How to Install CounterStrikeSharp and Metamod on CS2

To install CounterStrikeSharp on a CS2 server, first install Metamod:Source 2.x by copying its addons folder into game/csgo and adding Game csgo/addons/metamod to gameinfo.gi. Then copy the with-runtime build of CounterStrikeSharp into the same folder, restart, and run meta list to confirm it loaded.

How the pieces fit together

CS2 plugins run in layers. Each layer needs the one below it, so the install order matters:

SourceMod, the tool many people know from older Source games, does not work on Counter-Strike 2. If a plugin asks for SourceMod, it was written for a different game.

Before you start

1. Take a backup. A bad edit to gameinfo.gi stops the server from starting its plugins. With a backup you can roll back in one step.
2. Stop the server. Upload and edit files while it is off.
3. Get your versions right. CounterStrikeSharp needs a development build of Metamod:Source 2.x (build 1467 or newer, with KHook support, according to its docs), and the first time you install it you must download the with-runtime version.

Step 1: Install Metamod:Source

1. Download the Linux or Windows build of Metamod:Source 2.x from the official development builds page. Metamod labels these builds unstable, but they are the ones that support CS2.
2. Extract the archive on your computer. Inside is an addons folder.
3. Upload that addons folder into game/csgo on your server, using the File Manager or sFTP.
4. Open game/csgo/gameinfo.gi in the editor and find the SearchPaths block.
5. Add one line directly under Game_LowViolence csgo_lv, above the other Game lines:

SearchPaths
{
    Game_LowViolence    csgo_lv
    Game                csgo/addons/metamod
    Game                csgo
    Game                core

Start the server and type this in the console:

meta version

You should see a line that says Metamod:Source version 2.x.x. If the command is unknown, recheck the folder path and the line you added.

Step 2: Install CounterStrikeSharp

1. Download the latest with-runtime build for your system from the CounterStrikeSharp releases page.
2. Stop the server, then extract the archive on your computer.
3. Upload its addons folder into game/csgo. When asked, merge it with the existing addons folder that holds Metamod.
4. Start the server.

After the merge, the folder looks like this:

game/csgo/addons/
├── metamod/
└── counterstrikesharp/
    ├── api/
    ├── bin/
    ├── dotnet/
    ├── gamedata/
    └── plugins/

Step 3: Check that it loaded

Run this in the server console:

meta list

The list should include CounterStrikeSharp. The start-up log also prints CounterStrikeSharp.API Loaded Successfully. If you see "Unknown command", Metamod is not loaded: go back to step 1.

Step 4: Add your first plugin

Plugins go in game/csgo/addons/counterstrikesharp/plugins. Each plugin page on GitHub says which files to copy, so follow its README, then restart. To confirm a plugin is running:

css_plugins list

Two good places to start are a match manager and the admin tools. Our guides on setting up a CS2 practice server and running scrims with MatchZy both use this stack.

Admin permissions for CounterStrikeSharp plugins live in addons/counterstrikesharp/configs/admins.json, where each entry has an identity (a Steam ID) and a list of flags such as @css/root. Check each plugin's README for the flags it expects.

Mistakes that stop the install from working

If you run the server on your own machine, the CounterStrikeSharp docs add two details. On Windows you need the Visual Studio Redistributables. On Linux you may need the libicu package. Both are already covered when you rent a server from us.

Choose plugins carefully

Every plugin runs inside your server process with the same access as the server. Treat a plugin like any other program you download:

• Download from the author's release page, not from a re-upload on a random site.
• Read what it does before you put it on a public server. Remember that Steam holds the account behind your GSLT responsible for the server. Our guide on getting a CS2 GSLT token explains the rules.
• Add one plugin at a time and restart between them. If something breaks, you know which one did it.
• Keep a backup of the plugins folder and its configs before every update.

Updating CounterStrikeSharp

Download the newest release, upload it over the old one and restart. Your configuration files are not overwritten. After the first install you can use the build without the runtime, unless a new .NET version is required. Releases arrive often, and several are fixes for specific CS2 updates. As of November 2026 the latest release is v1.0.379.

When a CS2 update lands and the plugins stop working, do not reinstall everything. Follow the Metamod fix after a CS2 update.

Running this on TheGameHosting

Everything above is file work, and the panel has what you need: a File Manager with full sFTP, Backups, and two free databases for plugins that keep ranks or stats. Heavier plugins use more RAM, so size your plan with that in mind. Counter-Strike 2 itself needs 2 GB, and all nine plans run it. See the CS2 server hosting page or compare all plans.

If a step does not behave as described, tell our support team on live chat or in a ticket. They can read the console with you.

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