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The practical way to host a Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) dedicated server on a VPS is to run a maintained Linux container image, provide it with a Steam Game Server Login Token, publish the game’s required ports, and bind-mount its data directory to persistent VPS storage. For the documented joedwards32/cs2 image, plan for at least 2 vCPUs, 2 GiB of RAM, and 60 GB of free disk space; allow extra capacity if you install mods or workshop content.
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The container uses SteamCMD to download and update the server files. It updates when it starts, so restarting the container after a CS2 update is the normal maintenance operation. A bind mount at /home/steam/cs2-dedicated/ keeps configuration and downloaded data when you recreate the container.
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A CS2 server is a continuously running process, so a small shared VPS that is adequate for a website may not be adequate for a game server. Select a Linux VPS with a public IPv4 or IPv6 address that players can reach, persistent storage, Docker support, and firewall control.
Resource checklist
| Resource | Documented minimum | How to interpret it |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 2 CPUs | The minimum stated by joedwards32 in 2026 and repeated by CM2.Network in 2025. Treat this as a floor, not a guarantee for a full server or heavy add-ons. |
| Memory | 2 GiB RAM | Reserve headroom for the operating system, Docker, SteamCMD updates, and any additional services on the VPS. |
| Disk | 60 GB free space | The image documentation explicitly requires at least 60 GB. Mods and workshop downloads can require more. |
| Network | Publicly reachable address | Players must be able to reach the published game ports through both the VPS firewall and any provider-level firewall. |
Use persistent disk rather than ephemeral storage. If your provider offers separate disk sizing, allocate more than the documented minimum before installing workshop items or mods. The minimums describe the image’s stated requirements; they do not promise a particular player count, tick behavior, or latency.
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How the Docker setup works
Valve Steam Support states that all Steam game servers use SteamCMD to download and update their server files. The container wraps that process, starts the CS2 server, and exposes configuration through environment variables. Docker supplies process isolation and a repeatable start command, while the VPS supplies CPU, memory, disk, and network connectivity.
The documented image publishes the default game port, 27015, on both TCP and UDP, and publishes 27020 on UDP. Those mappings are container-to-host mappings: the number on the left is the VPS port and the number on the right is the port inside the container. Keep the protocol suffixes; publishing only TCP or only UDP leaves part of the server unreachable.
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Install and verify Docker
Install Docker Engine and, if you want a declarative configuration, Docker Compose according to your Linux distribution’s current Docker instructions. Verify that the daemon is running and that your administrative account can run Docker. A failed Docker installation is separate from a CS2 failure, so check it before troubleshooting the game server.
Open the network ports
Permit the following traffic in the VPS operating-system firewall and in any provider firewall:
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- 27015/UDP: the normal game traffic.
- 27015/TCP: the corresponding published TCP endpoint.
- 27020/UDP: the additional UDP port published by the basic image example.
Do not assume that a Docker -p option overrides a blocked provider firewall. If players cannot connect, verify both layers and confirm that the VPS address is the one you are giving to players. If you configure a custom RCON port, publish that port over TCP as well and allow it through the same firewall layers.
Create a Steam Game Server Login Token
The image expects a Steam Game Server Login Token in the SRCDS_TOKEN environment variable. Create the token through Steam’s game-server management page. Treat it like a secret: do not commit it to a public repository, paste it into a public issue, or leave it in shell history if your server is administered by more than one person.
Keep the token outside a publicly shared Compose file where possible. You can export it in the current shell before launching Docker, use a protected environment file, or enter it through your deployment system’s secret facility. The important operational rule is that the container receives the value as SRCDS_TOKEN and that the token is not exposed in documentation or source control.
Start a basic CS2 container
After Docker is installed, the documented minimal launch command is:
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SRCDS_TOKEN="..."
docker run -d --name=cs2
-e SRCDS_TOKEN="$SRCDS_TOKEN"
-p 27015:27015/tcp
-p 27015:27015/udp
-p 27020:27020/udp
joedwards32/cs2Replace the ellipsis with the token value, or export SRCDS_TOKEN before running the command. The -d flag detaches the process, --name=cs2 gives the container a stable name for later operations, and each -p option publishes one protocol and port.
