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Choosing the right modding framework is crucial for your Rust server. Let’s dive into a detailed comparison between Carbon and Oxide (uMod) to help you make the best decision for your community.
📌 Overview
Oxide (uMod)
- Established around 2013, Oxide is the original Rust modding framework.
- Mature and extensively tested with a large community.
- Currently in maintenance mode; limited active development.
Carbon
- A modern alternative was launched in the early 2020s.
- Built for improved performance and advanced features.
- Fully compatible with Oxide plugins.
🔍 Feature Comparison
| Aspect | Oxide (uMod) | Carbon |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Moderate performance, suitable for small setups. Static hooks load regardless of plugin usage. | High performance, dynamic hooks, efficient plugin loading. |
| Plugin Compatibility | Extensive (1400+ plugins) | Full compatibility with Oxide plugins + Harmony mods |
| Hook System | Loads all hooks statically (higher overhead) | Dynamic hooks load only when needed (lower overhead) |
| Compiler | External, older compiler (slower) | Internal, modern C# compiler (faster, efficient) |
| Updates | Manual updates required | Auto-updating framework |
| Admin Tools | Console and external tools only | Built-in in-game admin GUI, easier management |
| Built-in Features | Minimal, relies entirely on plugins | Built-in utilities (stack size, gather rates, better logs) |
| Migration Ease | Original framework | Easy migration from Oxide (same configs, folders) |
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
Oxide (uMod)
✅ Pros:
- Mature and stable, extensively tested.
- Huge plugin library and large community support.
- Ideal for smaller or simpler mod setups.
❌ Cons:
- Higher overhead impacts performance on heavily modded servers.
- Manual updates are required; no automatic updates.
- Older technology limits modern modding capabilities.
Carbon
✅ Pros:
- High performance and stability with dynamic hooks.
- Fully backward-compatible with Oxide plugins.
- Self-updating, greatly reducing maintenance work.
- Modern built-in tools (in-game GUI, stack management, enhanced debugging).
- Active community and frequent updates.
❌ Cons:
- Newer framework, and less community documentation compared to Oxide.
- Minimal compatibility quirks with niche Oxide plugins.
- Small learning curve for Oxide veterans adjusting to minor differences.
🚦 Best Use Cases
- Oxide: Ideal for small-scale servers with minimal mods, fewer players, and basic admin needs.
- Carbon: Recommended for servers seeking better performance, extensive modding, higher player counts, or easier server management.
🔮 Long-term Prospects
- Oxide: Reliable and stable, but unlikely to evolve significantly in future.
- Carbon: Actively developed and future-proof, expected to become the go-to framework long-term.
🏆 Our Recommendation
If performance, ease of use, and future-proofing are priorities, Carbon is the best choice. However, for simple, traditional setups, Oxide still provides a reliable option.
Ready to get started?
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