GMod Settings - GLua Language Server

Overview

All GMod-specific settings live under the gmod key in .gluarc.json. These settings control realm detection, network message analysis, scripted class behavior, VGUI support, and more.

Top-level options

Option	Type	Default	Description
`gmod.enabled`	`boolean`	`true`	Enable all GMod-specific analysis. Set `false` to use as a generic Lua LS
`gmod.defaultRealm`	`string`	`"shared"`	Realm assumed for files with no realm signal. Use `"client"`, `"server"`, or `"shared"`
`gmod.detectRealmFromFilename`	`boolean \| null`	`null` (resolves to `true`)	Detect realm from `cl_`, `sv_`, `sh_` filename prefixes and `/client/`, `/server/` parent directories
`gmod.detectRealmFromCalls`	`boolean \| null`	`null` (resolves to `true`)	Infer realm from calls like `include`, `AddCSLuaFile`, `IncludeCS`, and `require`
`gmod.inferDynamicFields`	`boolean`	`true`	Track fields dynamically assigned to GMod objects
`gmod.dynamicFieldsGlobal`	`boolean`	`true`	Share inferred dynamic fields across all files. Set `false` to scope them per-file
`gmod.fileParamDefaults`	`object`	built-in map	Parameter-name → type fallback, applied to params without explicit `@param`. Editable in the Settings UI. Set a value to `""` to remove a built-in default

Annotations

Option	Type	Default	Description
`gmod.annotationsPath`	`string \| null`	`null`	Custom path to GMod annotation `.lua` files. When `null`, the VSCode extension’s auto-downloaded annotations are used
`gmod.autoLoadAnnotations`	`boolean \| null`	`null`	Override workspace annotation auto-loading. Set `false` to disable even if the extension or CLI provides annotations

Scaffolding

Option	Type	Default	Description
`gmod.templatePath`	`string \| null`	`null`	Path to a folder of custom scaffolding templates (`.lua` files). Relative to workspace root. Built-in templates are used as fallback

Gamemode inheritance

GLuaLS supports gamemode inheritance. DeriveGamemode("...") keeps inherited GM members working. The gmod.autoDetectGamemodeBase setting loads parent gamemode folders from your gamemode’s <name>.txt base value so parent files are available for completions, definitions, and diagnostics. This setting controls the .txt file lookup. DeriveGamemode("...") support remains active.

Option	Type	Default	Description
`gmod.autoDetectGamemodeBase`	`boolean \| null`	`null` (enabled)	Automatically loads parent gamemode folders from the gamemode `.txt` `base` value. Set to `false` to turn this off.

Scripted classes

gmod.scriptedClassScopes.include defines the scripted class groups used for class analysis, the Class Explorer, and scaffolding. Built-in groups: entities, weapons, effects, stools, plugins, gamemodes. Each definition supports:

Field	Type	Description
`id`	`string`	Stable key for overrides or removal
`label`	`string`	Display name in Class Explorer and Settings UI
`classGlobal`	`string`	Global variable the class uses (`ENT`, `SWEP`, etc.)
`path`	`string[]`	Path segments to detect class from file path
`include`	`string[]`	Glob patterns for files to analyse
`exclude`	`string[]`	Optional per-definition exclude globs
`parentId`	`string`	Parent definition ID for nested grouping in Explorer
`icon`	`string`	VS Code icon ID for Class Explorer display
`rootDir`	`string`	Default root used by the scaffold action
`scaffold.files`	`array`	Scaffold output entries: `{ path, template }` with `{{name}}` variable
`classNamePrefix`	`string`	Optional prefix prepended to the folder-derived class name. Used by the `gamemodes` scope to produce runtime-accurate names like `gamemode_sandbox`
`disabled`	`boolean`	Disable this definition (useful for turning off built-in groups)

The gamemodes group detects files under gamemodes/<name>/gamemode/** and types the GM global as the class gamemode_<name>. This lets DEFINE_BASECLASS("gamemode_sandbox") and cross-gamemode field access, such as self.Sandbox.SetupMove, resolve in derived gamemodes. To override a built-in definition, add an entry with its id and only the fields you want to change. To disable a built-in group, set { "id": "effects", "disabled": true }.

