia mod without losing my world?

Stop the server, back up the world, and move only the suspected DLL out of BepInEx/plugins. Start the server and test the save; keep the removed file in a separate archive so you can restore it if the mod is required by the world.

What should I tell players before opening a modded server?

Give them the exact mod names, versions, dependencies, and whether each item is required on the client. Ask everyone to close Craftopia while installing files and to use the same loader and plugin versions before connecting.