TShock admin: claim your server and run it

TShock is the admin toolkit for Terraria servers: server-side characters, accounts, permission groups, anti-cheat, and a big library of commands. But a brand-new TShock server won't obey you until you claim it — a one-time step that proves you're the owner. This guide walks the first-run claim, then sets you up with staff accounts, the commands you'll actually use, and the config file that shapes the server.

First: how TShock organizes power

TShock doesn't use Terraria's built-in host controls. Instead it has accounts (you register a username and password) that belong to groups, and each group has a set of permissions. The important groups, from most to least power:

Your job on day one is to get yourself into superadmin, then hand out lesser groups to staff.

1. Start the server and find the setup code

Start your TShock server and watch the Console. On the first boot TShock creates a tshock folder for its database and settings, and prints a setup code — a short number — with the exact command to use it. It looks roughly like:

To become SuperAdmin, join the game and type /setup <code>

Copy that code. (It's a one-time key; TShock turns it off once you're done.)

💡 Tip: Missed it in the console? The same instruction is written to the server log — open the Logs page from your server menu and search for setup.

2. Claim superadmin in-game

Join your server in Terraria (Multiplayer → Join via IP, using the address and port from the Network page). Once you're in, open the chat and type the command the console gave you:

/setup 12345

TShock replies that you're now temporary superadmin. "Temporary" is the key word — this is a doorway, not your permanent status. Next you make a real account.

3. Create your permanent account

While you're temporarily superadmin, register a proper login so you keep your powers after you disconnect:

/user add YourName YourPassword superadmin
/login YourName YourPassword

Now you're superadmin through an account, not a temporary code. Do the same for staff with a lower group, for example:

/user add HelperName TheirPassword trustedadmin

Each person then logs in with /login <name> <password> (they can also register themselves with /register <password> if you allow the default group to). Because these are server-side accounts, a player's inventory and progress are tied to their login — that's how TShock stops item duplication and impersonation.

4. Turn off the setup code

Once you have a real superadmin account, disable the setup code so nobody else can claim ownership. TShock tells you how right after /setup succeeds — typically by re-running the command or removing the setup file it created. Do it before you announce the server publicly.

⚠️ Heads up: Leaving the setup code active is the classic new-server mistake — anyone who reads it (or guesses) can make themselves superadmin. Close the door as soon as you're in.

The commands you'll actually use

TShock has hundreds of commands; these are the daily core. Type /help in-game for the full, version-accurate list.

Permissions are named nodes (like tshock.admin.ban). You rarely edit them one by one — you assign people to a group and let the group carry the permissions. Build your staff ladder by cloning a close group and adjusting, rather than starting from scratch.

config.json: the server's settings

TShock keeps its settings in tshock/config.json, editable in the File Manager. The stable, commonly-changed keys:

• ServerName — the name shown to players.
• MaxSlots — how many players can join.
• ServerPassword — set to require a password to join (leave blank for open).
• SpawnProtectionRadius / DisableSpawnProtection — protect the area around spawn from building.
• DefaultRegistrationGroup — the group new self-registered accounts land in.

Save, then run /reload in-game (or restart) so TShock re-reads the file.

🎯 Good to know: Falix manages the network port for you, like it does for every game — leave port and IP settings to the panel and use config.json for gameplay and admin options. Your join address and port always come from the Network page.

Honest version notes

TShock moves with Terraria, and a few things shift between releases — so trust your own console and the official docs over any fixed value here:

• Match versions. A TShock build targets a specific Terraria version; mismatched clients can't join. The Terraria quickstart covers picking the flavor.
• config.json has grown and reorganized across major TShock versions — key names and sections differ between 4.x and 5.x. Edit the file you actually have, not a screenshot from an old guide.
• The setup-code claim and the account/group model have been stable for years; that's the part you can rely on.

For the complete, current command and config reference, see TShock's official documentation at github.com/Pryaxis/TShock/wiki.

Troubleshooting

• /setup says invalid code — you typed the wrong number, or the code was already disabled. Restart and read the fresh code from the console.
• Lost superadmin after disconnecting — you claimed with the temporary code but never ran /user add ... superadmin and /login. Redo steps 2–3.
• A command says I lack permission — you're not logged into a superadmin account. /login first; check the account's group with /user group.
• Can't connect at all — TShock aside, this is usually a missing port. Terraria needs the address and port from the Network page. See I can't reach my server.

Next steps

• Terraria server quickstart
• Curate tModLoader mods
• How free game servers work