Run Project Zomboid’s dedicated-server Steam application (app ID 380870) under a dedicated, non-root Linux account. Install or update it with SteamCMD, launch start-server.sh once to create the server profile, then configure the generated servertest.ini and servertest_SandboxVars.lua. For an internet server, allow and forward UDP 16261 and UDP 16262, keep the server and every client on the same branch/build, and shut the process down with quit so the world saves cleanly.
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The procedure below uses Debian/Ubuntu-style commands and an installation directory of /opt/pz. Package names, firewall syntax and service-management details differ on other distributions, but the Project Zomboid files and port roles are the same.
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What you need before installing
Prepare the machine before downloading the game server. A small private server can run on modest hardware, but available CPU, memory, storage I/O and network upload capacity determine how many players and how many mods it can handle. Leave headroom for the operating system and for world saves rather than allocating every resource to Java.
- A 64-bit Linux installation with administrative access for package installation and firewall changes.
- A dedicated account such as
steamorpzserver. The game process should never run as root. - A fixed installation directory, for example
/opt/pz, owned by that service account. - SteamCMD and its 32-bit compatibility dependencies. On Debian or Ubuntu, enable the i386 architecture before installing the distribution’s
steamcmdpackage. - A public address that can receive unsolicited UDP traffic, or a router/VPS configuration that can forward it to the Linux host.
- A backup destination with enough space for the server profile and world saves.
Create the service account and directory
sudo useradd --system --create-home --home-dir /home/steam --shell /usr/sbin/nologin steam
sudo mkdir -p /opt/pz
sudo chown -R steam:steam /opt/pzA system account with a controlled home directory limits the damage from a compromised server process. You can use a normal login shell while setting up the machine, then disable interactive login after confirming the service works. Whatever account and home you choose, use the same identity for SteamCMD, the first launch and systemd.
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Install SteamCMD
On Debian or Ubuntu, the researched installation path is:
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
sudo apt install steamcmdSome distributions place SteamCMD in a different repository or require an extra repository component. Use the package method supported by your distribution and verify that the steamcmd command is available. The dedicated server includes a Java runtime; a system JRE is only a fallback if the bundled runtime cannot start.
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Project Zomboid has separate Steam applications for the player game and the dedicated server. The server uses app ID 380870. Do not substitute the player-game app ID.
With /opt/pz writable by steam, download the files anonymously:
sudo -u steam -H steamcmd
+force_install_dir /opt/pz
+login anonymous
+app_update 380870 validate
+quitSteamCMD prints download and validation progress, then exits. A later update uses the same app_update 380870 validate command. Record the resulting branch or build after each update and do not let clients join from a different branch. A version mismatch commonly produces a failed join, a black screen or an immediate disconnect.
Keeping the profile path consistent
The -H option gives the command the steam account’s home directory. If you later configure systemd with Environment=HOME=/opt/pz, use that same HOME value during the first launch and when editing files; otherwise you can accidentally create one profile in /home/steam/Zomboid and run another from /opt/pz/Zomboid. For a single, predictable tree, either keep the account home as the profile root or explicitly set HOME=/opt/pz for every server command and service.
Launch once to generate the server profile
The first launch creates the configuration and save directories. Supply an administrator password on that initial run:
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sudo -u steam -H /opt/pz/start-server.sh -adminpassword 'use-a-strong-secret'If your systemd unit will use HOME=/opt/pz, make the first launch use the same location instead:
sudo -u steam env HOME=/opt/pz /opt/pz/start-server.sh -adminpassword 'use-a-strong-secret'The default profile is normally named servertest. Under the selected account’s Zomboid/Server directory you should see files such as:
servertest.inifor server-level options.servertest_SandboxVars.luafor world and gameplay rules.- Spawn-point and region data created as the world initializes.
- A zombies configuration file and other generated profile data.
Type quit at the server console after the files appear. This lets the server close its world and write data normally. Do not force-kill the process during generation.
Use a different profile name
You can run another profile with the script’s server-name option, for example:
/opt/pz/start-server.sh -servername mycommunity -adminpassword 'use-a-strong-secret'That profile uses matching names such as mycommunity.ini and mycommunity_SandboxVars.lua. Always pass the same -servername when starting the service; otherwise you may edit one profile while the process reads another.
