# Performance & TPS (/docs/stardew-valley/performance)



The server runs the full game loop headlessly. The main performance lever is **Server TPS** (ticks per second).

Server TPS [#server-tps]

| TPS                | Result                                            |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------- |
| **60**             | Smoothest NPC/animation movement, highest CPU use |
| **30** *(default)* | Great balance — recommended for most farms        |
| **10–20**          | Lightest CPU, noticeably choppier NPC movement    |

Set it on the **Startup** tab (**Server TPS**, range 10–60) and restart.

{/* SCREENSHOT PENDING: /screenshots/stardew-valley/stardew-tps.png (alt: Server TPS startup variable) */}

Tips [#tips]

* Stardew Valley is light compared to most dedicated servers — even a full 8-player farm uses modest resources.
* If you notice lag, check whether you've added heavy **SMAPI mods** before lowering TPS.
* Rendering is disabled by default (the server is headless), so there's no GPU/visual overhead.