DDraceNetwork (DDNet): Complete Guide

A guide to DDNet, the free, open-source co-op precision platformer: controls, the hook and weapons, freeze and tiles, teams and saves, the dummy, map difficulties and points, and how to improve from Novice to Brutal and beyond.

Researched September 2026, current as of DDNet 20.1 (released 26 September 2026). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

Play the Tutorial first. Join the Tutorial server from the server browser. It teaches hook, jumps, freeze and hammer. DDNet 19.8 improved the experience of joining it.
Then move to Novice servers. The usual path is Tutorial, then Novice, then Moderate or DDmaX, then Brutal, then Insane.
Co-op is the point. Most maps need at least two players helping each other. Your hammer unfreezes teammates, and your hook pulls them.
Join a team. On most servers type /team [number] in chat so random players can't mess up your run. Lock it with /lock.
Freeze isn't death. A frozen tee can't move for about 3 seconds after leaving freeze. Teammates can hammer you free, or you can use kill (/kill) to restart.
Use the dummy. DDNet lets you connect a second tee (the dummy) and swap control, so you can practise co-op parts solo and play Dummy maps.
Communicate with the pistol and emotes. Shooting the pistol toward a direction is a standard "go there" signal, and Shift opens emotes.
Ranks are global. Every official server is connected, so your times count on worldwide leaderboards at ddnet.org.

Controls

Action	Default
Move left/right	A / D
Jump	Space (W also jumps by default since DDNet 20.0)
Hook	Right mouse
Fire weapon	Left mouse
Emote	Shift
Scoreboard	Tab
Console	F1

The cursor is limited to a circle around your tee, so aiming precisely matters. Set your mouse sensitivity so small hand movements give fine control. You can rebind everything in Settings > Controls. DDNet 20.1 lists unmodified binds before binds with modifiers there.

Useful chat commands

Command	What it does
`/team [number]`	Join a team (team 0 is the shared public team)
`/lock`	Lock your team so nobody else can join
`/save [code]` and `/load [code]`	Save a team's progress and load it later
`/kill`	Respawn at the start (or last checkpoint in some setups)
`/spec` / `/pause`	Spectate or pause (server settings apply)
`/rank` / `/points`	Check a rank or point total
`/practice`	Practice mode for learning parts (runs in practice mode don't count for ranks)

Server rules can change which commands are available. /help or /cmdlist shows what a server supports.

Movement: The Hook and Jumps

Hook reaches about 11 tiles. It grabs hookable tiles and other players. Hooking a teammate pulls you toward each other, which is the base of most co-op parts.
Jumps: you get a ground jump plus an air jump. Some maps change your jump count with special tiles. Wall jumps work only on designated tiles.
Hook swing and hook-jump timing carry most skill. Practise releasing the hook at the top of a swing to build speed.
Unhookable tiles can't be hooked. Learn to read map tiles quickly. The official tile explanation page shows every tile.

Weapons

Weapon	Availability	Main uses
Hammer	Always	Unfreezing teammates and launching them (a hammer hit knocks a tee back)
Pistol	Always	Signalling directions, emotes and reactions
Shotgun	Collected on maps	Pulls hit players toward you, and is used for movement tricks
Grenade	Collected on maps	Rocket jumps and pushing teammates
Laser	Collected on maps	Hitting teammates at range, and teleporting on maps with tele-laser tiles
Ninja	Power-up	A fast dash through set paths

Hammer is the most important co-op tool. Frozen teammates can be unfrozen and thrown in the direction you hit them. "Hammer-fly" and hammer-launching a frozen partner come up constantly.

Freeze and Map Tiles

Freeze: touching freeze stops you moving. You stay frozen for about 3 seconds after leaving the freeze area. Deep freeze keeps you frozen until you touch an unfreeze tile.
Unfreeze tiles thaw you instantly.
Teleporters, speedups, stoppers and switches control flow. Checkpoints and start/finish lines time your run.
Some maps give special abilities through tiles, like extra jumps or endless hook. Learn them from the in-game hints and the official tile guide.
DDNet 20.1 shows freeze pickups as snowflakes to make them easier to read.

The Dummy

The dummy is a second client connected under your name that you can control.

