The Tool Desk
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Prefer not to run the server on your own PC? Godlike.Host offers hosted Core Keeper servers with free DDoS protection and up to three free backups a day.
The simplest private Core Keeper server is a free dedicated-server installation using Steam Datagram Relay (SDR). Install the Core Keeper Dedicated Server through Steam or SteamCMD, leave the server port unset, choose a world and password, then give trusted friends the generated Game ID. SDR normally avoids router port forwarding. Use direct-IP networking only when you specifically need it and can open the selected port on both the host firewall and router.
This guide covers Windows, Linux with Docker, cross-platform PC play, backups, always-on hosting choices, and the failure modes that most often prevent friends from joining.
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A dedicated server runs the game world in its own server process instead of tying the world to one player’s game session. Friends can join while that process remains online, and the world can be backed up or moved independently of a client installation. The dedicated-server software is free; your practical costs are the computer, electricity, storage, and (if you choose one) a VPS or other hosting service.
For a small group, SDR is the low-configuration option. The server reference and Docker deployment documentation describe an empty -port setting as relay mode, which does not require inbound router forwarding. A direct connection is possible, but it exposes a reachable host endpoint and requires firewall and router work.
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Requirements and platform compatibility
- A Windows, Linux, or Docker-capable machine that can keep the server process running.
- The free Core Keeper Dedicated Server from Steam’s Tools library, or SteamCMD with app ID
1963720. - A world name, a world index or seed for a new world, a private password for direct connections, and a player limit.
- A way to share the generated Game ID privately. Treat that code like an invitation, not public chat content.
- For direct mode, permission to change the host firewall and router, plus a stable local address for the server machine.
PC players on Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG.com, and the Microsoft Store were reported as able to play together on the same dedicated servers in the August 14, 2025 patch-note entry recorded by SteamDB. Compatibility remains version-sensitive: update the server and clients together and recheck after major game updates.
Choose SDR or a direct connection
| Characteristic | Steam Datagram Relay (SDR) | Direct connection |
|---|---|---|
| How to enable | Leave -port unset. |
Set -port to a chosen value. |
| Router port forwarding | Not required according to the Docker deployment documentation. | Required for players outside your local network; forward the same port to the server machine. |
| Firewall work | Still allow the server process to communicate through the host firewall when prompted. | Allow the selected port and server process through the host firewall. |
| What friends use | The generated Game ID and normal game-join flow. | The server’s reachable IP, port, password, and any required Game ID details. |
| Exposure and maintenance | Less endpoint configuration, but it depends on relay availability and supported client/server behavior. | More control and a direct path, but the endpoint is exposed and networking must be maintained. |
Start with SDR unless a documented requirement makes direct networking necessary. Do not set a port “just in case”: setting one changes the networking mode and creates firewall and router obligations.
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Windows installation and first launch
Install from Steam Tools
- Open Steam and switch the Library filter to Tools.
- Install Core Keeper Dedicated Server. Let Steam finish downloading before changing files or starting the process.
- Launch the server executable or supplied script from the installation. Keep its PowerShell or console window open while the server is online; closing that window stops the server.
- Watch the startup output for initialization and the generated Game ID. If the installation writes
GameID.txt, use that file as another way to retrieve the code.
Install with SteamCMD
On a headless Windows machine, install SteamCMD, sign in as the anonymous user when the tool permits it, and run the documented app update for app ID 1963720. A typical SteamCMD sequence is:
app_update 1963720 validateUse the Core Keeper server installation method if SteamCMD reports a missing configuration or license. Verify that the app ID is exactly 1963720; downloading a similarly named game application will not produce the dedicated server.
Set the world before inviting anyone
- Choose a recognizable
-worldname, such asCore Keeper Server, so friends can identify it. - Choose a world index or set
-worldseedwhen creating a new world. A seed affects generation of a new world; it does not retroactively reshape an established save. - Set a player limit with
-maxplayers. If omitted, the server reference documents a default of 8. Pick a limit your host machine can reasonably support rather than advertising a larger number than your group needs. - Set
-passwordfor direct connections. Keep it different from your Steam, email, or operating-system password. - Leave
-portunset for SDR. Add direct networking only after you have decided which port and router rule you will maintain. - Start the process and wait for the world to initialize and save before stopping it or copying files.
Launch arguments that matter
Arguments can be supplied by the server’s launch script or command shortcut. Preserve quotation marks around names containing spaces.