Configure the two required UDP ports
By default, Project Zomboid uses UDP 16261 for Steam queries and UDP 16262 for the direct client connection. Both values can be changed, but the game configuration, host firewall and router or VPS security rules must agree exactly. A TCP rule does not replace a UDP rule.
| Port | Protocol | Role | What must allow it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16261 | UDP | Game/Steam query port | Linux firewall, router or load balancer, and any VPS security group |
| 16262 | UDP | Direct player connection | Linux firewall, router or load balancer, and any VPS security group |
Host firewall
Open both ports on the Linux host. For a UFW-based system:
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sudo ufw allow 16261/udp
sudo ufw allow 16262/udp
sudo ufw statusOn firewalld, add equivalent UDP services or ports and reload the firewall. Restrict source addresses only if you understand the effect: a public server needs to accept traffic from every player’s changing address.
Router NAT or VPS rules
For a home server, create two UDP port-forwarding rules from the public interface to the Linux machine’s static LAN address. Forward 16261 to 16261 and 16262 to 16262 unless you deliberately changed the server ports. For a VPS, add matching inbound rules to the provider’s security group or network ACL. CGNAT can prevent inbound forwarding entirely; in that case, a normal home-router rule will not make the server publicly reachable.
Multiple instances
Each independent world needs its own profile and a distinct port pair. Change the profile’s port settings, then create corresponding firewall and NAT rules. Reusing 16261 or 16262 for two processes causes binding failures or directs players to the wrong instance.
Edit server and gameplay settings
servertest.ini: server-level behavior
Edit the profile’s .ini file with a plain-text editor while the server is stopped. It contains settings such as:
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- Password and whitelist behavior.
- RCON settings for remote administration.
- Other server identity and connection options.
Save the file with the same profile name and preserve the existing key-value syntax. A malformed line can prevent startup or make a setting appear to be ignored.
servertest_SandboxVars.lua: world rules
Gameplay rules belong in servertest_SandboxVars.lua. This is where you adjust the sandbox choices that control the world rather than the network service. The Build 42 reference published by Pindrop in 2026 enumerates 144 settings, so use a reference that matches your server branch; names and availability can change between builds.
Stop the server before editing either file. After a restart, inspect the console for parsing errors and verify a changed rule in a new test world before applying it to a long-running community save.
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Add Workshop content without losing a clean baseline
Start with an unmodded server and confirm that an unmodded client can join. Then add a small, documented batch of mods. In the profile’s .ini file, place the required Steam Workshop IDs in WorkshopItems. Add the corresponding internal mod identifiers in Mods when a mod requires them; a Workshop item ID and an internal mod ID are not interchangeable.
- Stop the server and back up the profile and saves.
- Add one small group of known-compatible Workshop IDs and mod names.
- Start the server and wait for SteamCMD/Workshop downloads and the server console to finish.
- Join with a client that has the same branch and the same mod set.
- If the join fails, remove or update the newest batch, then inspect the console and logs before adding anything else.
Game updates can break older mods. Freeze the game branch for an active community, keep a tested backup before changing builds, and update mods in controlled batches rather than changing the game and every mod simultaneously.
Run the server with systemd
Systemd keeps the process running after logout and can restart it after a crash. It must not be used as a substitute for an orderly administrative shutdown: a restart loop can repeatedly interrupt world writes.
Create /etc/systemd/system/project-zomboid.service:
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[Unit]
Description=Project Zomboid dedicated server
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target
[Service]
User=steam
WorkingDirectory=/opt/pz
Environment=HOME=/opt/pz
ExecStart=/opt/pz/start-server.sh -servername servertest
Restart=on-failure
RestartSec=10
TimeoutStopSec=120
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.targetChange HOME only if you intentionally keep the Zomboid tree elsewhere, and then use that same value for manual launches and file edits. If you use another profile, change -servername servertest to the exact profile name.
Load and start the unit:
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable --now project-zomboid.service
sudo systemctl status project-zomboid.service
journalctl -u project-zomboid.service -fFor planned maintenance, stop the unit and allow the process to exit cleanly before updating files. The first administrator password is supplied during profile generation; do not place that secret in a world-readable unit file.
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Check locally
On the Linux host, confirm that the process is listening on the expected UDP ports:
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sudo ss -lunp | grep -E '16261|16262'No listener on 16261 usually means the server did not finish starting. Read the console and journal for Java heap errors, malformed configuration, an occupied port or a wrong profile path. A listener proves only that the local process bound the ports; it does not prove that router or VPS traffic can reach it.
Join from Project Zomboid
In the game’s multiplayer server browser, add the public IP address and the configured game port. Authenticate according to the server’s password, whitelist and open-server settings. Test from a device outside the host’s LAN when possible; testing the private address from inside the same network can hide NAT problems.
