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The best Palworld server plugin is the package that is explicitly built for a dedicated server, declares an IsServer:true install rule, meets your server revision, and has a documented rollback path. Palworld’s official documentation generally calls these additions server-side mods or packages, not plugins. Official support is currently limited to the dedicated server running the Windows edition, and Pocketpair warns that mods can corrupt saves or crash the server.
There is no verified universal ranking of individual packages. Use the compatibility and maintenance checks below, install one package at a time on a copy of your world, and keep an external backup before enabling anything.
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What “best” means for a Palworld server
A package is not “best” because its Workshop page has the most subscribers. It is a good choice only when its manifest, loader, maintenance state and client requirements fit your server. A package that adds a useful feature but fails to declare server support can be unusable—or unsafe—for a dedicated world.
| Check | What to verify | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated-server support | The package has an InstallRule containing IsServer:true. |
Only packages built to run on servers are supported by the official loader. |
| Platform | Your dedicated server uses the Windows edition supported by Pocketpair. | Official server-side mod support is currently Windows-only. |
| Loader and runtime | Whether it deploys as UE4SS, Lua, PalSchema, LogicMods or a Pak. | Different loaders install into different folders and can have different dependencies. |
| Revision and version | MinRevision, package Version and the date of the last compatible release. |
A package compiled for a newer server revision may be rejected or fail at startup. |
| Dependencies | Every name in Dependencies is available, compatible and enabled. |
The main package may do nothing when a required core or loader package is missing. |
| Client requirement | Whether players must install matching client files. | Some server packages are completely server-side; others require every connecting player to use the same client package. |
| Recovery quality | Backup instructions, logs, disable procedure and a clear version history. | You need a predictable way to isolate a failing package without sacrificing the world. |
| Useful outcome | A measurable benefit such as administration, quality of life, progression control or new content. | Every additional package increases maintenance and save-data risk. |
Because no source establishes a reliable ranking of named Palworld packages, this framework is more useful than a static “top ten” list that can become obsolete after a game update.
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Platform support: Windows, Linux and dedicated servers
Pocketpair’s current guide states that server-side mods work only on a dedicated server with the Windows edition. That is a platform restriction, not a statement that Palworld itself cannot run on Linux. A stock dedicated server can be installed with SteamCMD and launched with PalServer.sh on Linux, but official server-side mod support does not extend to that setup.
For a supported modded installation, use the Windows dedicated server and start PalServer.exe. If your host offers only Linux, ask whether it is providing an officially supported Windows virtual machine or merely a native Linux server; those are different environments. Do not assume that copying the same Mods folder to Linux makes a package supported.
Prepare the dedicated server before installing a package
Install the server files
Pocketpair documents installation through Steam or SteamCMD. SteamCMD downloads app ID 2394010. On Windows, the executable you launch is PalServer.exe; on Linux, the stock server uses PalServer.sh. For a modded server, continue with Windows because that is the currently documented platform for server-side mods.
Launch once, then stop cleanly
Start the unmodified server one time so it can create its configuration and directory structure. Then shut it down normally and confirm that the server process has exited before editing files. The first launch generates Mods/PalModSettings.ini, which is the activation file used by the package loader.
Create an external backup
Before staging any package, copy the world saves, PalWorldSettings, PalModSettings and the current package set outside the live server directory. A separate drive or SSD is useful because a backup stored inside the server tree can be deleted with the installation. Keep at least one untouched pre-mod copy and label backups with the date and server revision.
- Back up the world save before every first installation and major package update.
- Back up both configuration files, not just the save folder.
- Record which package versions were active for each backup.
- Do not overwrite the clean backup with a world that has already been opened by an untested package.
How to install a Palworld server package
Use this sequence for each package. Stop the server before changing package files or configuration, and add one package at a time so a failure has an identifiable cause.
