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The steps below cover native installation first, then Docker, networking, updates, backups, and the failures that most often prevent players from connecting.
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How the Linux server is organized
Starbound’s dedicated server is distributed through Steam and updated with SteamCMD. The dedicated-server application ID is 211820. SteamCMD downloads the server files into the directory you choose; the Linux executable is then found in that installation’s linux directory.
On the first launch, the server creates a storage directory. That directory is the persistent part of the installation: it contains starbound_server.config, the generated universe, logs, and server-managed data. Mods are also part of the data you must preserve when you make a backup. If you reinstall the executable but keep the correct storage tree, your configuration and world can remain available.
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The server should run as a separate account such as steam, not as root. Running a game process with root privileges turns a server compromise or a malicious mod into a host-level risk.
Choose a hosting approach
There are three practical arrangements. A native installation gives you the clearest view of the operating system and files. Docker makes the software layout repeatable but adds a packaging layer. A VPS gives you an always-on public address and avoids home-router limitations, but you still administer Linux and the game process.
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| Approach | Operating-system control | Upgrades and rollback | Network and public address | Persistence and backups | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native Linux | Full control and the fewest layers | Direct SteamCMD updates; you manage rollback and file backups | Requires a reachable home network or a host with a public address | You choose the storage location and backup method | Administrators who want transparent troubleshooting |
| Docker | Host is isolated from the game’s user-space files | Image updates can be repeatable, but image changes must be reviewed | Container and host firewall rules both matter | Persistent mounts are mandatory; container replacement must not remove storage | Operators who already use containers |
| Linux VPS | Provider controls the underlying hardware; you control the guest system | Normal SteamCMD workflow; provider snapshots may add recovery options | Usually provides a public address, so no home NAT is needed | Use the provider’s backup features only as an additional copy | Players who need 24/7 availability or cannot forward a home port |
No authoritative current source establishes a universal CPU, RAM, or player-capacity limit. Treat capacity as a workload question: test the number of players, mods, and world activity you expect instead of promising a fixed maximum.
Prerequisites
- A 64-bit Linux operating system. The Starbounder Wiki guide identifies 64-bit as a requirement.
- A host that can stay online for the sessions you want to support, with enough disk space for the game, logs, universe, and backups.
- A dedicated unprivileged account, commonly named
steam. - SteamCMD and the 32-bit compatibility libraries required by SteamCMD and the server.
- Permission to open the host firewall and, for a home connection, permission to configure the router.
- A backup destination separate from the live installation.
Package names differ between current distributions. Older Debian and Ubuntu instructions commonly list software-properties-common, lib32gcc1, and libvorbisfile3. Those names are not universal: map them to the equivalent packages for your release rather than copying an obsolete package command blindly. A missing 32-bit library is one of the common reasons the binary exits immediately.
Install the native server with SteamCMD
1. Create a dedicated account
Create the account from an administrator shell, then perform the installation as that user. The following is an example for distributions that provide the adduser utility:
sudo adduser --disabled-password --gecos "" steamGive the account ownership of its own installation directory. Do not grant it sudo access just to simplify administration; use your administrator account for system changes and switch to steam only for game files and the server process.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match2. Install SteamCMD and compatibility libraries
Install SteamCMD using your distribution’s supported package or the official SteamCMD archive, then verify that it starts. On a 64-bit host, SteamCMD may still need 32-bit runtime libraries. Install the equivalents of the libraries listed above for the exact distribution release. If the package manager proposes a different name, use that package and record it in your server notes so a rebuild is repeatable.
Keep SteamCMD in a directory owned by the steam account. Download and extract it there, and use its full path in scripts or service-maintenance notes. A full path prevents updates from accidentally targeting a different SteamCMD installation.
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3. Download the Starbound server
Switch to the dedicated account and run SteamCMD with a full installation path. Replace the login placeholder with the Steam account that has access to Starbound:
steamcmd +force_install_dir /home/steam/starbound +login <username> +app_update 211820 +quitThe exact SteamCMD executable path depends on how you installed it; use that path in place of steamcmd if necessary. Steam Guard can request an interactive code during the first login. Keep the password out of shell history and scripts where practical: enter it interactively when SteamCMD asks, use a protected credential mechanism, or otherwise restrict access to any maintenance script that contains authentication data.
