Rust server.cfg and Convars Explained
Rust settings are called convars, short for console variables. You can set them in a cfg file so they apply each time the server starts. This guide covers the most useful ones.
Where to find server.cfg
Open the Files tab and look in your server identity folder, usually in a cfg subfolder, for server.cfg. Paths vary by setup, so check your panel. Create the file if it does not exist. Stop the server before editing.
Format
Each line is a convar followed by a value, for example server.hostname "My Server". Put text values in quotes.
Useful convars
- server.hostname sets the name in the server list.
- server.description sets the description text.
- server.url links to your website.
- server.headerimage sets the banner image URL.
- server.maxplayers sets the player limit.
- server.saveinterval sets how often the world saves, in seconds.
- server.pve turns on PvE mode.
Some settings such as world size and seed are normally passed as startup parameters, for example server.worldsize and server.seed. Check the startup section in your panel for where they go. They decide the map, and changing them generates a new map.
Apply changes
- Edit and save server.cfg.
- Restart the server.
- Check the Console, or run the convar with no value to see its current setting, where supported.
Tips
- Do not set world size too large, as it raises memory use.
- A typo in a convar name is silently ignored or logged as an error. Check the Console.
- Plugin frameworks such as Oxide and Carbon have their own configs. See our plugin guide.
- Wipe procedures are in our Rust wipe guide.
- Some convars are overwritten by startup parameters, so check both places if a change does nothing.