- Stop the server completely. Close it through its normal shutdown command or console and verify that
PalServer.exeis no longer running. Do not replace files while the process is writing a save. - Stage the package under
Mods/Workshop. Give each package its own child folder, for exampleMods/Workshop/ExampleFolder. The folder name is for organization only; it is not the activation name. - Put the manifest at the package root. The file must be directly beneath that package folder as
Info.json, not inside another nested directory. A path such asMods/Workshop/ExampleFolder/Subfolder/Info.jsonwill not be treated as the package root. - Read the manifest before enabling it. Open
Info.jsonand recordPackageName,Version,MinRevision,Dependenciesand everyInstallRule. Confirm that at least one intended rule containsIsServer:true. - Stage dependencies first. If the manifest names a core, loader or framework dependency, place that dependency in its own folder under
Mods/Workshopand prepare to activate it as a separate entry. A dependency that is merely present on disk but not enabled may still leave the main package inactive. - Enable the global loader and packages. Edit
Mods/PalModSettings.iniso the section contains the following pattern:
[PalModSettings]
bGlobalEnableMod=true
ActiveModList=ExampleCore
ActiveModList=ExampleServerRulesReplace each example value with the exact case-sensitive PackageName from that package’s root Info.json. Add another ActiveModList= line for every required dependency and package. Do not use the Workshop title, the folder name or a numeric Workshop ID.
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- Save the configuration and restart. On restart, the loader reads the manifest and deploys files according to its install rules. Do not manually copy files into runtime directories unless the package’s own documentation explicitly requires a separate, supported step.
- Inspect the deployment. A successful deployment creates
Mods/ManagedMods/<PackageName>/InstallManifest.json. Check that destination and the server log before inviting players. - Test on a copied world. Confirm startup, player connection, the intended feature, any required client files, saving, clean shutdown and a second reload. Only then consider enabling the package on the production world.
Where the loader deploys each package type
Pocketpair’s documented map explains why manually placing a file in an apparently plausible directory often fails. The package’s install rule determines the destination.
| Package type | Runtime destination |
|---|---|
| UE4SS | Mods/NativeMods/UE4SS |
| Lua | Mods/NativeMods/UE4SS/Mods/{PackageName} |
| PalSchema | Mods/NativeMods/UE4SS/Mods/PalSchema/mods/{PackageName} |
| LogicMods | Pal/Content/Paks/LogicMods |
| Paks | Pal/Content/Paks/~WorkshopMods/{PackageName} |
The braces in the table indicate the package name substituted by the loader; they are not a literal directory name. If the loader does not create the expected destination or InstallManifest.json, return to the manifest and activation checks instead of guessing at a path.
Understanding Info.json before you choose a package
PackageName is the activation identity
PackageName is case-sensitive. If the manifest says ExampleServerRules, an entry such as activeserverrules or the package’s display title will not match. Copy the value exactly, including capitalization and punctuation.
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MinRevision describes the minimum server revision the package expects. Version identifies the package release itself. A newer package version is not automatically compatible with an older server, and a server update can invalidate a previously working package. Record both values when you install or update.
Dependencies forms a runtime chain
Dependencies can represent a loader, shared schema, scripting layer or another package. Inspect each dependency’s own manifest, stage it separately, add its exact PackageName to ActiveModList, and verify that its MinRevision also fits the server. Never delete a dependency folder merely because its feature is not visible; another active package may still need it.
InstallRule determines server eligibility
Look through every install rule, not just the first one. At least one rule intended for your deployment must include IsServer:true. A package with only client rules is not a server package, even if its files appear to be compatible or its title promises multiplayer features. Some packages have both client and server rules; that does not mean clients can connect without matching files.
Choosing packages by server objective
Administration
Administrative packages should make moderation or routine operation easier without changing the world’s core data unnecessarily. Favor clear permission controls, explicit server-only rules, useful logs and a documented disable command. Test permissions with a non-owner account so an error cannot grant every player administrative access.
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Quality-of-life packages can adjust repetitive actions, interfaces or server settings. Check whether the change is stored in the world, whether clients need a matching package and whether it affects every player. A small convenience feature with a narrow install rule is generally easier to roll back than a framework that replaces several systems.
Progression and balance
Progression packages can alter rates, unlocks, recipes or difficulty. Test them on a copy because opening and saving a world may write the new values into player or world data. Decide in advance whether removing the package should restore the original values; many data changes are not automatically reversible.
Content and large runtime changes
Content packages and Pak-based changes have a larger compatibility surface. Confirm the required game revision, runtime destination, client files and free disk space. Install only one major content package at first, then test loading, travel, combat, saving and a clean restart before adding another.
Client requirements and player onboarding
A package can be server-enabled and still require files on every client. Read the package’s install rules and documentation for a client requirement before announcing the server. If matching files are needed, publish the exact package version and installation instructions to players and require them to update together.
- Test a connection from a client with the required files.
- Test a connection from a clean client to see whether the server rejects it or merely omits the feature.
- Keep client and server package versions aligned when the package documentation requires a match.
- Remove stale client files when changing package versions; old assets can produce misleading load errors.
