How to install Oxide or Carbon on your Rust server

Estimated time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Beginner ⭐
Compatible servers: Rust on OuiPanel

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📋 Introduction

Rust doesn't load plugins on its own. To add kits, a shop, teleports or moderation tools, you need a modding framework. There are two:

	Oxide (uMod)	Carbon
Plugins	Thousands on umod.org	Works with most Oxide plugins
Plugin folder	oxide/plugins	carbon/plugins
Configs	oxide/config	carbon/configs
Commands	oxide.…	c.…

On OuiPanel, you pick one from a list. There is nothing to download to install the framework.

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💾 Step 1: take a backup

Before switching frameworks, open Backups in OuiPanel and click Create backup. You can roll back in one click.

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⚙️ Step 2: choose Oxide or Carbon

1. Open your Rust server in OuiPanel.
2. Go to Configuration, then Server Settings.
3. In the variables block, find FRAMEWORK.
4. Pick oxide or carbon from the list. The choice is saved right away.

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🔄 Step 3: restart the server

Restart the server from the Console. The framework installs on startup. To check, type in the console:

oxide.version

or, with Carbon:

c.version

The console replies with the installed version.

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🧩 Step 4: add a plugin

1. Download the plugin's .cs file, for example from umod.org.
2. In OuiPanel, open the File Manager, then the oxide/plugins folder (or carbon/plugins).
3. Click Upload and pick the file. You can also use SFTP.

The plugin loads by itself, with no restart. The console shows a line confirming it loaded.

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🛠️ Step 5: configure and reload

On first load, the plugin creates its config file in oxide/config (or carbon/configs). Edit it in the file manager, then reload the plugin:

oxide.reload PluginName

or, with Carbon:

c.reload PluginName

To give a plugin permission to one player, or to everyone:

oxide.grant user YourName pluginname.permission
oxide.grant group default pluginname.permission

With Carbon, the command is c.grant, with the same syntax. Each plugin's page gives the exact name of its permissions.

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↩️ Going back to vanilla

Pick vanilla in FRAMEWORK, then restart. Restore your backup if needed.

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❓ Common issues

A plugin stops loading after the game update

On the first Thursday of the month, Facepunch releases a Rust update. Some plugins then need an update from their author. Check their page and replace the .cs file when a new version is out.

The console shows a compile error

The plugin isn't compatible with the game or framework version. Check its page, or remove it from the plugin folder.

I'm not admin in game

Follow our guide Rust admin commands: how to become admin on your server.

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🚀 No server yet?

With our Rust server hosting, Oxide and Carbon install in one click, with Rust+, external RCON and anti-DDoS included.