Garry's Mod and DarkRP Server Hosting 2026: Complete Setup Guide
Garry's Mod is one of the most enduring games in multiplayer history. Launched in 2006, it is still actively played in 2026, largely thanks to the endless creativity of its community and the depth of the DarkRP game mode. If you want to run your own DarkRP server — the roleplay game mode where players become criminals, police, drug manufacturers, and more — this guide walks you through the full setup.
Why DarkRP Is Still Thriving in 2026
DarkRP succeeds because it is genuinely fun, accessible to new players, and has an enormous addon ecosystem on the Steam Workshop and gmod.store. Players can:
- Run businesses and manage in-game economies
- Engage in PvP with meaningful stakes (in-game money, property)
- Build custom bases using Garry's Mod's physics system
- Participate in server events and roleplay scenarios
The social aspect is core — a well-run DarkRP server with an active community and fair moderation is as engaging as any modern game.
Hardware Requirements
Garry's Mod is older Source engine software and has relatively modest requirements:
| Players | RAM | Notes | |---|---|---| | 1-32 players | 4-6 GB | Basic DarkRP | | 32-64 players | 6-10 GB | Active addons, MySQL | | 64-128 players | 10-16 GB | High population |
CPU matters for Lua script execution. A server with hundreds of custom addons running hundreds of Lua hooks has non-trivial CPU cost. Modern processors handle this well but budget hosting on very old hardware will suffer.
Installing the Garry's Mod Server (SRCDS)
steamcmd +login anonymous +force_install_dir /opt/gmodserver +app_update 4020 validate +quit
# Start the server
/opt/gmodserver/srcds_run -game garrysmod -port 27015 +maxplayers 64 +map gm_flatgrass +gamemode darkrp
Installing DarkRP
DarkRP is not on the Steam Workshop — install it manually:
cd /opt/gmodserver/garrysmod/gamemodes
git clone https://github.com/FPtje/DarkRP.git darkrp
Or use the pre-packaged version from the DarkRP GitHub releases page.
Essential DarkRP Configuration
Edit darkrp_config/configuration.lua:
- Set your server name, currency symbol, spawn points
- Configure starting money, maximum pocket slots, paycheck amounts
Edit darkrp_config/jobs.lua to define your custom jobs (citizen, police, criminal, etc.) with their models, weapons, and salary.
MySQL for DarkRP (Required for Production)
SQLite (the default) is not suitable for a production DarkRP server. Use MySQL:
-- In server configuration
GM.Config.mysql = true
GM.Config.mysqlHost = "127.0.0.1"
GM.Config.mysqlUser = "darkrp_user"
GM.Config.mysqlPass = "securepassword"
GM.Config.mysqlDB = "darkrp"
Install the MySQLoo Garry's Mod module from the Workshop and add it to your server.
MySQL ensures data persists reliably across restarts and performs better than SQLite under concurrent load.
Addon Management
The Workshop is your primary source for DarkRP addons. Key categories:
- Admin systems (ULX/ULib — essential)
- Weapon bases (DarkRP default, ArcCW, M9K)
- Economy addons (ATMs, heist systems)
- Vehicle systems
- Custom entities (printers, drugs, etc.)
Keep your addon count reasonable. A server with 500 addons and poor optimization will be unplayable. 50-100 high-quality addons is better than 500 mediocre ones.
Hosting Garry's Mod at Space-Node
Our plans cover Garry's Mod DarkRP well. For a 64-player DarkRP server with active addons and MySQL, an 8 GB plan with our Ryzen hardware runs smoothly. Netherlands and Canada locations give good coverage for both European and North American Garry's Mod communities.
🎭 Start your DarkRP server. → View Game Server Plans at Space-Node
Stable Garry's Mod hosting, Ryzen hardware, Netherlands + Canada.
