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To install a native Harmony mod, stop your Rust server, place the mod’s .dll in a HarmonyMods folder beside RustDedicated.exe, start the server, and run harmony.load <Mod Name> in the server console. You do not need uMod/Oxide or Carbon for a native Harmony DLL.
Compatibility is the important qualification. Facepunch describes its Rust.HarmonyMods project as “Serverside harmony mods for Rust, aimed at staging servers currently,” so check the mod’s supported Rust branch and test it on a staging server before using it on a busy production instance.
What you need before installing
A Harmony mod is normally distributed as a server-side .NET assembly, with a .dll file that patches or extends the running Rust server. It is not a client mod and it does not belong in your game installation. Native Harmony mods use Rust’s built-in Harmony loading path.
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Confirm that the release is a native Harmony mod
Read the author’s release page and installation notes first. The package should identify the expected Rust branch or game version and tell you the mod name used by the Harmony console command. A DLL intended for Carbon, uMod/Oxide, or another loader may not work in the native folder.
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Do not assume that a mod built for one Rust update will work after another update. Harmony patches are tied to the game’s assemblies and method signatures; a Rust update can make an otherwise valid DLL incompatible.
Have the required access
- File-manager, SFTP, or equivalent write access to the Rust server’s root directory.
- Permission to stop and start the server.
- Access to the live server console so you can run Harmony commands and read startup errors.
- A copy of the server files and identity information made before changing anything.
Managed hosts may use different panel labels or hide the executable from the file browser. The underlying requirement remains the same: you must be able to write to the directory containing RustDedicated.exe and use the server console.
If you are still choosing a host, Godlike.Host’s Rust server hosting comes with a Pterodactyl-based game panel, SFTP/FTP access and up to three free backups a day with restore, which fits the back-up-first routine in this guide. Confirm that you can reach the server root and console before you rely on any host for native Harmony DLLs.
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Install a native Harmony DLL step by step
- Download the correct release. Obtain the DLL from the mod author’s release page, not from a client-mod directory or an unrelated plugin package. Record the release version, supported Rust branch, required configuration files, and the exact mod name used in commands.
- Back up the server. Save the server files and identity before making changes. Keep the backup outside the live server directory so a failed update cannot overwrite it.
- Stop the server completely. Use the host panel or service manager and wait until the process has exited. Never replace or delete a Harmony DLL while Rust is running.
- Open the server root. Find the folder that contains
RustDedicated.exe. This is the directory used by the server process, not the Rust client’s installation folder. - Create or open
HarmonyMods. In the same directory asRustDedicated.exe, create a folder named exactlyHarmonyModsif it does not already exist. - Upload the DLL. Put the mod’s
.dlldirectly insideHarmonyMods. Keep the filename supplied by the author unless that release’s documentation explicitly instructs you to rename it. Do not place it inoxide/plugins, a Carbon plugin directory, or a client folder. - Start the server. Restart Rust and wait until the console is available and the server has completed its normal startup sequence.
- Load the mod. In the server console, enter
harmony.load <Mod Name>, replacing the placeholder with the name expected by that release. The command’s name is not necessarily identical to the DLL filename. - Verify the result. Read the server log for a successful load message and any exception or dependency error. Then follow the mod author’s configuration instructions. Uploading a file alone is not proof that the patch loaded.
What a successful installation looks like
The DLL remains in the server-root HarmonyMods directory, the server reaches a usable console, and the Harmony load command returns without an error. The startup or command log should identify the mod or show its patches being applied. If the mod has a configuration file, use the location and format specified by its author rather than inventing a path.
Loading, unloading, and restarting a mod
Load an installed mod
With the server running, use:
harmony.load <Mod Name>
Use the exact mod identifier documented by the release. If the command reports that the mod cannot be found, changing capitalization or guessing from the DLL filename is unlikely to help; inspect the release notes and console output for the expected name.