Trace an outside connection
- Confirm the public IP currently assigned to the router or VPS.
- Check that both UDP forwarding rules point to the correct internal address.
- Watch Linux firewall counters and router logs while a friend attempts to join.
- For a VPS, verify the provider’s security-group rules in addition to the operating-system firewall.
- If the process listens locally but outside attempts never arrive, investigate CGNAT, an upstream firewall or an incorrect public address before changing game settings.
Backups, updates and clean shutdowns
Back up the complete Zomboid data tree used by the service, not just the .ini file. Include the profile configuration, world saves, region data and any mod-related metadata. Keep at least one copy outside the server’s disk and label backups with the game build and date.
Before an update:
- Announce maintenance and stop new joins.
- Use the server console’s
quitcommand, or stop the systemd unit and wait for its clean exit. - Create a dated backup.
- Run
app_update 380870 validateas the service account. - Start the server and verify the branch, console output and mod compatibility before reopening it.
Forced termination can interrupt save writes and corrupt a world. If corruption follows a crash, stop the service, preserve the damaged copy for diagnosis, and restore the most recent known-good backup rather than repeatedly restarting the same files.
Troubleshoot by symptom
| Symptom | Likely checks | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| No listener on 16261 | Read the server console and journalctl; check Java heap errors, malformed settings, an occupied port and the selected profile. |
Fix the reported startup error, confirm the correct HOME and -servername, then restart. |
| Friends cannot connect, but you can join locally | Verify both UDP rules, public IP, router forwarding, Linux firewall counters and VPS security-group rules. | Correct NAT or security rules and test from an external network. TCP-only rules will not work. |
| Black screen or join failure after an update | Compare the exact client/server branch and build; review recently changed mods. | Return clients to the server’s branch and disable or update mods in small batches. |
| Edits appear ignored | Check systemd’s HOME, WorkingDirectory, the -servername argument and the actual Zomboid/Server path. |
Edit the profile that the running service reads, stop the server before saving changes, and restart. |
| World data is damaged after a crash | Determine whether the process was forcibly killed during a write. | Stop the service and restore a dated backup; do not overwrite the backup with the damaged world. |
| One of two instances will not start | Check for duplicate DefaultPort/UDPPort values and overlapping NAT rules. |
Assign a unique port pair and matching firewall/NAT entries to each profile. |
Self-hosting versus managed Project Zomboid hosting
Running the server yourself gives you direct control over Linux, files, mods, sandbox rules and update timing. Renting a managed Project Zomboid server trades some low-level control for an administration panel, provider-managed networking and support. Evaluate the choice against the factors that affect your group rather than assuming one option is universally cheaper.
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|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | Hardware, electricity or VPS fees are your responsibility; the amount depends on your setup. | Recurring rental price varies by host and resource allocation; verify current terms directly. |
| Mods and sandbox settings | Full filesystem and configuration control. | Usually available through a panel, but limits and approval rules vary. |
| CPU/RAM headroom | You choose the machine and can resize it yourself. | Depends on the selected plan and upgrade options. |
| Backups and restore | You design, schedule and test backups. | Tools may be included, but retention and restore scope must be checked. |
| Geographic latency | You select the home or data-center location. | Choose among the provider’s available regions. |
| Updates | You control build timing and mod testing. | The host may provide one-click or automatic updates, which can still require compatibility checks. |
| DDoS and network protection | You are responsible for upstream protection and firewalling. | Protection depends on the host’s network and policy. |
| Support | Diagnosis is your responsibility. | Support quality and response times vary; confirm what server-level help is included. |
If you need unrestricted file access, custom systemd behavior or experimental mods, self-hosting is usually the more flexible route. If you prefer not to maintain Linux, router forwarding, backups and security rules, compare managed Project Zomboid hosting options using the same criteria and verify their current specifications before paying.
Quick Recap
Operational checklist
- Dedicated non-root account owns
/opt/pzand the Zomboid data tree. - SteamCMD installed with required 32-bit support.
- Dedicated-server app
380870downloaded and validated. - First launch completed with an administrator password.
- Profile files located in the same
HOMEtree used by systemd. - UDP 16261 and 16262 aligned across
servertest.ini, host firewall, router NAT and VPS rules. - Clients and server on the identical branch/build.
- Mods added gradually with matching Workshop IDs and internal mod names.
- Backups taken before builds, mods or major sandbox changes.
- Planned shutdowns performed with
quitor an orderly systemd stop.
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