Skip to content
SandustryGuide

Sandustry Mods & Modding Guide

What do you want to do?

Modding status

Workshop
Available
Official API
Sandkit
Framework
Still evolving
Compatibility
Check each mod before loading a save

Modding is still evolving during Early Access, so always follow the compatibility requirement listed by the mod author.

Jump to section

How to install Sandustry mods

Workshop installation does not ask you to hunt through game folders.

  1. 01

    Open Sandustry in Steam

  2. 02

    Enable the mod-compatible branch required by the mod

  3. 03

    Open the Sandustry Workshop

  4. 04

    Subscribe to the mod

  5. 05

    Launch the game and test it before opening an important factory

The general mods branch now matches the current game build. In Steam: right-click Sandustry → Properties → Game Versions & Betas, then choose the branch the mod author lists. If Workshop items do not appear after a branch change, restart Steam.

Platform

Open Steam Workshop →

Steam Workshop mods vs Demo mod loaders

Which version are you using?

Early Access uses Steam Workshop

Subscribe on the Workshop, match the mod-enabled branch the author lists, then launch that build and test before opening an important factory.

  1. Open Steam Workshop
  2. ↓
  3. Choose a compatible mod branch
  4. ↓
  5. Subscribe
  6. ↓
  7. Launch the mod-enabled build

Full Early Access

Use Steam Workshop as the default modding route. FluxLoader is a community-maintained Demo / older setup, not the official Early Access installer.

How to check mod compatibility

Do not treat one frozen version name as a permanent answer. Authors list the branch they support.

Required branch
Read the mod's Workshop description
Your branch
Match the author's requirement
Not sure
Use the current general Mods branch only if the mod author says it is compatible

Before you enable this mod

Mod type

Does the mod list a required branch?

Does it list dependencies?

Are you opening an existing important save?

Before you load

✓ Check branch compatibility

Before you enable this mod

Sandustry mod not loading?

Name the symptom first. Reinstalling the game is not the first step.

Name the symptom first. Reinstalling the game is not the first step.

How to install Sandustry custom maps

Workshop currently hosts both mods and maps. Use a new or disposable save when trying an unfamiliar custom map unless its author explicitly says otherwise.

  1. Open Steam Workshop↓
  2. Choose a map and read compatibility / dependencies↓
  3. Subscribe↓
  4. Launch with the required mod support↓
  5. Start or load the map as the author instructs
Open Steam Workshop →

Find Sandustry mods

Steam Workshop

Official distribution surface for current Early Access mods and maps.

Official Sandkit docs

Public API reference for making a mod.

Community

Official Discord and community discussion — not a file mirror.

Quality of lifeCustom mapsBuildings & productionVisual / UIOverhaulsTools / experimental

Community tools

Community-maintained. Check current compatibility. Not an official Early Access installer.

How to safely test Sandustry mods

Content-changing mods can make a world depend on that content.

Protect your save first

Keep a backup of an important world.

Test unfamiliar gameplay mods in a disposable world first.

Do not remove a content mod from a save that depends on its machines, materials or map without checking the author's removal instructions.

How to make your own Sandustry mod?

Start with the official Sandkit API rather than modifying the game blindly.

  1. 1 Choose a very small mod idea↓
  2. 2 Read the Sandkit basics↓
  3. 3 Create the mod manifest↓
  4. 4 Add one entry script↓
  5. 5 Load it in the mod-enabled build↓
  6. 6 Test in a disposable world↓
  7. 7 Add metadata / dependencies↓
  8. 8 Publish when stable

Start small

Good first mod — small UI / behavior change

Next — custom content

Later — large production overhaul

How to start with the Sandkit API

sandkit.api is the official stable API. Use lower-level access only when the stable API cannot do what you need.

Official stable API — recommended for first mods

Lower-level / unstable access can change more often.

Minimal modinfo.json

{
  "manifestVersion": 1,
  "id": "author.my-mod",
  "name": "My Mod",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "apiVersion": 1,
  "entry": "main.js"
}

This is the official public manifest shape. Do not copy the full API reference here.

Open official Sandkit documentation →

No docs, where do I start?

  1. 1. Official Sandkit documentation
  2. 2. Steam Workshop examples
  3. 3. Sandustry modding community / Discord
Open official Sandkit documentation →Community

What are you trying to build?

sandkit.api is the official stable API. Use lower-level access only when the stable API cannot do what you need.

My first mod

Ready to share your mod?

Before publishing, write a name, description, compatibility, dependencies, installation expectations, removal warnings, and test status.

Open Steam Workshop →

How to troubleshoot a mod conflict

If two mods work alone but fail together, isolate the conflicting mod or group.

Isolate a conflicting mod

How many mods are currently enabled?

12

  1. Disable half → 6
  2. ↓
  3. Problem remains?
  4. ↓
  5. Yes — the conflict is in the still-enabled half.
  6. No — the conflict is in the disabled half.
  7. ↓
  8. Repeat until the conflicting mod or group is isolated.

Modding changes quickly during Early Access. Always check the mod's Workshop description and the current official Modding notice before changing branches.

Common Sandustry modding questions

Does Sandustry support mods?+

Yes. The current Early Access version distributes mods and maps through Steam Workshop, and developers publish mods with the official Sandkit API. The framework is still evolving, so always read the author's compatibility notes.

How do I install mods in the Early Access version?+

Switch to the mod-compatible Steam branch listed by the mod, open the Sandustry Workshop, subscribe, then launch that build and test in a disposable save before opening an important factory.

Do I still need FluxLoader?+

For the current Early Access version, Steam Workshop is the primary mod distribution route. FluxLoader belongs to the older Demo workflow rather than the default full-game installation path.

Why isn't my Workshop mod loading?+

Subscribing is not the same as loading. Confirm the download finished, you launched a mod-enabled branch, the author supports that branch, dependencies are subscribed, and Steam was restarted after a branch change.

Can mods break after a game update?+

Yes. Early Access APIs and experimental branches still change. Treat a mod that worked yesterday as a compatibility problem first: check whether the author updated, whether the required branch changed, and whether dependencies moved.

Can I make my own Sandustry mods?+

Yes. Start with a small UI or behavior change, create the official modinfo.json manifest, add one entry script, and load it in the mod-enabled build. Sandustry now has an official Sandkit API reference for mod developers.

Where is the Sandustry modding API documentation?+

The official Sandkit API reference is published at sandustry.com/sandkit.html. Use Workshop examples and the official Discord after that — not random file mirrors.

Is a Blueprint the same thing as a mod?+

No. A Blueprint describes a factory layout; a mod changes or adds game content or behavior.