Network topologies
Choose how the authoritative server and connected clients are arranged to suit your game's hosting, latency, and scaling needs.
Netcode for Entities uses a server-authoritative model with client-side prediction, so every session has one authoritative server and one or more clients. The network topology determines where that server runs: on dedicated hardware that clients connect to remotely, or on one of the players' own machines that also acts as a client.
Your choice of topology affects hosting cost, the level of trust you place in the host, and how easily you can move to a dedicated server later. Review the following topics to compare the available options and decide which one fits your game.
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Choose a network topology | Compare the supported network topologies and their recommended use cases to decide which one fits your game's hosting, performance, and scaling needs. |
| Client-server | Run the authoritative simulation on a dedicated server that clients connect to remotely, which suits games that need to scale, resist cheating, or stay impartial between players. |
| Client-hosted | Run the server on one player's machine, which acts as both host and client for the other players who connect to the session. |