Check that the process started
- Run
docker psand confirm that the container namedcs2is running. - Run
docker logs -f cs2and watch the first startup. SteamCMD may need time to download the server files before the game process is ready. - When you have finished reading the live output, press
Ctrl+C. This stops log viewing, not the container. - If the container exits, run
docker ps -aand thendocker logs cs2to identify the startup error.
Do not repeatedly create containers with the same name while diagnosing a failure. Remove a failed test container only when you are sure you no longer need its logs, then recreate it with the corrected settings.
Make the server data persistent
A container’s writable layer is not a suitable backup strategy. Recreating the container can discard files written inside that layer. Bind-mount a directory on the VPS to /home/steam/cs2-dedicated/, the data path documented by the image.
mkdir -p "$PWD/cs2-data"
sudo chown 1000:1000 "$PWD/cs2-data"
docker run -d --name=cs2
-e SRCDS_TOKEN="$SRCDS_TOKEN"
-v "$PWD/cs2-data:/home/steam/cs2-dedicated/"
-p 27015:27015/tcp
-p 27015:27015/udp
-p 27020:27020/udp
joedwards32/cs2The ownership command matters because the container runs as the unprivileged steam user, documented as UID 1000. Without matching ownership, the process may be unable to create or update configuration and downloaded files. If you choose another host directory, apply the same ownership requirement to that directory.
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Recreate the container without losing data
- Stop the running instance with
docker stop cs2. - Remove only the container with
docker rm cs2; do not delete thecs2-datadirectory. - Run the same command again, including the bind mount and port mappings.
- Confirm with
docker logs -f cs2that the existing files are detected and the server starts.
This procedure preserves the bind-mounted files while replacing the disposable container definition. Back up the host directory separately if the configuration or world state matters; persistence is not the same as backup.
Use Docker Compose for repeatable configuration
The image documentation also provides a Docker Compose example. Compose is useful when you need to keep several environment variables and the volume mapping together, but protect the token and passwords before sharing the file.
services:
cs2:
image: joedwards32/cs2
container_name: cs2
environment:
SRCDS_TOKEN: ${SRCDS_TOKEN}
CS2_SERVERNAME: ${CS2_SERVERNAME}
CS2_PORT: ${CS2_PORT}
CS2_MAXPLAYERS: ${CS2_MAXPLAYERS}
CS2_GAMEALIAS: ${CS2_GAMEALIAS}
CS2_STARTMAP: ${CS2_STARTMAP}
CS2_RCONPW: ${CS2_RCONPW}
ports:
- "27015:27015/tcp"
- "27015:27015/udp"
- "27020:27020/udp"
volumes:
- ./cs2-data:/home/steam/cs2-dedicated/This is an equivalent Compose layout for the documented options; use the image’s current Compose documentation for any additional variables or syntax it introduces. Before starting, create the host directory and set its ownership to UID 1000 as shown earlier. Store the variable values in a protected environment mechanism rather than publishing a token or RCON password in a public repository.
Configure the server with environment variables
The image exposes common server settings as environment variables. The names below are documented by the image and related reference:
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| Variable | Purpose | Operational note |
|---|---|---|
CS2_SERVERNAME |
Sets the name shown for the server. | Use a clear name that helps players identify the correct address. |
CS2_PORT |
Sets the CS2 server port. | If you change the port, update Docker’s published mapping and the firewalls consistently. |
CS2_MAXPLAYERS |
Sets the player limit. | Choose a limit your VPS resources and intended game mode can support. |
CS2_GAMEALIAS |
Selects the game alias or mode exposed by the image. | Use the value documented for the mode you intend to run. |
CS2_STARTMAP |
Chooses the initial map. | Confirm that the map is available to the server before selecting it. |
CS2_RCONPW |
Sets the RCON password. | Use a unique secret and protect it as carefully as the Steam token. |
| Workshop variables | Configure a workshop collection or related workshop behavior. | The image marks workshop support as experimental and downloads can increase disk use. |
Change one setting at a time when diagnosing a startup problem. Recreate or restart the container after changing environment variables; editing a host shell variable does not alter an already-running container.
