Managing a Terraria server requires knowledge of console commands and, for advanced administration, TShock commands. This guide covers all essential commands for both vanilla Terraria servers and TShock-powered servers.
Vanilla Server Commands
helpDisplay a list of all available commands
Example: Type in server console
playingShow the number of players currently on the server
Example: Displays player count and names
clearClear the console window
Example: Cleans up console output
exitShutdown the server and save the world
Example: Always use this for clean shutdowns
exit-nosaveShutdown without saving (use carefully)
Example: For emergency shutdowns only
saveSave the world immediately
Example: Use before maintenance
kick <player>Kick a player from the server
Example: kick PlayerName
ban <player>Ban a player from the server
Example: ban PlayerName
password <password>Set or change the server password
Example: password mySecretPass
passwordRemove the server password (empty password)
Example: Removes password protection
motd <message>Set the message of the day
Example: motd Welcome to our server!
dawnSet time to dawn (4:30 AM)
Example: Changes in-game time
noonSet time to noon (12:00 PM)
Example: Changes in-game time
duskSet time to dusk (7:30 PM)
Example: Changes in-game time
midnightSet time to midnight (12:00 AM)
Example: Changes in-game time
settleSettle all water/lava immediately
Example: Fixes liquid physics issues
Tip
- Commands are typed directly into the server console
- Use 'exit' instead of closing the window to prevent world corruption
- The ban command permanently bans by IP
TShock Essential Commands
/kick <player> [reason]Kick a player with optional reason
Example: /kick Steve Please read the rules
/ban <player> [reason]Permanently ban a player
Example: /ban Steve Cheating
/tempban <player> <time> [reason]Temporarily ban a player
Example: /tempban Steve 1h Spamming
/unban <player>Remove a ban from a player
Example: /unban Steve
/mute <player> [reason]Mute a player in chat
Example: /mute Steve Spam
/unmute <player>Unmute a player
Example: /unmute Steve
Tip
- TShock commands start with / when used in-game
- Time formats for tempban: s=seconds, m=minutes, h=hours, d=days
- Use /help in-game to see all available commands
TShock Admin Commands
/user add <name> <password> <group>Create a new user account
Example: /user add Admin password123 superadmin
/user group <name> <group>Change a user's group
Example: /user group Steve admin
/group add <name> <parent> <permissions>Create a new permission group
Example: /group add moderator default
/reloadReload server configurations
Example: Applies config changes
/offShutdown the server (with save)
Example: Use for maintenance
/off-nosaveShutdown without saving
Example: Emergency only
TShock Item and World Commands
/give <item> [amount] [player]Give items to a player
Example: /give 'Copper Shortsword' 1 Steve
/item <item> [amount]Give yourself an item
Example: /item 'Terra Blade' 1
/time <dawn|noon|dusk|midnight>Set the world time
Example: /time noon
/slap <player> [damage]Slap a player (fun admin command)
Example: /slap Steve 50
/kill <player>Kill a player instantly
Example: /kill Steve
/heal <player>Fully heal a player
Example: /heal Steve
/tp <player>Teleport to a player
Example: /tp Steve
/tphere <player>Teleport a player to you
Example: /tphere Steve
Tip
- Item names with spaces need single quotes
- Use /item list to search for item names
- Some commands require specific TShock permissions
Server Configuration
maxplayers=8Maximum number of players (1-255)
Example: Default is 8
port=7777Server port
Example: Default is 7777
password=Server password (empty for none)
Example: password=secret
difficulty=0World difficulty (0=Classic, 1=Expert, 2=Master, 3=Journey)
Example: difficulty=1
worldname=worldWorld file name
Example: worldname=MyWorld
autocreate=3Auto-create world size (1=Small, 2=Medium, 3=Large)
Example: autocreate=2
Tip
- Edit serverconfig.txt before starting the server
- Changes require a server restart
- For TShock, additional configs are in tshock/config.json
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