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Optimization

Rust servers get heavier through a wipe cycle as players build, place deployables and drop items. The steps below go from most to least impact. Change one thing at a time.

How to tell the server is struggling​

  • Players report rubber-banding, delayed hits or slow doors and loot.
  • The CPU or MEMORY cards on the Console stay high for long periods.
  • perf 1 in the console shows performance numbers while you test; perf 0 turns it off.
  • Fenix can run a check-up of status, CPU, memory and disk.

1. Map size and player count​

Bigger maps and more players mean more entities and memory. If resources are tight:

  • Choose a smaller Map size in Wipes for the next wipe.
  • Lower server.maxplayers in server.cfg. See server.cfg.

If a reasonable setup still struggles, upgrade the plan from the service page in the store.

2. Entity count and decay​

Abandoned bases and loose items cost performance until decay removes them:

  • Keep upkeep and decay on; decay.scale 1 is normal speed.
  • A slightly higher decay.scale clears unused bases faster, at the cost of more upkeep for your players.
  • A plugin that removes abandoned entities or limits deployables per player helps on busy servers. See Plugins.

3. Plugins​

Every plugin costs CPU, and some cost a lot (large user interfaces, constant entity scans, big economy systems).

  • Remove plugins you do not use.
  • After installing one, watch CPU. If it rises, remove the plugin to confirm.
  • Keep plugins updated: authors often fix performance problems.
  • Fix or remove plugins that fill the console with errors; errors repeated many times per second add load.

4. Save interval​

Each world save can cause a short hiccup on busy servers. server.saveinterval (seconds, 300 by default) sets the balance:

  • Longer: fewer hiccups, more progress lost on a crash.
  • Shorter: safer, more frequent saves.

Avoid extreme values.

5. FPS limit​

fps.limit caps the server frame rate; a lower value uses less CPU. Change it gradually and test. Leave server.tickrate at its default.

6. Scheduled restarts​

A daily restart at a quiet hour clears memory. Use Schedules:

  1. Press Create schedule and name it, for example "Daily restart".
  2. Set the cron fields (MINUTE, HOUR, DAY, MONTH, DAY OF WEEK) for a quiet time.
  3. Add tasks, using the time offset between them:
    • Send command with say "Server restarts in 5 minutes".
    • Create backup, if you want a restore point (mind your backup limit).
    • Power action with restart.
  4. Make sure the schedule is Active.

Field details: Schedules.

7. Wipes​

A wipe removes every entity. If the server only lags late in long cycles, wipe more often or use a smaller map. See Wipes.

Checklist​

  • Map size suits your plan and player count
  • Only needed plugins installed, no repeating errors
  • Decay on at a normal speed
  • Daily restart scheduled for a quiet hour
  • A backup before big changes

Still slow: contact support with when the lag happens and how many players are online.

Related: server.cfg, Plugins, Troubleshooting.