Rust Server Convars: Complete Reference with Defaults

Where the settings live

Everything sits under server/<identity>/cfg/:

File	Contents
server.cfg	Your convars. Read at startup, not created automatically
users.cfg	Your admins and moderators
bans.cfg	Your bans

The format in server.cfg is one convar per line, without a + in front, with quotes around values containing spaces:

server.hostname "My Rust server"
server.maxplayers 100
server.pve false
decay.scale 0.5

server.cfg wins over the command line. Facepunch's own recommendation is to keep the command line to essentials - ports, identity and RCON - and put everything else in server.cfg.

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Changes vanish if you forget writecfg

If you change a convar in the console or over RCON, it applies only until the next restart. The server does not write to server.cfg by itself.

server.writecfg

This writes the current values to disk - server.cfg, users.cfg and bans.cfg.

Two things to know about writecfg: it overwrites your server.cfg with the running values, so any comments and your own formatting are lost. And after a ban you should run it, so the ban survives a crash too.

users.cfg is the exception - it is saved automatically when you use ownerid or moderatorid.

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Startup-only: the ones that cannot go in server.cfg

This is the most useful distinction on the page.

Must be on the command line:

Parameter	Why
+server.identity	It decides which folder server.cfg is even read from
+server.port	The port is opened at startup
+server.queryport	The same
+server.ip	The address is bound at startup
+rcon.port, +rcon.password, +rcon.web	RCON starts at startup
+server.gamemode	Facepunch states it must be set at startup

Only take effect at map generation - they can sit in server.cfg, but only apply when a new map is created (and that wipes the map):

server.seed
server.worldsize
server.level
server.levelurl

Everything else can be changed at runtime from the console or RCON - just remember server.writecfg afterwards.

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Identity and server listing

Convar	Default	Meaning
server.hostname	My Untitled Rust Server	The name in the server browser
server.description	-	Text on the server info panel. \n gives a line break
server.headerimage	empty	URL for the banner image
server.logoimage	empty	URL for the round icon. 256×256 recommended
server.url	empty	Link to your website
server.identity	my_server_identity	The folder name for this server
server.port	28015	The game port, UDP
server.queryport	0	The query port. 0 = automatic. Must be open and must not equal server.port
server.maxplayers	500	Number of slots
server.tags	empty	Comma-separated server browser tags, e.g. weekly,vanilla,pve
server.gamemode	empty	Empty = vanilla. Also survival, softcore, hardcore, primitive
server.censorplayerlist	true	Hides the player list externally

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World

Convar	Default	Meaning
server.seed	1337	The map seed. 0 to 2147483647
server.worldsize	4500	Map size in metres. 1000 to 6000
server.level	Procedural Map	The map type
server.levelurl	empty	URL for a custom map. When set, seed and size are ignored

Change any of these four and the map is regenerated - and that wipes the map. See How to Wipe Your Rust Server.

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Gameplay

Convar	Default	Meaning
server.pve	false	PvE mode. Sets the PvE tag itself
server.stability	true	Structural stability for buildings
server.radiation	true	Radiation at monuments
craft.instant	false	Removes crafting time entirely
decay.scale	1	Building decay. 0 disables it completely
decay.upkeep	true	The tool cupboard upkeep system
decay.tick	600	Seconds between decay checks
chat.globalchat	true	false gives proximity chat only
chat.localchatrange	100	Range in metres for local chat
relationshipmanager.maxteamsize	8	Maximum players in a team

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Gather rates: the most important misconception

Vanilla Rust has no convar for gather rates. There is no gather.rate, no server.gathermultiplier and no harvest multiplier.

To run 2x or 5x on a normal server you need a plugin - Oxide or Carbon plus something like GatherManager. If your control panel has a field called "gather rate", it is writing to a plugin config, not a convar.

craft.instant on the other hand is genuine vanilla. But per-item crafting speed also needs a plugin.

See How to Install Oxide/uMod Plugins on Your Rust Server.

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Despawn and player data

Convar	Default	Meaning
server.itemdespawn	300	Seconds a dropped item stays
server.itemdespawn_quick	30	The same, for low-value items
server.corpsedespawn	300	Seconds a player corpse stays
server.npccorpsedespawn	600	The same, for animals and NPCs
server.debrisdespawn	30	Seconds building debris stays
server.combatlogdelay	10	Seconds of delay on the combat log
server.saveinterval	600	Seconds between automatic saves
server.savebackupcount	2	Number of rolling backups

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Performance

Convar	Default	Meaning
server.tickrate	10	Simulations per second. The biggest CPU dial
fps.limit	240	The server frame rate. Lower to 30-60 to save idle CPU
server.entityrate	16	Entity updates per tick per player
server.entitybatchsize	100	Entities per network batch
server.maxreceivetime	20	Milliseconds per frame for inbound packets
server.netcache	true	Reuses network snapshots across players
global.maxthreads	8	Number of worker threads

The server.fps command shows the server's current frame rate. Close to fps.limit means it is healthy. Sitting persistently around server.tickrate means it is CPU-bound.

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Anti-cheat

Convar	Default	Meaning
server.anticheattoken	true	Requires a valid EAC token from clients
server.strictauth_eac	false	Rejects clients failing strict EAC checks
server.strictauth_steam	false	The same for Steam
server.encryption	2	Encryption level. Leave it alone

server.secure does not exist. Rust uses EasyAntiCheat, not VAC. The convar existed years ago, which is why it still appears in a lot of outdated lists.

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Wipe timer

Controls the countdown players can see. It does not perform the wipe.

Convar	Default	Meaning
wipetimer.wipeDayofWeek	4	0 = Sunday, 4 = Thursday
wipetimer.wipeHourofDay	19	Hour of the day. Decimals allowed
wipetimer.wipeTimezone	Europe/London	Timezone identifier
wipetimer.wipecronoverride	empty	A cron expression overriding everything else

The PrintWipe command shows the calculated schedule and the next ten wipe dates.

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Admins and bans

Command	What it does
ownerid <steam64> "name" "reason"	Grants full admin
moderatorid <steam64> "name" "reason"	Grants moderator
removeowner <steam64>	Removes admin
removemoderator <steam64>	Removes moderator
users	Lists connected players with their IDs
ban <player> <reason>	Bans a connected player
banid <steam64> <name> <reason>	Bans whether or not they are online
unban <steam64>	Lifts a ban
banlistex	Lists bans with reason and name
kick <player> <reason>	Kicks a player

The player has to reconnect before a new admin permission takes effect.

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Useful console commands

Command	What it does
status	Everyone connected with ID, ping and connection time
players	A shorter player list
say <message>	Broadcast from the server
server.save	Saves now
server.fps	The server frame rate
restart <seconds>	Restart with a countdown
quit	Clean shutdown
find <text>	Searches every convar and command. The best tool in the console

find is the answer whenever you are unsure of a name. find decay shows everything about decay with its current value - and it is always right for your exact server version.

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Three convars that do not exist

They appear in plenty of lists around the web, and they do nothing:

Does not exist	The real one
server.secure	Rust uses EasyAntiCheat. See the anti-cheat section
server.globalchat	It is chat.globalchat
server.maxteamsize	It is relationshipmanager.maxteamsize

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Good advice

• Write server.cfg by hand and keep it tidy - but remember that server.writecfg overwrites it without mercy.
• Run server.writecfg after every ban.
• Use find instead of searching lists. Your server version is the authority.
• Do not touch server.encryption and the other anti-cheat values without a reason.
• Lower fps.limit if the server sits empty most of the day. That is free CPU.

Unsure about a convar? Run find <name> in the console - or contact our support if the value does not do what you expect.