Project Zomboid server: tutorials & guidesAll guides around your own Project Zomboid server

Project Zomboid cleanly separates two configuration levels, and this separation is the key to practically every setting. servertest.ini describes the server: PvP, password, number of players, ports, RCON, mods and maps. servertest_SandboxVars.lua in the same folder describes the game world: number and behavior of zombies, loot frequency, XP rates, day length. If you know which of the two files a setting belongs in, you never search for long again - and you change the gameplay without touching the basic configuration. The guides here are sorted along exactly this separation.

Before the first start, there are two decisions that can only be corrected with effort afterwards. The first is the branch: since 29 July 2026, Build 42 has been the stable default, and Build 41 only continues via the Steam branch legacy41. For new rounds, Build 42 is the obvious choice; an existing Build 41 world cannot be transferred and therefore stays on legacy41. In any case, it is important that server and client run on the same branch, otherwise nobody gets in. The real checkpoint before a switch is the mods: if one of them only runs under Build 41, the switch is postponed until it has caught up. The second decision is the mod list itself, because maps are ordinary Workshop mods in Project Zomboid - and the later a map is added, the more already explored world is in the wrong place.

1. Decide on the branch and announce it to the team so that everyone runs the same one.
2. Put together the mod list and maps before the world is explored for the first time.
3. Set servertest.ini: number of players, password, PvP, WorkshopItems and Mods.
4. Choose the difficulty in the SandboxVars - a preset such as Apocalypse or Survivor as a starting point, then adjust individual values.
5. Set the admin password, distribute roles with /setaccesslevel and set up RCON if needed.

By far the most common mistake lies in the two-key system for mods: every mod needs two entries - the numeric Workshop ID under WorkshopItems and in addition the mod ID from the mod.info under Mods. If one of the two is missing, the server silently does not load the mod, and the troubleshooting starts in the wrong place. As with all our game servers, you connect via IP and port together, shown in the web interface. Backups of the world, the characters and both configuration files are self-service: accessible at any time via SFTP or WebFTP - nothing is backed up automatically, and especially before a branch or mod change, a copy is the cheapest insurance.

Getting started: connect and manage

Get onto the server and distribute the roles within the team. Project Zomboid knows several access levels - admin, moderator, overseer and gm - so you can hand over moderation without granting full server access right away. RCON adds the way from outside: sending commands without starting the game at all. The backup guide is deliberately already here and not at the end - it is most useful before something happens.

Configuration: server and game world

Two files, two responsibilities - this is where you find which setting belongs where. Network, access and mods go into the .ini, everything that changes how the apocalypse plays goes into the SandboxVars. Both are only read at startup and have to be edited while the server is stopped.

Mods & maps

The two-key system of WorkshopItems and Mods is the most common source of error - and maps add a third step, because they also have to appear in the Map= entry. The order decides there: the maps are stacked, and where they overlap, the earlier entry wins, which is why the vanilla map belongs at the end. If you want to combine several maps, it is better to plan that before the start than in the middle of a running round.

Versions

Server and client have to run on the same branch - otherwise nobody gets in. Since Build 42 became the default, this mainly concerns servers that deliberately stay on Build 41.

Troubleshooting

Joining rarely fails because of the network - usually because of a mismatch between client and server.

Before you order

Buying advice - specific to Project Zomboid and across games.

Frequently asked questions