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GuidesGuidesRun a modded Factorio server without the guesswork — the mods folder, mod-list.json, dependencies, version matching, and the honest truth about downloading mods to a headless server.
Factorio's mod system is clean once you see how the pieces fit: a folder of mod files, a list that says which are on, and a set of rules about dependencies and versions that Factorio checks before it starts. A headless server adds one honest wrinkle — it can't browse or download mods the way the game client can, so you feed it the files yourself. This guide covers the whole loop.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| You need | A Factorio server (see the Factorio quickstart) |
| Plan | Any — Factorio runs on the free plan |
| Time | About fifteen minutes |
Everything lives in the server's mods folder, reachable in the File Manager. Two kinds of thing sit there:
| Piece | What it is |
|---|---|
.zip mod files |
The mods themselves — one zip each, named like boblibrary_1.2.3.zip |
mod-list.json |
The on/off switch list for every mod |
mod-list.json looks like this:
{
"mods": [
{ "name": "base", "enabled": true },
{ "name": "boblibrary", "enabled": true },
{ "name": "bobores", "enabled": false }
]
}
Add a mod's zip to the folder and Factorio adds it to this list (enabled) on the next start. To turn a mod off without deleting it, flip its enabled to false here — the zip stays, the mod sleeps. base is Factorio itself; leave it enabled.
Many mods build on a shared library or another mod. Each mod declares what it needs in its own info.json (dependencies), and Factorio refuses to start if a required dependency is missing — it prints exactly which one at the top of the console. So a mod is rarely "one file":
💡 Tip: When the console stops with a "missing dependency" line, read the mod name it gives you, add that mod's zip to the folder, and start again. Big overhaul mods can pull in a chain of these — add them until the console is happy.
Factorio is strict about versions, in two directions:
info.json names the factorio_version it targets (like 1.1 or 2.0). A mod built for a different major version won't load. Match your mods to your server's Factorio version.⚠️ Heads up: And the rule from multiplayer that never changes: every player needs the same mods at the same versions as the server. The server won't let a mismatched client join. Line the lists up before you invite anyone.
This is where a hosted server differs from playing on your PC:
⚠️ Heads up: A headless Factorio server has no in-game mod browser and does not download mods for you. You put the mod
.zipfiles in themodsfolder yourself, then restart.
So the reliable workflow is manual and simple:
.zip from Factorio's official mod portal, mods.factorio.com. Downloading from the portal needs a logged-in factorio.com account, and that account requires a valid Factorio license — there's no way around the login, and that's by design.mods folder with the File Manager (or SFTP for a big set).That's the whole thing. Some setups automate portal downloads with account credentials, but the credential handling there varies and moves around, so the stable, always-works path is: download from the portal, upload the zips.
🎯 Good to know: Your save and mods live in the server's files and survive restarts, stops, and the free-plan sleep — but not a reinstall or a game switch. Take a backup before big mod changes; on free, backups save to your own Google Drive.
The Console is your proof: on start, Factorio lists the mods it loaded (and any it rejected), then hosts the game. When a friend on the matching mod set connects, their join shows in the log. If the console halts before hosting, read the top line — it's almost always a missing dependency or a version mismatch.
"enabled": false in mod-list.json, or the zip's name/version doesn't match what the list expects. Flip it to true and restart.mod-list.json and restart before loading the save.For per-mod details, dependencies, and every version, the source of truth is the official portal at mods.factorio.com.