What command installs the Rust server using SteamCMD?

As the steam user, run steamcmd +force_install_dir ' ' +login anonymous +app_update 258550 validate +quit (Steam App ID 258550).

How do I configure my Rust server?

Create a .sh startup file (for example, /home/steam/Rust-Server/start_server.sh) containing the main startup parameters. See the official Rust Wiki for additional parameters.

Dedicated Server: Set Up a Rust Dedicated Server on Linux

Learn how to set up a Rust Dedicated Server on Linux to host your game efficiently and optimize server performance → Find out more

10 November 20262 min read0 Views0 helpful

Introduction

Have a Linux Dedicated Server and want to install the Rust Dedicated Server service on it? You’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll explain step by step how to install the service on your Linux server using SteamCMD. We use Ubuntu as an example, but the process is similar on other distributions.

Dedicated Server: Set Up a Rust Dedicated Server on Linux

Preparation

First, connect to your Dedicated Server via SSH. If you need help, see our SSH Getting Started guide.

You’ll also need to set up SteamCMD on your Linux server the first time you use it. Follow our SteamCMD Linux Setup guide, and make sure SteamCMD is fully set up before you continue.

Installation

Code

sudo -u steam -s
cd ~

Once you’re logged in, you can start the installation. Use the following command to install Rust directly in the steam user’s directory with SteamCMD.

Code

steamcmd +force_install_dir '/home/steam/Rust-Server' +login anonymous +app_update 258550 validate +quit

Be patient—the download may take a while depending on the size of the game. If everything went well, a confirmation message will appear.

Configuration

You’ve now completed the basic installation of your Rust server. You can make additional settings using configuration files in the server directory.

Switch to your root directory and create a .sh file. This Bash file will be used to start the server and contains various configuration parameters.

Code

nano /home/steam/Rust-Server/start_server.sh

Now add the following content to the Bash file. The command includes some of the most important and commonly used parameters. If you’d like to add more or learn more, we recommend the official Rust Wiki, which lists all available configuration options.

Code

#!/bin/bash
/home/steam/Rust-Server/RustDedicated -batchmode -nographics +server.hostname "dein_servername" +server.port 28015 +server.identity "my_server" +server.maxplayers 50 +server.worldsize 1000 +server.saveinterval 300

Save the file using CTRL+X, then Y and Enter. To make the Bash file executable, run the following command to set the execute permissions.

Code

chmod +x /home/steam/Rust-Server/start_server.sh

Start and Connect to the Server

You can now start your server. Go to the game’s main directory and run the start_server.sh shell file.

Code

/home/steam/Rust-Server/start_server.sh

You should now see logs in the terminal indicating that the server is starting successfully. Note that the first startup may take a little longer while everything is set up. If all goes well, your server will appear in the server list. Alternatively, you can connect directly by searching for [your_ip_address]:28015.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve successfully installed and configured your Rust server on your Dedicated Server. As a next step, we recommend our Linux Service Setup guide. It explains how to set up your new Dedicated Gameserver as a service. This offers many benefits, such as automatically starting the server at boot, automatic updates, easy management, and access to logs—and much more!

If you have any other questions or run into problems, our support team is available every day and will be happy to help!

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

You need SSH access to your Linux server and a one-time SteamCMD setup (see the “SteamCMD Linux Setup” guide).

As the steam user, run steamcmd +force_install_dir '<path>' +login anonymous +app_update 258550 validate +quit (Steam App ID 258550).

This prevents the server from running with root privileges. The guide uses the steam user and installs everything in that user’s home directory.

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Dedicated Server: Set Up a Rust Dedicated Server on Linux

Introduction

Preparation

Installation

Configuration

Start and Connect to the Server

Conclusion

Frequently asked questions

Software

Preparation

Installation

Configuration

Start and Connect to the Server

Conclusion

Game Server

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ZAPX

Resources

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