Counter-Strike: Source Updated April 27, 2026

How to Install MetaMod:Source and SourceMod on Your CSS Server

MetaMod:Source and SourceMod are the plugin backbone for CSS — the equivalent of CounterStrikeSharp for CS2. Here's how to install both.

Counter-Strike: SourceCSSSourceModMetaModpluginsmods

MetaMod:Source + SourceMod

If you're coming from CS2, the plugin ecosystem you know is CounterStrikeSharp. CSS uses a different stack: MetaMod:Source sits between srcds and the game, and SourceMod runs on top of MetaMod to provide the actual plugin API. You need both installed for any admin plugins, timers, maps managers, or custom game modes.

Step 1 — Install MetaMod:Source

  1. Download from sourcemm.net — get the build labeled for CSS/Source (not CS2).
  2. Extract the archive into your cstrike/ directory. After extraction you should have:
cstrike/addons/metamod/
cstrike/addons/metamod.vdf
  1. Edit cstrike/gameinfo.txt. Find the SearchPaths block — it looks like this:
SearchPaths
{
    Game    cstrike
    Game    hl2
}

Add Game addons/metamod above the existing Game cstrike line:

SearchPaths
{
    Game    addons/metamod
    Game    cstrike
    Game    hl2
}

This ordering is critical. If you put the metamod line below Game cstrike, MetaMod will not load.

  1. Start (or restart) the server. In the console you should see:
[META] Loaded 0 plugins.

If you don't see any MetaMod output, re-check gameinfo.txt — the spacing and ordering matter.

Step 2 — Install SourceMod

  1. Download from sourcemod.net — get the CSS build matching your OS.
  2. Extract into cstrike/. After extraction:
cstrike/addons/sourcemod/
cstrike/addons/sourcemod/bin/sourcemod_mm.so    (Linux)
cstrike/addons/sourcemod/bin/sourcemod_mm.dll   (Windows)

  1. SourceMod registers itself as a MetaMod plugin via a .vdf file — this is automatically placed at cstrike/addons/sourcemod.vdf when you extract. You do not need to edit metaplugins.ini manually for modern SourceMod releases.

  2. Restart the server. Confirm SourceMod loaded:

sm version

You should see output like:

SourceMod Version Information:
   SourceMod Version: 1.12.0.7XXX
   SourcePawn Version: 1.12.0.7XXX

Verifying Both Are Loaded

At the server console:

meta list

Shows all MetaMod plugins — you should see SourceMod listed.

sm plugins list

Shows all SourceMod plugins — the default install includes basechat.smx, admin-flatfile.smx, mapchooser.smx, and several others.

Keeping SourceMod Updated

SourceMod releases are tied to Source engine versions. If Valve pushes a CSS update and your server crashes on start, check sourcemod.net for a compatibility update. Replace the files in addons/sourcemod/bin/ with the new build.

Plugin Installation

Drop .smx files into:

cstrike/addons/sourcemod/plugins/

Then either restart the server or run:

sm plugins load myplugin

Plugin configs auto-generate in cstrike/addons/sourcemod/configs/ on first run.

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