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Source SDK Base 2013

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Source 2013 Source SDK Base 2013 - Singleplayer and Source SDK Base 2013 - Multiplayer are necessary dependencies for mods based on Source 2013. They are responsible for bootstrapping the Source engine when launching a mod and include essential parts of the source code that are not publicly available in the official SDK. Both are available to all Steam users under the 'tools' section on the Library page. As the name implies, Source SDK Base 2013 is locked to the Source 2013 engine branch, to prevent incompatible engine updates from making mods unusable.

Since Source 2013 is split into three sub-branches, there is:


Tip.pngTip:Despite its name, you can make a singleplayer mod using Source SDK Base 2013 - Multiplayer, but you MUST use the legacy branch (Source 2013 Multiplayer):
  • The Multiplayer branch provides additional features (static prop lightmaps, BSP compression, more ambient cubes per visleaf, and slightly newer code).
  • This may be desirable over the Singleplayer branch if not using a base mod such as Mapbase and not making a single-player mod with game code untouched (this process requires you to modify the code).
Icon-Bug.pngBug:The Team Fortress 2 branch Team Fortress 2 branch version of Source SDK Base 2013 - Multiplayer makes some changes which break singleplayer mode:

SDK Base versions

There are two versions of Source SDK Base 2013:

Note.pngNote:This branch originally ran on Source 2013 Multiplayer, but it has been upgraded to the Team Fortress 2 branch Team Fortress 2 branch, which might be incompatible with mods built on the legacy version of Source SDK Base 2013 - Multiplayer (that runs on Source 2013 Multiplayer).
To downgrade to legacy version of Source SDK Base 2013 Multiplayer, follow the instructions:
  1. Open Steam, go to Source SDK 2013 Multiplayer, right click Properties
  2. A window will open. Go to "Betas", select previous2021 beta branch.
  3. Steam will automatically re-download the files. Once it's done, run Source SDK Base 2013 MP as normal, or use its tools.
Note.pngNote:By default, many sourcemods (including Mapbase Mapbase), will crash when launched, unless you select the upcoming branch.
To select upcoming branch, follow the instructions:
  1. Open Steam, go to Source SDK 2013 Singleplayer, right click Properties
  2. A window will open. Go to "Betas", select upcoming beta branch.
  3. Steam will automatically re-download the files. Once it's done, try to launch the mod again.
Note.pngNote:Currently, as of June 28, 2025, both the public source code and the SDK Base itself has yet to receive updates from latest version of Source 2013 SP branch (in Half-Life 2, Portal and Half-Life: Source), which adds new features from Half-Life 2's 20th Anniversary Update (radial fog, classic particles, etc.) or the Team Fortress 2 branch, aswell as bug fixes introduced with later version of Half-Life 2 (and other Source games).
The latest version of Source SDK Base 2013 SP are from June 2014, while upcoming branch are last updated in September 2014. Gamecode for the SP branch are last updated in September 2015.

Setting up & compiling code

To set up Source SDK 2013 and compiling mods, see:

SDK Base Content

Singleplayer branch

Multiplayer branch

Known issues

If there are any issues or bugs with Source SDK 2013, including SDK Base, search for existing bugs or report it here on GitHub:

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