TShock Guide: Setup, Commands and Permissions

TShock and Terraria versions

TShock is built for one exact Terraria version at a time. The current release, TShock 6.2.1, runs Terraria 1.4.5.8. Players must use the same Terraria version as the server.

When Terraria updates, wait for the matching TShock release before updating the server. Before upgrading TShock, back up tshock.sqlite and the whole tshock folder: they hold your accounts, groups, bans and regions.

Setting up the server itself, with ports and worlds, is covered in how to make a Terraria server.

First setup: create the owner account

On first start, TShock prints a setup code in the console and saves it to tshock/setup-code.txt. Join the server and type:

/setup 123456
/user add YourName YourPassword owner
/login YourName YourPassword
/setup

The first line unlocks setup with the code, the second creates your account in the owner group, the third logs you in, and the last one turns setup mode off. Once an account exists, setup cannot be used again.

Play from the owner group. TShock also has a built-in superadmin, but its developers advise against playing as it: it bypasses everything, including server-side characters.

Groups and permissions

Every player belongs to a group, and groups hold permissions. TShock creates these by default: guest (not logged in), default (registered players), vip, newadmin, admin, trustedadmin and owner.

Players create their own accounts with /register password and log in with /login. To keep unregistered players from building, set RequireLogin to true in the config.

TShock commands (Terraria server commands)

Commands start with /; starting one with ! instead runs it silently, without announcing it to other players. Names with spaces go in quotes.

Protect builds with regions

Regions stop other players from changing an area, such as spawn or a town.

/region set 1
/region set 2
/region define spawn
/region protect spawn true
/region allow Alex spawn
/region allowg builder spawn

After /region set 1, hit a block to mark the first corner; do the same for corner 2. Then name the region and protect it. allow lets one player build inside, allowg a whole group. /region list and /region info spawn show what exists.

Note that since TShock 6, the automatic spawn protection is off by default (SpawnProtection in the config). A region around spawn gives you finer control anyway.

Server-side characters

Normally each player's character, with its inventory, lives on their own computer, so players can bring in items from other worlds or edited characters. Server-side characters (SSC) store characters on the server instead, so everyone progresses fairly.

• Turn it on in tshock/sscconfig.json with "Enabled": true, and restart.
• Set what new characters start with: StartingHealth, StartingMana and StartingInventory.
• Admins with the tshock.ignore.ssc permission are not saved to SSC.

Decide early: once SSC is on, players start from the starting inventory, and an admin has to import an existing character with /uploadssc. Turning it on later surprises regulars.

The config file and the REST API

TShock's settings live in tshock/config.json. The ones most servers change:

• ServerPassword: a password to join;
• MaxSlots: the player limit (8 by default);
• RequireLogin: players must log in before they can play;
• EnableWhitelist: only allowed addresses can join;
• BackupInterval: how often TShock saves a world backup.

Apply changes with /reload, or restart for settings that need it.

The REST API lets websites and tools control the server over HTTP, on port 7878 by default. It is off by default (RestApiEnabled), and you should leave it off unless you need it: a REST token can run any server command with the permissions of the account it belongs to. If you use it, give the token's account only the permissions the tool needs, and never publish the token.

TShock on HytHost

On HytHost Terraria hosting, TShock is one click away: choose it at checkout, or switch to it later in the panel's Software tab, which keeps your world, password, MOTD and slots. The server runs TShock 6.2.1 for Terraria 1.4.5.8, with the REST API off by default.

The setup code appears in the panel console on first start, and you edit config.json and sscconfig.json in the file manager.