Oxide vs Carbon: Which Should Your Rust Server Run?

Every modded Rust server runs one of two frameworks: Oxide, from the uMod project, or Carbon. Both load the same kind of C# plugins, so for most owners the choice matters less than it looks. Here is what does differ.

What they are

Oxide has been the standard for Rust modding for years. The uMod project maintains it, and umod.org hosts thousands of free plugins written for it. If a server says it runs "uMod", it runs Oxide: its folder is still oxide and its commands still start with oxide. (or o.).

Carbon is newer. It runs plugins written for Oxide, providing the same plugin API and hooks, and it adds its own tools on top, including an in-game admin panel and detailed per-plugin performance figures.

Do my plugins carry over?

Almost always. Carbon was built to run Oxide plugins unchanged, and most do. The exceptions are plugins that reach into Oxide's own internals rather than the plugin API, and they are rare.

Every plugin in our catalogue is tested on both before release. See the Carbon plugins and Oxide (uMod) plugins pages; a card says so if a plugin ever works on only one. One licence covers every server you run, whichever framework each uses.

How they compare

• Plugins: the same .cs files. Oxide's go in oxide/plugins, Carbon's in carbon/plugins.
• Commands: oxide.grant, oxide.reload and so on on Oxide; c.grant, c.reload on Carbon, which also accepts the o. forms.
• Configs: oxide/config on Oxide, carbon/configs on Carbon. The files themselves are the same.
• Updates: both must be updated after each Rust update, usually on the monthly forced wipe. Plan the update into your wipe routine.
• Performance: Carbon reports each plugin's hook calls and time out of the box, which helps when you are hunting lag. Probe shows the busiest plugins on either, and on Carbon adds each plugin's hook calls, memory churn and errors.
• Hosting: every major Rust host offers Oxide; most now offer Carbon too, often as a one-click switch.

Which to choose

• Running Oxide happily? There is no need to move. Nothing here needs Carbon.
• Starting a new server? Either works. Pick the one your host supports best, since you will rely on it updating the framework promptly after a Rust update.
• Chasing performance, or want an admin panel built in? Try Carbon on a test copy of your server first.

Moving from Oxide to Carbon

1. Take a full backup of the server folder.
2. Install Carbon (from your host's panel, or by extracting its release over the server folder) and remove Oxide, so only one framework loads.
3. Copy your plugins from oxide/plugins to carbon/plugins, configs from oxide/config to carbon/configs, and the data and lang folders across.
4. Start the server and read the console for any plugin that fails to compile.
5. Check permissions. Carbon keeps its own permission data; its documentation describes importing Oxide's. Otherwise, run your grant commands again (see Rust permissions explained).

Moving back is the same in reverse, so trying Carbon on a wipe carries little risk.