After the command completes, the installation should contain a linux/starbound_server executable beneath /home/steam/starbound. If SteamCMD reports a login, disk, or permission error, fix that before attempting to start the server.
4. Launch once to create the data tree
Run the executable interactively as steam from the installation directory:
cd /home/steam/starbound/linux
./starbound_serverAllow it to initialize, then stop it cleanly with Ctrl+C. This first run creates /home/steam/starbound/storage and its initial files. Do not skip this step: systemd can start the process, but it cannot substitute for the initialization that creates the configuration and universe directories.
5. Edit the server configuration
Open /home/steam/starbound/storage/starbound_server.config in a text editor. The file controls the server name, user and password settings, administrator entries, query behavior, and other server options. Preserve valid JSON syntax: keep commas and quotation marks intact, and make a backup before substantial edits.
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Use a password that is different from the Linux account password. Add administrator entries only for people who need them, and remove stale accounts when access changes. If you install mods, keep their files and the configuration that enables them under paths you will include in your backup plan.
Configure the network
Host firewall
Starbound uses port 21025 over both TCP and UDP by default. Permit both protocols in the Linux host firewall. For a host using UFW, the rules are:
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sudo ufw allow 21025/tcp
sudo ufw allow 21025/udpUse the equivalent rules for firewalld, nftables, or another firewall. Opening only TCP is incomplete; clients may still fail when the UDP rule is absent.
Home router and NAT
If the Linux machine has a private address behind a home router, create a port-forward for both protocols from the router’s public interface to the machine’s private address. Give the Linux host a DHCP reservation or static address so the forwarding rule does not point to a different computer after a lease change.
A local connection from another device on the same LAN does not prove internet reachability. Test from a device outside the LAN, such as a phone using cellular data or a remote friend. If the provider uses carrier-grade NAT, inbound forwarding may be impossible even when the router appears correctly configured; a VPS or another host with a public address avoids that limitation.
VPS firewall
On a VPS, configure the provider’s security group or network firewall as well as the Linux host firewall. A rule at only one layer is not enough. Confirm that the instance has the public address you give to players and that the provider permits both TCP and UDP traffic on the chosen port.
Run Starbound with systemd
systemd can start the server at boot, restart it after an unexpected exit, and place its logs in the journal. Create /etc/systemd/system/starbound-server.service as an administrator:
[Unit]
Description=Starbound dedicated server
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target
[Service]
Type=simple
User=steam
WorkingDirectory=/home/steam/starbound
ExecStart=/home/steam/starbound/linux/starbound_server
Restart=always
RestartSec=10
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.targetThe WorkingDirectory is the installation root, while ExecStart points to the Linux executable. Keeping the working directory correct matters because the server expects to find its storage tree relative to the installation.
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sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl start starbound-server
sudo systemctl enable starbound-serverCheck the result immediately:
sudo systemctl status starbound-server
sudo journalctl -u starbound-server -n 100 --no-pagerUse journalctl -u starbound-server -f while testing a configuration change. If you edit the unit, run daemon-reload again before restarting it. A restart policy helps with crashes; it does not fix a missing library, invalid configuration, or a blocked firewall, so inspect the first error in the journal.
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Connect and verify the server
Start the service, wait for initialization to finish, and watch the journal for a completed startup rather than testing immediately after the process is spawned. Connect from the same LAN first if you want to separate game configuration from internet routing, then test from outside the LAN.
When a connection fails, verify the listener on the Linux host with a socket inspection tool such as:
sudo ss -lntup | grep 21025The output should show the server bound to the expected interfaces. A listener bound only to loopback cannot accept connections from other machines; correct the server’s bind-related configuration if you deliberately changed it.
Give players the public address when they are outside your LAN. Players inside the same network may need the private address, depending on whether the router supports NAT loopback. Do not publish the Linux account password or the administrator credentials from the server configuration.
Update safely
Stop the service before updating the executable. Updating files while the process is writing a universe or log can leave an inconsistent installation.
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steamcmd +force_install_dir /home/steam/starbound +login <username> +app_update 211820 +quitStart the service after SteamCMD finishes:
sudo systemctl start starbound-server
sudo systemctl status starbound-serverCheck that storage/starbound_server.config, the universe, and your mods are still present. If an update introduces a problem, stop the service, restore the backed-up storage and executable set you retained, and review the server log before trying another change.
