Don't Starve Together server setup guide

Q: Can I play without caves?

Yes. Set shard_enabled = false. The server uses less RAM and CPU. However, you miss cave-exclusive content (ruins, bunny villages, ancient guardian).

Q: How many players can join?

Default is 6. You can increase this in cluster.ini with max_players. Performance stays good up to 10 to 12 players.

Don't Starve Together (DST) is the multiplayer version of the survival classic. A dedicated server lets you and your friends survive together with persistent worlds, caves and custom settings.

Requirements

RAM: 1 to 2 GB for the overworld, 1 to 2 GB additional for caves. Total: 2 to 4 GB with caves enabled.
CPU: 2 cores (one for overworld, one for caves).
Storage: 2 to 4 GB.
Port: 10999 UDP (default), 11000 for caves.

Installation

Select Don't Starve Together in the game panel, or install via SteamCMD (app ID 343050) on a VPS.
Generate a server token: open DST on your PC, press ~ for console, type TheNet:GenerateClusterToken(). Find the token in your DST folder.
Place the token in cluster_token.txt on the server.
Edit cluster.ini for server name, password and game mode.
Start the server.

Enabling caves

Caves run as a separate server process connected to the overworld. The cluster.ini needs:

[SHARD]
shard_enabled = true
bind_ip = 127.0.0.1
master_ip = 127.0.0.1
master_port = 10998
cluster_key = supersecretkey

Create both a Master/ (overworld) and Caves/ shard directory with their own server.ini.

World settings

Edit worldgenoverride.lua in each shard to customize:

Resource frequency (more or fewer berry bushes, trees, rocks).
Season length (default: 20 days each for autumn, winter, spring, summer).
Monster frequency and difficulty.
Biome composition and world size.

Adding mods

Find the mod on the Steam Workshop. Note the Workshop ID.
Add the ID to dedicated_server_mods_setup.lua:
```
ServerModSetup("WORKSHOP_ID")
```
Enable the mod in modoverrides.lua in each shard.
Restart. The server downloads the mod automatically.

Popular mods: Global Positions (show all players on map), Extra Equip Slots, Geometric Placement, Wormhole Marks.

Can I play without caves?

Yes. Set shard_enabled = false. The server uses less RAM and CPU. However, you miss cave-exclusive content (ruins, bunny villages, ancient guardian).

How many players can join?

Default is 6. You can increase this in cluster.ini with max_players. Performance stays good up to 10 to 12 players.

DST servers run on KVM VPS plans or game plans at HostValues.