Updating, disabling and removing packages
Updating
When Info.json reports a different Version, restart the server after replacing the staged package. The loader redeploys the new version and removes the old deployed version according to its manifest. Stop the server, preserve the old package and backup, replace the staged files, verify the new manifest, then restart.
Disabling
Remove the package’s exact PackageName from ActiveModList and restart. Keep the staged folder until you have confirmed that no active package depends on it. Disabling the loader does not undo changes already written to world data.
Removing
After the package is disabled and no active dependency requires it, remove its staged folder and any client distribution files. Retain the package archive and the backup associated with the last known-good state so you can identify which version changed the world.
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Emergency startup with -NoMods
Use the -NoMods launch argument to isolate an emergency startup problem. It disables package loading for that launch, but it does not remove staged packages and does not reverse modded world-data changes. Start a backup copy first when possible; opening the production world without its expected package can itself create confusing behavior.
Troubleshooting: a package does not load
Check the following in order. Changing several items at once makes the next failure harder to interpret.
- Global loading is off. Open
Mods/PalModSettings.iniand confirm the exact lowercase settingbGlobalEnableMod=trueunder[PalModSettings]. - The activation name is wrong. Compare every
ActiveModListvalue character by character withPackageNamein the rootInfo.json. Do not substitute a folder name or Workshop ID. Info.jsonis nested. Confirm that it is directly inside the package folder beneathMods/Workshop.- The package is not server-built. Verify an applicable
InstallRuleincludesIsServer:true. - The server revision is too old. Compare the server revision with
MinRevision. Update the server or use a package release that supports the installed revision. - A dependency is absent. Stage every dependency in its own folder, enable each exact package name, and check compatibility recursively.
- The platform is unsupported. Official server-side mods are currently for the Windows dedicated server. A native Linux launch can work for the unmodified server while remaining outside official mod support.
- The destination was not created. Look for
Mods/ManagedMods/<PackageName>/InstallManifest.jsonand the expected runtime directory. If neither exists, recheck the manifest and activation file. - The package loads but the feature is absent. Confirm whether clients need matching files, whether another package overrides it and whether the feature is intentionally disabled by its own configuration.
- The server crashes or the save behaves differently. Stop testing on the production world. Use
-NoModsfor isolation, restore the clean backup and reintroduce packages one at a time.
Testing checklist before opening the server
- Server starts twice in succession without a crash.
- Expected managed-package manifests are present.
- At least one administrator can connect and ordinary players have the intended permissions.
- Clients with and without required files produce the expected result.
- The advertised feature works after a player reconnects.
- The world saves, shuts down cleanly and reloads with the package active.
- A recent external backup can be restored to a separate test directory.
- Package names, versions, server revision and dependencies are recorded for future updates.
Practical risk controls
Server-side packages have authority over a persistent world, so treat them like code rather than cosmetic add-ons. Keep the live server inaccessible while testing, restrict write access to the server directory, and preserve logs around every update. Schedule backups before updates and after a confirmed-good test, but never replace the clean rollback copy with an unverified save.
When a package changes progression, inventories, structures or other persistent data, assume that disabling it may leave those changes behind. The safest rollback is restoring the entire world and configuration set from a backup made before the package was first opened, not simply removing a line from the settings file.
Recommended decision process
- Define the problem the package must solve: administration, quality of life, progression or content.
- Reject any candidate without an applicable
IsServer:truerule or a compatibleMinRevision. - Map its loader, runtime destination, dependencies and client requirements from
Info.json. - Check the package’s current maintenance and version history against your server update policy.
- Back up the world and configuration outside the live directory.
- Install and test on a copied world, one package at a time.
- Document the exact package versions and keep a tested rollback archive.
This process produces a short, maintainable package set instead of a large collection that cannot be diagnosed when the server updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I install official Palworld server-side mods on a Linux dedicated server?
Not according to Pocketpair’s current support statement. The stock dedicated server can run on Linux, but official server-side mod support is limited to a dedicated server using the Windows edition.
Why does my package’s Workshop name fail in ActiveModList?
The loader requires the exact case-sensitive PackageName from the package root’s Info.json. A display title, folder name or numeric Workshop ID is not the activation identity.
Does -NoMods repair a world changed by a package?
No. -NoMods prevents packages from loading for that launch, but it does not remove staged files or reverse changes already written to world data. Restore a pre-mod backup for a true rollback.
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Do all players need to install the same package?
No. Requirements vary by package. Inspect its InstallRule and documentation; some are server-only, while others require matching client files and versions.
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