Server Architecture

RID-based server API, direct rendering/physics access, and object pooling define maximum-performance patterns.

Available Scripts

headless_init_manager.gd

Automatically detecting and initializing dedicated server logic when launched with --headless or dedicated_server features.

enet_optimized_host.gd

Expert initialization of high-performance ENet UDP hosts with precise bandwidth and client limits.

dtls_secure_server.gd

Securing ENet UDP traffic using DTLS and X509 certificates to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks.

physics_server_direct.gd

Massive scale simulation pattern that bypasses the SceneTree by creating bodies directly on the PhysicsServer3D.

safe_packet_decoder.gd

Crucial network security pattern that explicitly forbids object decoding to prevent Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerabilities.

manual_network_poll.gd

Moving networking off the main thread by disabling automatic polling and managing manual multiplayer.poll() loops.

isolated_multiplayer_api.gd

Pattern for running Client and Server branches independently within a single Godot instance via isolated API instances.

server_authority_validator.gd

Authoritative entry point validation using get_remote_sender_id() to strictly verify client requests.

websocket_server_compat.gd

Ensuring compatibility with HTML5/Web browser clients using WebSocketMultiplayerPeer architecture.

peer_kick_manager.gd

Graceful termination and cleanup of peer connections with custom reason propagation.

NEVER Do in Server Architecture

• NEVER trust the client — Validate all state changes, purchases, and damage exclusively on the authoritative server to prevent cheating [28].
• NEVER use TRANSFER_MODE_RELIABLE for continuous data streams — Synchronizing coordinates every frame using reliable mode causes extreme network congestion; always use UNRELIABLE [29].
• NEVER use get_var(true) on untrusted network packets — Passing true allows the engine to deserialize arbitrary objects, creating a critical Remote Code Execution vulnerability [30].
• NEVER use TCP for fast-paced action games — TCP's Nagle's algorithm and congestion control cause unacceptable latency; use Godot's built-in ENet (UDP) [31].
• NEVER run a dedicated server without stripping visuals — Always export using "Dedicated Server" mode or use the Dummy audio/physics drivers to prevent GPU/CPU waste [32].
• NEVER expect RPCs to work before connection — Calling an RPC on a client before the connected_to_server signal has fired will fail [34].
• NEVER assume UNRELIABLE packets arrive in order — UDP packets can arrive out of order or be dropped; design state interpolation to handle missing ticks [31].
• NEVER leave SceneTree.multiplayer_poll set to false without manually calling poll() — Disabling auto-polling without manual polling freezes all network traffic [35].
• NEVER attempt to connect Godot clients and servers running different engine versions — The high-level multiplayer API protocol is version-specific and breaking [36].
• NEVER forget to unbind or free RIDs — PhysicsServer3D.body_create() without free_rid() causes massive server-side memory leaks over time.

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Direct access to rendering without nodes.

# Create canvas item (2D sprite equivalent)
var canvas_item := RenderingServer.canvas_item_create()
RenderingServer.canvas_item_set_parent(canvas_item, get_canvas_item())

# Draw texture
var texture_rid := load("res://icon.png").get_rid()
RenderingServer.canvas_item_add_texture_rect(
    canvas_item,
    Rect2(0, 0, 64, 64),
    texture_rid
)

PhysicsServer2D

Create physics bodies without nodes.

# Create body
var body_rid := PhysicsServer2D.body_create()
PhysicsServer2D.body_set_mode(body_rid, PhysicsServer2D.BODY_MODE_RIGID)

# Create shape
var shape_rid := PhysicsServer2D.circle_shape_create()
PhysicsServer2D.shape_set_data(shape_rid, 16.0)  # radius

# Assign shape to body
PhysicsServer2D.body_add_shape(body_rid, shape_rid)

When to Use Servers

Use servers for:

• Procedural generation (thousands of objects)
• Particle systems
• Voxel engines
• Custom rendering

Use nodes for:

• Regular game objects
• UI
• Prototyping

Reference

• Godot Docs: Using Servers

Related

• Master Skill: godot-master