Unload a loaded mod
The documented unload command is:
harmony.unload <Mod Name>
Whether a particular patch can be cleanly detached depends on the mod. Follow its removal instructions and watch the console for errors. If you are removing the file as well, unload it when the author’s procedure calls for that, then stop the server before deleting or replacing the DLL. The file operation must occur while the process is offline.
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Do loaded mods survive a restart?
A host guide documents that loaded mods persist across restarts. Treat that as a state-management behavior, not as proof that a mod remains compatible after a Rust update. After every restart, read the log and confirm the mod is active before assuming the persisted state is healthy.
Remove a mod safely
- Use the mod’s documented unload procedure if it supports runtime unloading.
- Stop the server and wait for the Rust process to exit.
- Delete or move the DLL from
HarmonyModswhile the server is offline. Keeping a dated copy outside the live directory makes rollback easier. - Start the server and inspect the console for any remaining load attempt or dependency error.
- If the author specifically requires
harmony.unload <Mod Name>after restart, run that command only when the mod’s instructions say it is appropriate and confirm the result in the log.
Exactly where the DLL belongs
| Location or action | Correct? | Why |
|---|---|---|
server root/HarmonyMods/ModName.dll |
Yes | The native loader looks for Harmony mods in HarmonyMods beside RustDedicated.exe. |
Next to RustDedicated.exe without the HarmonyMods folder |
No | The DLL is not in the native Harmony directory. |
| Rust client installation | No | Harmony mods in this workflow are server-side. |
oxide/plugins |
No | That directory is for uMod/Oxide plugins, not native Harmony DLLs. |
| A Carbon plugin directory | No | Carbon has its own framework and plugin management path. |
A subfolder inside HarmonyMods |
Usually no | The documented workflow uploads the DLL directly into HarmonyMods; use a subfolder only if the mod author explicitly requires one. |
Do you need uMod/Oxide or Carbon?
No. A native Harmony DLL uses Rust’s built-in Harmony path and the HarmonyMods folder plus harmony.load and harmony.unload commands. Installing another framework does not make a native DLL safer or automatically compatible.
Choose a framework based on what the mod actually is and what operational features you need.
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| Option | What you install | Compatibility question | Configuration and reload | Ecosystem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native Harmony | A server-side Harmony .dll in HarmonyMods |
Does the DLL support your current Rust branch and server build? | Use the mod’s own configuration instructions and harmony.load/harmony.unload; capabilities vary by release. |
Focused on native Harmony mods; support is specific to each author. |
| uMod/Oxide | The uMod/Oxide server framework and its plugins | Is the plugin written for the installed uMod/Oxide version and Rust branch? | Managed through the framework’s plugin system rather than Harmony commands. | Large plugin-oriented ecosystem with its own installation and administration model. |
| Carbon | The Carbon Rust framework | Does the Carbon release support your Rust build and the plugin or patch? | Carbon documents hot reload with carbon.reload and supports its own configuration workflow. |
Carbon is built around Harmony and can run Oxide-compatible plugins, but it remains a separate framework. |
Native Harmony is the right choice when
- The author supplied a native Harmony DLL and explicitly names the
HarmonyModsdirectory. - You want to avoid installing a general-purpose plugin framework.
- You can test the patch against the exact Rust branch running on your server.
uMod/Oxide is the right choice when
- The software is distributed as an Oxide plugin rather than a native Harmony DLL.
- You need the uMod/Oxide plugin administration model and its established plugin ecosystem.
- The author’s instructions explicitly require uMod/Oxide.
The official uMod Rust guide documents framework installation with umod install rust -P. That command belongs to the uMod/Oxide workflow; it is not a prerequisite for a native Harmony DLL.
Carbon is the right choice when
- The mod or plugin author requires Carbon.
- You need Carbon’s framework features or its documented reload workflow.
- You have confirmed that the specific plugin, Rust branch, and Carbon release are compatible.
