Server settings + mods

Factorio's headless server is config-driven by JSON files in the data folder.

server-settings.json

Lives at /data/factorio/data/server-settings.json. Common fields:

{
  "name": "Your Factorio Server",
  "description": "A multiplayer game",
  "tags": ["modded", "english", "long-haul"],
  "max_players": 0,
  "visibility": {
    "public": true,
    "lan": true
  },
  "username": "",
  "password": "",
  "token": "",
  "game_password": "",
  "require_user_verification": true,
  "max_upload_in_kilobytes_per_second": 0,
  "max_upload_slots": 5,
  "minimum_latency_in_ticks": 0,
  "ignore_player_limit_for_returning_players": false,
  "allow_commands": "admins-only",
  "autosave_interval": 10,
  "autosave_slots": 5,
  "afk_autokick_interval": 0,
  "auto_pause": true,
  "only_admins_can_pause_the_game": true,
  "autosave_only_on_server": true
}

Edit, save, restart.

Save management

Factorio saves are .zip files in /data/factorio/saves/.

To start a new world: stop server, delete or rename the existing save, start server. A new save generates on boot.

To upload a single-player save:

1. Find your save (Windows: %appdata%\Factorio\saves\<name>.zip).
2. Upload to /data/factorio/saves/ via file manager.
3. The server loads the most-recent save on start, or use --load-game <savename> in startup.

Mods

Mods install from the Mod Portal (mods.factorio.com).

Install via server console

/admin
/mods download <ModName>

(Requires username + token in server-settings.json — get the token from your Factorio.com profile.)

Install via file upload

1. Download the .zip from the mod portal.
2. Upload to /data/factorio/mods/.
3. Edit mod-list.json in the same folder to enable it:

   {"name": "ModName", "enabled": true}
   

4. Restart.

Players need the same mod versions as the server. The game auto-syncs mods on connect if the player has the Auto-download mods option enabled.

Admin commands

In chat or console:

Command	What
/admin <name>	Make admin
/promote <name>	Same
/demote <name>	Demote
/kick <name> "reason"	Kick
/ban <name> "reason"	Ban
/save	Force save
/server-save	Same

Headless console quirks

Factorio's console runs in the server window. Commands prefixed with / execute as you'd expect; bare text broadcasts to chat.