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Updating CS2 safely
The container automatically updates the game on startup. When Valve releases a game update, restart the container to trigger that behavior:
docker restart cs2For a Compose deployment, restart the service using the command appropriate to your Compose installation, then inspect the logs while SteamCMD downloads the new files. Plan the restart when players are not in a match, because the running process is interrupted.
Validate damaged or incomplete files
If a customization, interrupted download, or disk problem leaves damaged files, set STEAMAPPVALIDATE=1 for a validation and redownload pass. With the direct Docker command, add:
-e STEAMAPPVALIDATE=1Start or recreate the container with that variable, allow SteamCMD to finish, and inspect the logs for completion. Validation can download a substantial amount of data, so verify available disk space first. After the repair pass, remove the variable for normal operation unless you deliberately want validation on every startup.
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Common connection and startup failures
The container exits immediately
- Read
docker logs cs2before changing anything. - Confirm that
SRCDS_TOKENis present and was not truncated by shell quoting or a secret-management system. - Check that the bind-mounted directory is writable by UID 1000.
- Check free disk space; the documented image minimum is 60 GB, and workshop content needs additional room.
Players cannot find or join the server
- Confirm the container is running with
docker ps. - Verify that 27015 is allowed over both UDP and TCP and that 27020 is allowed over UDP.
- Check provider-level and operating-system firewalls separately.
- Confirm that the address and port given to players match the host’s public address and your configured
CS2_PORT. - If you changed a port, ensure the Docker mapping, environment variable, and firewall rules all use the same value.
Configuration changes do not appear
- Environment variables are read when the container is created or started; changing a file or shell variable alone does not update an existing container.
- Recreate the container from the same persistent directory after changing its configuration.
- Check logs for permission errors caused by an incorrectly owned bind mount.
An update appears stuck
- Watch
docker logs -f cs2rather than assuming the process is idle. - Check disk capacity and network access to Steam’s download services.
- Do not delete the persistent directory while an update is in progress.
- If files are damaged, perform the controlled
STEAMAPPVALIDATE=1pass described above.
Security and maintenance practices
- Use a non-root administrative workflow where practical, and let the container run its documented unprivileged
steamuser. - Keep the Steam token and RCON password out of public Compose files, repositories, screenshots, and shared shell history.
- Limit firewall exposure to the ports the server actually uses. Do not publish an RCON port publicly unless you need remote administration; if you do, protect it with a strong password and restrictive network rules.
- Monitor disk usage because updates, logs, maps, mods, and workshop collections accumulate in the persistent directory.
- Back up the bind-mounted data directory independently of Docker. A persistent mount survives container replacement, but it does not protect against VPS deletion, filesystem corruption, or accidental removal.
- Verify image tags and digests before production use. Maintenance recency, documented CS2 support, base runtime, persistence path, ownership, token handling, port defaults, configuration coverage, update behavior, validation support, workshop behavior, and image size are sensible criteria when evaluating another image.
A practical first-run checklist
- Provision a Linux VPS with at least 2 CPUs, 2 GiB RAM, and 60 GB free persistent disk, plus extra space for any mods.
- Install Docker and verify that the daemon runs.
- Open 27015/TCP, 27015/UDP, and 27020/UDP in every applicable firewall.
- Create a Steam Game Server Login Token and store it as a secret.
- Create the host data directory and assign ownership to UID 1000.
- Start the container with the token, bind mount, and all three documented port mappings.
- Follow the logs until SteamCMD has downloaded the files and the server process is ready.
- Set the server name, port, player limit, game alias, start map, RCON password, and optional workshop variables.
- Test a connection from outside the VPS network.
- Record the restart, validation, backup, and recovery commands for whoever will administer the server.
When this design is the right fit
Docker on a VPS is a good fit when you want a repeatable deployment, a clean separation between the game process and the host, and the ability to replace a container without losing the server directory. It is less suitable if the VPS cannot provide the documented disk minimum, if the provider blocks the required UDP traffic, or if you need a heavily modified installation whose resource requirements exceed the image’s baseline.
The key design decisions are straightforward: meet the resource floor with headroom, publish every required protocol, keep secrets outside shared configuration, and make the data directory persistent. Once those pieces are correct, updates are handled by restarting the container and recovery is handled by validating files without deleting the mounted data.
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