Carbon uses Harmony internally, but that does not mean every native Harmony DLL can be dropped into Carbon’s directories or loaded with Carbon commands. Follow the package’s own instructions.
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The server says the mod cannot be found
- Verify that the file is a
.dll, not a compressed archive or a DLL hidden behind a second extension such as.dll.zip. - Confirm that it is directly in the server-root
HarmonyModsfolder. - Make sure that folder is beside the active
RustDedicated.exe, not beside a backup executable or client installation. - Check that you used the mod’s documented name in
harmony.load, rather than assuming the filename is the identifier. - Confirm that the server was restarted after the file was uploaded if the release requires startup discovery.
The load command fails
Read the complete console error before changing files. A failed command can indicate a wrong mod name, a missing dependency, an unsupported Rust branch, or an assembly-load problem. Re-uploading the same DLL without checking the release notes will not resolve a version mismatch.
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The server crashes after a Rust update
Stop the server before replacing or deleting the DLL. Carbon.RSM warns that changing a Harmony DLL while the server is running can produce Invalid IL exceptions and eventual crashes. Once the process is offline, restore the previous known-good release or remove the incompatible DLL, then start the server and verify a clean log.
The mod worked before an update but is now incompatible
Check the mod’s release notes and the Rust branch named by the author. Harmony patches depend on the game code they modify, so an update can invalidate them without any change to your server configuration. Facepunch’s own Rust.HarmonyMods project is described as staging-oriented, which is a reason to test updates away from production rather than treating every release as production-ready.
The host panel does not show a folder named HarmonyMods
Create it manually in the directory containing RustDedicated.exe, provided your host grants write access there. Some panels expose an instance directory, Linux service directory, or “server files” view instead of calling it the server root. If you cannot identify the active executable or access the console, ask the host for the server-root path and file permissions before uploading anything.
The file appears correct but nothing loads
- Check ownership and permissions so the Rust service account can read the DLL.
- Ensure the DLL was not uploaded into a similarly named inactive server instance.
- Look for required companion files or configuration specified by the author.
- Review the startup log and the response to
harmony.load; do not infer success from the absence of a visible error in the hosting panel.
A safe update and rollback routine
Use a repeatable sequence whenever Rust or the mod changes:
- Record the currently running Rust branch, mod release, DLL filename, and configuration.
- Back up the server files and identity.
- Stop the server and wait for the process to exit.
- Move the old DLL to a dated backup location rather than overwriting it immediately.
- Upload the new release to
HarmonyMods. - Start the server and monitor the console through the normal startup sequence.
- Run
harmony.load <Mod Name>if the mod is not automatically active. - Test the mod’s documented behavior on a staging server or controlled test session.
- If the server throws exceptions or the mod behaves incorrectly, stop it, restore the previous DLL while offline, restart, and confirm the rollback in the log.
Keeping the old DLL outside the active folder gives you a rollback path without risking a live file replacement. It also makes it easier to identify which release introduced a failure.
Pre-launch checklist
- The DLL release names the Rust branch or build it supports.
- You have confirmed that it is a native Harmony mod, not an Oxide plugin or Carbon package.
- The server and identity are backed up.
- The server is stopped before creating the folder or changing files.
HarmonyModsis beside the activeRustDedicated.exe.- The DLL is directly inside that folder and retains the author’s filename.
- You know the exact identifier required by
harmony.load. - You can read the server console and logs.
- You have tested the release on a staging instance when possible.
- You will never replace or delete the DLL while Rust is running.
Bottom line
Native Harmony installation is a small file-and-console workflow: stop the server, place the DLL in HarmonyMods beside RustDedicated.exe, start the server, run harmony.load <Mod Name>, and verify the log. Use harmony.unload <Mod Name> when the mod’s removal procedure calls for it, and make every file change while the server is offline. uMod/Oxide and Carbon are separate frameworks, not prerequisites; the decisive compatibility checks are the mod’s release instructions and the Rust branch running on your server.
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