Switch between main tee and dummy with the Toggle Dummy bind in Controls. From the console: bind [key] toggle cl_dummy 0 1.
Dummy hammer: cl_dummy_hammer makes your dummy hammer automatically, which is great for "hammer-fly" style parts.
Copy moves: cl_dummy_copy_moves 1 makes the dummy copy your inputs.
Reset: the wiki suggests a reset bind like bind [key] "dummy_reset; cl_dummy_resetonswitch 0; cl_dummy_control 0; cl_dummy_copy_moves 0" in case you get stuck in a weird state.

Dummy category maps are designed around this. You bring a frozen second tee to the finish.

Map Categories and Points

Category	Who it's for
Novice	Beginners, the simplest maps
Moderate	Intermediate players
Brutal	Advanced players
Insane	Experts
Dummy	Solo play with a dummy tee
DDmaX	Maps from the legacy DDmaX server era
Oldschool	Older nostalgic maps
Solo	Single-player, no interference from others
Race	Single-player race maps focused on fast movement
Fun	Just for fun, no points

Points: each map is rated 0–5 stars. Points = stars multiplied by the category multiplier, plus an offset. For example, a 3-star Brutal map gives 24 points. You earn a map's points the first time you finish it.

Rank vs Team Rank: finishing in the top 10 gives separate rank points. Finishing in team 0 counts for Rank, and finishing as a team counts for Team Rank (25 points for 1st down to 1 for 10th). Other players can push you out of the top 10 later, so these points can change.

What's New in 2026

DDNet 20.0 (27 August 2026): 128-player support, an official web version, editor tabs so you can open multiple maps at once, Android input options, dynamic antiping player prediction, FPS improvements, W bound to jump by default.
DDNet 20.1 (26 September 2026): prediction for static laser doors, a map-loading bar, freeze pickups shown as snowflakes, a more legible spectate menu, a team scoreboard adjusted for 128 players, better handling of low refresh rates, support for vanilla 0.6 clients again, optimised 128-player servers, and the ability to rejoin from any client.
Tournaments: #64 DEATHBOW by Exotix (March), #65 TheRottingHalls (June, 2-player teams, 3 hours), #66 Shortcut by Zweitleben (20 September 2026, Brutal 4-star, team 0 allowed, first finish wins). Results go on the DDNet Tournament page.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Playing in team 0 on hard maps with strangers. Blockers and random players can ruin runs. Make a team and /lock it.
Holding hook constantly. Release timing is where the speed comes from.
Skipping the Tutorial and Novice maps. The basics (hammer throws, hook swings, freeze control) carry into every later map.
Killing too early. A frozen teammate can often be saved. Communicate before you /kill.
Forgetting /save on long maps. Save your team's progress before you log off.
Ignoring the dummy. It's the best way to practise co-op parts without a partner.

Advanced Tips

Watch demos and ghosts. DDNet records demos. The ghost of your best run helps you find where you lose time.
Learn standard binds from the wiki's Binds page, such as a 45-degree aim bind, deep-fly dummy binds and weapon swaps. Put them in a .cfg file and run it with exec [file.cfg].
Use practice mode on hard parts, then do a clean run.
Play with a regular partner. Team times need the same plan and communication every run.
Try the editor. The map editor is built into the client, and 20.0 added tabs for multiple maps. Many top players map too, and it deepens how you read tiles.
Tournaments are announced on Steam and ddnet.org. Unreleased maps mean everyone starts blind, which is a great test of fundamentals.

FAQ

Is DDNet free? Yes. It's free and open source, and it's on Steam, with an official web version since 20.0.

Can I play solo? Yes. Solo category maps, the dummy for Dummy maps and co-op parts, and practice mode all work solo.

What's the difference between DDNet and Teeworlds? DDNet grew out of the Teeworlds DDRace mod. It's a co-op race game with global ranks, thousands of maps and its own client. 20.1 even restored support for vanilla 0.6 clients.

How do I unfreeze a teammate? Hit them with the hammer, or move them onto an unfreeze tile (hook them, or push them with a grenade).

How are points calculated? Stars multiplied by the category multiplier, plus an offset, earned once per map. There are separate top-10 Rank and Team Rank points.

Where can I see my rank? On ddnet.org, or in-game with /rank and /points.