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Garry's Mod Workshop Addons: Collections and Client Downloads

Garry's Mod Guide • Updated Sep 1, 2026

Garry's Mod Workshop Addons

Garry's Mod has two addon-delivery jobs: the server must install the collection, and each client must receive the content the map or addon actually needs. A collection appearing in the server console does not by itself prove that every player can download materials, models, sounds, or Lua. Use the official Facepunch Workshop guide as the baseline.

Last verified: September 1, 2026. Facepunch says the collection passed with +host_workshop_collection should be public or unlisted, and the server downloads/updates it at startup. Client content still needs the correct WorkshopDL or resource.AddWorkshop path.

Configure a collection

  1. Create a Garry's Mod Workshop collection and add the exact addons, maps, and dependencies the server needs.
  2. Set it to public or unlisted; a private collection cannot be fetched by the dedicated server.
  3. Pass the collection ID at launch:
./srcds_run -game garrysmod -console \
  +host_workshop_collection COLLECTION_ID \
  +gamemode sandbox +map gm_construct

Restart after changing the collection so the server has a clean install/update pass. Keep the collection ID and a dated addon list in your deployment notes.

Server installation versus client downloads

LayerTypical mechanismCheck
Server addon install+host_workshop_collectionServer console shows the collection being fetched at startup.
Workshop client contentWorkshopDL or the addon/map's documented delivery pathClient can download and mount the files without “missing” models/materials.
Custom Lua/contentresource.AddWorkshop or the documented FastDL setupClients receive the content before the map or gamemode requests it.
Isolation test-noworkshop or -noaddonsA stock map boots, proving whether the collection is involved.

Use resource.AddWorkshop deliberately

For an addon that documents client delivery through Lua, put the required Workshop ID in a server-side autorun file and follow the official resource.AddWorkshop documentation. Do not paste an arbitrary ID into server.cfg and assume it replaces a collection or FastDL. Lua, Workshop, and legacy ServerDL have different update and caching behavior.

Safe rollout

  1. Boot with no custom addons and a stock map.
  2. Add the collection and confirm the server reaches the map.
  3. Join with one clean client; verify models, materials, sounds, and Lua.
  4. Add or remove one Workshop item at a time until the collection is stable.
  5. Keep the last known-good collection ID and addon manifest for rollback.

When addons refuse to download

  • Confirm the collection is public/unlisted and the ID is correct.
  • Read the startup console for a failed Workshop fetch or dependency.
  • Check whether the server has the addon but the client lacks the delivery path.
  • Test with -noworkshop or -noaddons to isolate the failure.
  • Update the server with SteamCMD app 4020 and restart before declaring the Workshop service broken.

A recent GMod community report describes specific addons refusing to download; use it as a recurring-symptom lead, not as proof that every collection needs a different flag.

Related Garry's Mod guides

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