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| Argument | Purpose and important qualification |
|---|---|
-worldname "Core Keeper Server" |
Sets the displayed server name. Replace the value with your own name. |
-worldseed |
Sets the generation seed for a new world. Decide this before generating the world if reproducibility matters. |
-gameid |
Requests a particular join code. An invalid or omitted value causes a new Game ID to be generated. |
-password |
Sets the password used for direct connections. Share it only with the people who should join. |
-maxplayers |
Sets the connection limit. The documented default when omitted is 8. |
-port |
Enables direct connections. The selected port must be reachable through the host firewall and, for internet players, the router. |
-ip |
Controls the local bind address when a port is set. The documented default is 0.0.0.0, which listens on available local interfaces. |
-allowonlyplatform |
Restricts direct connections to a platform value such as Steam, Epic, Microsoft, or GOG. Use this only when you deliberately want to exclude other supported PC stores. |
Do not hard-code a Game ID copied from another server. If the value is invalid, the server generates a new code; read the current output or file after every fresh start.
Retrieve and share the Game ID safely
The Game ID is generated by the server and appears in its output. Docker deployments also write GameID.txt beside the executable. Copy the current code only after initialization completes, then send it through a private group message. The setup documentation warns against posting a game code publicly and recommends backing up before sharing or changing server information.
If a friend cannot find the server, first confirm that the process is still running and that you gave them the newest code. A restart can produce a different code when -gameid is omitted or invalid. A code is not a substitute for a direct-mode password: direct connections may require both the reachable endpoint and the configured password.
Direct networking: firewall and router procedure
Direct mode is useful when relay networking is unavailable or when your group specifically needs a direct endpoint. It is also the mode that produces most connection failures.
- Add a
-portvalue to the server launch configuration. Record the number; the router rule and firewall rule must use the same value. - When Windows or Linux asks whether the server may communicate, allow the server on the intended network profile. If creating a manual rule, permit the server process and the selected TCP/UDP traffic required by the game’s documented server configuration.
- Give the host machine a stable local address, preferably a DHCP reservation in the router. A forwarding rule aimed at a changing address will silently break later.
- Create a router port-forward rule from the chosen external port to the same port on the server machine’s local address. Do not forward to a different computer.
- Restart the server and confirm in its output that it bound to the expected address and port. Test from outside the home network; a test from the same LAN may not prove that internet forwarding works.
- Share the external address, port, Game ID details, and password privately. Revoke the forwarding rule and change the password if you no longer need direct access.
The documented default bind address is 0.0.0.0. Bind to a narrower local address only when you understand which interface should accept connections. Carrier-grade NAT, double NAT, corporate firewalls, and an ISP that blocks inbound traffic can prevent forwarding from working even when the local rules are correct; SDR avoids most of those inbound-router problems.
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Linux and Docker deployment
Docker is the repeatable option for a Linux host, NAS, or automation-oriented setup. The maintained deployment example uses separate persistent mounts for server files and server data, supports Docker Compose, and stores GameID.txt beside the executable.
Use persistent storage
- Create one host directory for the server installation and another for server data. Keep the data directory on storage included in your backup plan.
- Mount those directories into the container using the paths expected by the maintained Docker example. Keeping installation files separate from world data makes image updates and rollback safer.
- Configure the container’s world name, seed, Game ID behavior, password, and player limit through its documented environment variables or command arguments.
- Leave the server-port variable empty for SDR. Do not publish a host port in Compose when you are using relay mode.
- For direct mode, set the server-port variable and publish the matching container-to-host port, then perform the same host-firewall and router steps described above.
- Start the stack and inspect the logs until the world has initialized. Read
GameID.txtbeside the executable or copy the code from the logs.
Compose restart policies can bring the process back after a host reboot, but they do not replace backups. Stop the container cleanly before copying a world, and avoid editing save files while the server is writing them.
Docker-specific checks
- If the world disappears after recreating the container, verify that the data directory is mounted to the same persistent host path as before.
- If friends cannot connect in SDR, confirm that the server-port variable is truly empty rather than set to a default value by an environment file.
- If direct mode fails, check both the published Docker port and the host firewall; a port published only inside Docker is not automatically reachable from the internet.
- Keep the server and data mounts distinct so an image replacement cannot overwrite world data.