Back up the world and configuration
Back up the entire storage directory, not just the configuration file. The universe directory contains the world state that players care about, while logs and configuration help you reproduce and diagnose the installation. Stop the service for a consistent copy:
sudo systemctl stop starbound-server
sudo -iu steam tar -czf /home/steam/starbound-storage-$(date +%F).tar.gz -C /home/steam/starbound storage
sudo systemctl start starbound-serverCopy the resulting archive to a different disk or host. A backup stored in the same directory as the live universe is not protection against disk failure or accidental deletion. Retain at least one copy that is not writable by the running game account, and periodically test that an archive can be opened and that the universe files are present.
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Make an additional backup before changing mods, migrating distributions, or applying a major update. Mod changes can alter world behavior even when the executable itself starts normally.
Docker as a community alternative
A community Docker image can install or update Starbound through SteamCMD at container startup. Didstopia’s image documentation identifies /steamcmd/starbound as the persistent installation mount, storage/starbound_server.config as the main configuration file, storage/universe as the world location, and mods as the mod location.
Do not treat a container’s writable layer as permanent storage. Mount the installation path to a host directory or volume, back up that mount independently, and verify that replacing the container leaves the configuration and universe intact. Review the image version and startup behavior before upgrades; third-party packaging can change independently of Starbound.
Docker does not remove network requirements. Publish both TCP and UDP for the server port, permit them through the host and provider firewalls, and ensure that the container’s user can read and write the mounted files. If you cannot explain where the storage mount lives, do not put a live universe in that container yet.
Troubleshooting by symptom
The process exits immediately
- Run
./starbound_serverinteractively from thelinuxdirectory and read the first error. - Check that the file is executable and that
WorkingDirectoryandExecStartin systemd point to the real installation. - Install the missing 32-bit compatibility libraries for your distribution if the loader reports an absent library.
- Confirm that the
steamaccount owns the installation and can write tostorage. - Inspect the server log and the systemd journal rather than repeatedly restarting a broken unit.
Players cannot connect from the internet
- Confirm that the service is active and listening on the configured port.
- Check both TCP and UDP rules in the Linux firewall and the VPS provider firewall.
- On a home network, verify that the router forwards to the current private address, not an old DHCP lease.
- Test from outside the LAN; a successful local connection is not an internet test.
- Check for carrier-grade NAT or another upstream restriction if the forwarding rule is correct but the public address is unreachable.
The configuration appears to reset
Make sure you are editing the file under the same installation’s storage directory that systemd uses. A second SteamCMD installation, a wrong working directory, or a Docker container without a persistent mount can make a valid edit appear to vanish.
The world or mods are missing
Stop the server and inspect the persistent storage path. Confirm that storage/universe and the mod files exist, that the service user can read them, and that a container has the intended host mount. Restore the latest known-good storage backup before experimenting with a mod that changes world data.
Updates fail or leave a half-working server
Stop systemd before running SteamCMD, use the same installation path as the original deployment, and check the SteamCMD output for authentication or disk errors. Afterward, verify the configuration, universe, and mods before starting the service. If the executable changes but the data does not, compare the live directory with your backup and review the journal for compatibility errors.
Security and ongoing maintenance
- Keep the game process on the unprivileged
steamaccount. - Allow only the required game traffic through firewalls; administer the host through secured remote access rather than exposing management services unnecessarily.
- Use a unique server password and limit administrator entries.
- Monitor disk usage because logs and world data grow over time.
- Back up before updates, migrations, and mod changes, and keep a copy away from the host.
- Review community Docker images before pulling a new version and retain an independent backup even when the image advertises persistence.
- After every maintenance change, inspect
systemctl statusand the service journal, then perform an external connection test.
What the published evidence does not establish
The published installation guidance establishes the 64-bit requirement, the default dual-protocol port, and the Steam application ID. It does not provide a current benchmark for minimum RAM, CPU model, maximum players, or compatibility with every modern Linux distribution. Choose a host with practical headroom, measure it under your own player and mod workload, and document the result instead of relying on an invented capacity number.
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For most Linux administrators, native SteamCMD installation plus a systemd unit is the most transparent setup: create a dedicated account, install application 211820, launch once to create storage, configure the server, forward and allow both protocols, and back up the complete storage tree. Use Docker when you already operate containers and can guarantee persistent mounts. Use a VPS when home NAT, carrier-grade NAT, or an unreliable always-on connection is the real obstacle.
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