How to Run a V Rising Dedicated Server in Docker

The most repeatable way to host a V Rising dedicated server in Docker is to run a Linux container that bundles Wine and SteamCMD, persist both the server installation and its data, and publish the game and Steam query ports over UDP. The example below uses the rhavinx/vrising:latest image, but the same deployment pattern applies to other images when you use their documented environment-variable names.

Godlike.Host offers hosted V Rising servers with its own game panel, SFTP access and free DDoS protection, if you would rather not host it yourself.

V Rising is a Windows dedicated-server application. Stunlock Studios says that the dedicated server application is required for hosting; Docker does not remove that requirement, it packages the Windows binary, Wine compatibility layer, SteamCMD download process, configuration, and save files into a repeatable service.

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What this Docker setup does

A containerized V Rising server has four functional pieces:

• SteamCMD downloads or updates the dedicated-server files, normally with anonymous Steam login.
• Wine runs the Windows server binary inside the Linux container.
• Persistent volumes retain downloaded binaries, the Wine prefix, settings, and world saves when the container is recreated.
• UDP port publishing lets players reach the game and Steam server-query services through Docker and, when applicable, your router.

Use a persistent data directory and a stable save name from the first launch. Recreating a container is safe when those mounts remain in place; deleting them deletes the world and configuration they contain.

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Hardware and host requirements

The published figures below are reference requirements from the V Rising Wiki (2025), not a performance guarantee for every world size, mod, player count, or future server build.

Run Docker Engine and the Compose plugin on a Linux host, or on another operating system with a Linux-capable Docker environment. You also need permission to create directories and publish network ports, and router access if players will connect from outside your local network.

Choose an image without mixing configuration schemas

The image determines the environment-variable names, startup scripts, file paths, and configuration precedence. Do not copy variables from one image into another.

The rest of this guide uses the rhavinx variable schema. If you select Diyagi or another image, replace every variable and mount path with the names in that image’s current documentation.

Create the persistent directories

Make a project directory on the Docker host. The bind mounts below keep the server installation separate from the persistent game data.

mkdir -p ~/vrising/server ~/vrising/data
cd ~/vrising

The server directory receives downloaded server binaries. The data directory contains the Wine prefix, saves, and settings. Back up data before changing image versions or migrating configuration.

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Deploy with Docker Compose

Create compose.yaml in the project directory:

services:
  vrising:
    image: 'rhavinx/vrising:latest'
    container_name: vrising
    stop_grace_period: 30s
    environment:
      SERVER_NAME: 'My V Rising Server'
      SERVER_PASSWORD: 'change-me'
      GAME_PORT: '9876'
      QUERY_PORT: '9877'
      SAVE_NAME: 'world1'
      LIST_ON_STEAM: 'true'
    volumes:
      - './server:/home/steam/vrising/server'
      - './data:/home/steam/vrising/data'
    ports:
      - '9876:9876/udp'
      - '9877:9877/udp'
    restart: unless-stopped

Adjust the values before first launch

• Replace SERVER_NAME with the name players should see.
• Set a password if you want a private server. Do not leave an example password in production.
• Keep SAVE_NAME stable. Changing it after the first run points the server at a new world.
• Keep the published host and container ports identical unless you deliberately configure matching custom values in the server and router.
• Use a version-pinned image tag when your operating practice requires controlled upgrades; the example’s latest tag follows the image’s latest release.

Environment values in a Compose file are stored in plaintext. Restrict access to the project directory and consider a secrets-management approach if the host is shared.

Start the server and verify the first boot

1. From the directory containing compose.yaml, run docker compose up -d.
2. Watch startup and SteamCMD activity with docker compose logs -f.
3. Wait for the server process to finish its initial download and configuration work. Do not assume that a container in the running state means the world is already listed publicly.
4. Press Ctrl+C to leave the log view; the container continues running in the background.
5. Check the service state with docker compose ps. A healthy deployment should show the vrising container as running.

The image’s startup process may update the server files before launching the game server. A newly launched server can take a few minutes to appear in the in-game list, according to Stunlock Studios’ hosting guide (updated November 27, 2024).

Open and forward the correct ports

V Rising normally uses two UDP services:

• 9876/UDP: game traffic.
• 9877/UDP: Steam server queries used for discovery.

The Compose example publishes both ports on the Docker host. For Internet play, forward UDP 9876 and UDP 9877 from your router’s public interface to the host’s private IP address. Also allow those UDP ports through the host firewall. Forward the same external and internal port numbers unless you have intentionally configured custom values.