Temporary host, always-on computer, or VPS
| Hosting pattern | Availability | Advantages | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary host PC | Online only while the owner runs the process. | No additional hosting bill; easiest way to start a small private world. | Friends cannot play while the owner is away; sleep, updates, or a closed console stop the server. |
| Always-on home computer or small Linux system | Can remain online continuously. | Full control of files, backups, firewall, and restart automation. | Uses electricity, requires maintenance, and may be unreachable behind restrictive NAT. |
| VPS or other rented server | Designed for continuous access when the instance is running. | Remote datacenter connectivity and automation-friendly administration. | Recurring provider cost, operating-system updates, security hardening, and backup responsibility remain yours. |
Choose the temporary option for occasional sessions. Choose an always-on machine when the same world should be available without a particular player launching it. A VPS or Docker host is appropriate when you are comfortable administering Linux, persistent storage, updates, and firewall rules; the dedicated-server software itself does not include a managed hosting service.
Backups, migration, and safe updates
Back up before risky changes
Back up the world before changing launch arguments, migrating from Windows to Docker, installing a major game update, or experimenting with server files. The setup guidance documents a client save-backup hotkey and identifies the dedicated server’s worlds directory. For Docker, back up the persistent data mount that contains that directory.
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- Keep a recent backup from the last known-good session.
- Keep a second copy on a different disk or machine; a backup stored beside a failed drive is not protection.
- Label copies with the date and world name so you can identify the correct save during a rollback.
- Stop the server or use its clean shutdown path before copying files, then start it and verify that the world loads.
Migrate deliberately
Install the same server version on the destination, stop the source cleanly, copy the complete world data, and preserve the destination’s directory structure. Start the destination with the intended world configuration, wait for a save, and verify the Game ID before inviting players. Keep the original files untouched until the migrated world has been tested.
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Troubleshooting by symptom
SteamCMD reports a missing configuration or license
Use the documented Core Keeper Dedicated Server installation method and verify app ID 1963720. Confirm that SteamCMD completed the download rather than leaving a partial directory. Do not substitute the game’s regular app ID.
Friends outside the house cannot connect
Determine the mode first. With SDR, remove an accidental -port setting and confirm the relay-capable server process is online. With direct mode, verify the selected port in the server arguments, host firewall, Docker publish rule if applicable, and router forwarding rule. Check that forwarding targets the current local address and test from an outside network.
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The world is missing or appears new
Wait for initialization and a save, then check the configured data path and the server’s worlds directory. In Docker, verify that the persistent data mount is present and points to the directory used by the previous container. Do not delete files while diagnosing; restore a known-good backup if necessary.
No Game ID is visible
Inspect the complete server output after startup and look for GameID.txt. In Docker, the file is written beside the executable. If the file is absent, let initialization finish and check that the container has write access to its installation/data mount.
A restart changes the join code
An omitted or invalid -gameid causes a new ID to be generated. Share the current code after each restart, or provide a valid deliberate value if your operating procedure requires a stable code.
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Only some stores can join
Check whether -allowonlyplatform is restricting access. Remove the restriction for a mixed Steam, Epic, GOG, and Microsoft Store group, then ensure all clients and the server are on compatible versions. Cross-platform behavior can change with major updates.
Security and maintenance checklist
- Use a strong, unique direct-connection password and share it privately.
- Never publish the Game ID, external IP, or password in an open forum.
- Expose a direct port only while you need it; remove the router rule afterward.
- Keep the operating system, Docker runtime, server files, and game clients updated together.
- Run the server under a restricted account where practical, rather than an administrator or root account.
- Back up the world before updates and migrations, and test that a backup can actually be restored.
- Record the world directory, launch arguments, data mounts, and current Game ID procedure so another trusted admin can recover the server.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to buy a second copy of Core Keeper?
No. The dedicated-server software is distributed free through Steam Tools or SteamCMD. Players still need an eligible Core Keeper client on a supported PC storefront.
Can a server run without a monitor or desktop session?
Yes. SteamCMD, a Linux service, or Docker can run the process headlessly. You must still provide persistent storage, logs, backups, and a way to restart it after maintenance.
Can I switch from SDR to direct mode later?
Yes. Add -port, configure the host firewall and router, and test from outside the local network. The world data is separate from that networking choice, but the join details you give friends will change.
What happens if I close the Windows console?
The server process stops, so players are disconnected and the world is unavailable until you start it again. Shut it down through the documented console method when possible so the latest save is written cleanly.
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Port forwarding is an internet-router function and is generally unnecessary for local clients, but the server still needs the correct bind address and host-firewall permission. For an internet group, direct mode requires forwarding; SDR is designed to avoid that inbound-router step.
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