Category:Networking

Source uses a client-server architecture. The practice of passing information between the two modules is known as Networking.

For a general overview of the Source engine's networking, see Source Multiplayer Networking. For a more theoretical examination of networking as a concept, see Yahn Bernier's paper.

In Short...

Server to client

Entity update, for entity state changes (the most common route)

Game Event or User Message, for fire-and-forget game events

Temporary Entity, for fire-and-forget world effects

Client to server

User Command, for ongoing player input

ServerCmd(), for one-shot player input