Example

.gluarc.json

{
  "gmod": {
    "scriptedClassScopes": {
      "include": [
        {
          "id": "plugins",
          "scaffold": {
            "files": [{ "path": "{{name}}/sh_plugin.lua", "template": "plugin_sh.lua" }]
          }
        },
        {
          "id": "effects",
          "disabled": true
        },
        {
          "id": "my-controllers",
          "label": "Controllers",
          "classGlobal": "CTRL",
          "path": ["lua", "controllers"],
          "include": ["lua/controllers/**"],
          "rootDir": "lua/controllers",
          "scaffold": {
            "files": [{ "path": "{{name}}.lua", "template": "controller.lua" }]
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Hooks

Option	Type	Default	Description
`gmod.hookMappings.methodToHook`	`object`	`{}`	Map method names to hook names (e.g. `{ "Think": "Think" }`)
`gmod.hookMappings.emitterToHook`	`object`	`{}`	Map custom emitter functions to hook names
`gmod.hookMappings.methodPrefixes`	`string[]`	`[]`	Additional method name prefixes for auto hook detection

Network analysis

Option	Type	Default	Description
`gmod.network.enabled`	`boolean`	`true`	Enable all network flow analysis
`gmod.network.completion.smartReadSuggestions`	`boolean`	`true`	Suggest net.Read* calls in expected order inside receive callbacks
`gmod.network.codeLensEnabled`	`boolean`	`true`	Show code lens actions on net message receivers
`gmod.network.completion.mismatchHints`	`boolean`	`true`	Annotate suggestions with hints when expected read doesn’t match current

To disable individual network diagnostics, use the primary diagnostics.disable list with the relevant code name (e.g. "gmod-net-read-write-type-mismatch"). See the Diagnostics configuration page for the full list of network diagnostic codes and severity options.

Example

.gluarc.json

{
  "gmod": {
    "network": {
      "enabled": true
    }
  },
  "diagnostics": {
    "disable": ["gmod-net-read-write-bits-mismatch"]
  }
}

VGUI

Option	Type	Default	Description
`gmod.vgui.codeLensEnabled`	`boolean`	`true`	Show code lens actions on `vgui.Register()` calls
`gmod.vgui.inlayHintEnabled`	`boolean`	`false`	Show inlay hints for VGUI panel types

Outline verbosity

gmod.outline.verbosity controls what appears in the Outline view for Lua files:

Value	Behavior
`"minimal"`	Functions, classes, hooks, net receivers, timers, concommands only
`"normal"` (default)	Same as minimal, plus typed non-primitive tables and variables
`"verbose"`	Full legacy view with all locals, assignments, and control-flow blocks

VSCode extension settings

You can also configure these settings in VS Code settings with the gluals.* prefix:

VSCode Setting	.gluarc.json Key	Type	Default	Description
`gluals.gmod.autoLoadAnnotations`	`gmod.autoLoadAnnotations`	`boolean` (`boolean \| null` in workspace)	`true` (`null` in workspace)	Auto-download GMod annotations
`gluals.gmod.annotationsRepository`	VS Code only	`string`	`Pollux12/annotations-gmod-glua-ls`	GitHub repository for automatic annotation downloads
`gluals.gmod.annotationsBranch`	VS Code only	`string`	`gluals-annotations`	Git branch for automatic annotation downloads
`gluals.gmod.autoDetectGamemodeBase`	`gmod.autoDetectGamemodeBase`	`boolean \| null`	`null` (enabled)	Auto-detect base gamemodes from the gamemode `.txt` file
`gluals.gmod.templatePath`	`gmod.templatePath`	`string`	`null`	Custom scaffolding template path
`gluals.gmod.network.codeLensEnabled`	`gmod.network.codeLensEnabled`	`boolean`	`true`	Network code lens
`gluals.gmod.vgui.codeLensEnabled`	`gmod.vgui.codeLensEnabled`	`boolean`	`true`	VGUI code lens
`gluals.gmod.vgui.inlayHintEnabled`	`gmod.vgui.inlayHintEnabled`	`boolean`	`false`	VGUI inlay hints

​Overview

​Top-level options

​Annotations

​Scaffolding

​Gamemode inheritance

​Scripted classes

​Example

​Hooks

​Network analysis

​Example

​VGUI

​Outline verbosity

​VSCode extension settings

Overview

Top-level options

Annotations

Scaffolding

Gamemode inheritance

Scripted classes

Example

Hooks

Network analysis

Example

VGUI

Outline verbosity

VSCode extension settings