The V Rising Wiki also documents TCP 9876 for RCON when remote console is enabled. Do not expose that TCP port merely because the game port is open: publish and firewall it only when RCON is configured, and restrict access to trusted administration addresses.

Local-network test

First test from a second computer on the same LAN. Use the Docker host’s private IP and the game port. This separates container and host-firewall problems from router, NAT, or Internet-service-provider problems.

Internet test

After the LAN test works, test from a connection outside your home network. Confirm that the router forwards to the host’s current private IP, that the host firewall permits the traffic, and that the router is not placing the host behind a second NAT layer.

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Make the server appear in the browser

Discovery depends on both configuration and propagation time. Where the selected image supports them, enable ListOnSteam and ListOnEOS in the generated host settings or through the image’s documented variables, then restart the container after editing configuration.

If the server is not listed:

1. Confirm the server process is still running in docker compose logs -f.
2. Confirm UDP 9876 and 9877 are published by Docker and allowed by the host firewall.
3. Confirm the router forwards both UDP ports to the correct host.
4. Allow several minutes after a fresh launch for the listing to propagate.
5. Use a direct-IP connection as a diagnostic fallback. If direct connection works while the browser does not, the game server is reachable and the remaining problem is discovery or query traffic.

Do not interpret a missing browser entry immediately after startup as proof that the container failed; Stunlock explicitly notes that newly launched servers may need a few minutes to appear.

Understand saves, settings, and configuration precedence

Where rhavinx stores data

With the mounts shown above, saves are stored below ~/vrising/data/Saves/v4/<save name>. For SAVE_NAME: 'world1', the world is therefore under data/Saves/v4/world1 relative to the Compose project.

ServerGameSettings.json is edited directly for gameplay rules. ServerHostSettings.json is patched from the rhavinx environment variables when the container starts. Keep both files inside the persistent data mount so an image update does not replace them.

Why changing SAVE_NAME creates a new world

The save name selects the directory used for the world. Changing it after the first run does not rename the existing save; it causes the server to initialize or open a different save directory. Restore the original value when you need the existing world, or copy and rename the save deliberately while the server is stopped and with a backup available.

Diyagi’s compile switches

Diyagi documents a different precedence model. Its host environment variables overwrite ServerHostSettings.json; set COMPILE_HOST_SETTINGS=false before relying on manual host-file edits. Its game-setting variables likewise overwrite ServerGameSettings.json; set COMPILE_GAME_SETTINGS=false to disable that behavior. These switches are image-specific and should not be added to the rhavinx example unless that image documents them.

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Edit settings safely

1. Stop the service with docker compose stop before changing JSON files or copying saves.
2. Back up the entire data directory.
3. Edit the appropriate ServerGameSettings.json or ServerHostSettings.json file using valid JSON.
4. Check the selected image’s startup behavior. An environment variable may overwrite your manual host or game setting on the next start.
5. Start the service with docker compose up -d and inspect logs for parsing or startup errors.

Use a JSON-aware editor when possible. A missing comma or unmatched brace can prevent settings from loading, while a valid but unsupported key may simply be ignored by the server build.

Updates and clean reinstalls

Normal container update

rhavinx checks for server updates during startup. To pull a newer image and run its startup update process:

docker compose pull
docker compose up -d

Keep the data mount unchanged. The server directory contains downloaded binaries, while the data directory contains saves and settings that should survive image replacement.

Skip validation for a faster restart

rhavinx provides the SKIP_UPDATE option for starts that do not need the image’s update or validation check. Use it only as documented by that image; skipping validation can leave the container on the currently installed server build.

Clean reinstall of server files

If the downloaded installation is corrupted, rhavinx documents REMOVE_SERVER_FILES=1 for one launch. That removes the server files so the image can download them again while preserving saves and settings in the data volume. Apply the flag for the recovery launch, then remove it from the Compose configuration so every later restart does not trigger another deletion.

Manual SteamCMD reference

The V Rising Wiki lists this Windows SteamCMD command for updating the dedicated-server application:

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steamcmd.exe +login anonymous +app_update 1829350 validate +quit

In the container workflow, the image normally runs the equivalent update process for you. The command is useful when diagnosing a standalone SteamCMD installation or comparing what the container’s startup routine should accomplish.

Backups, shutdown, and automatic recovery

Back up the data directory while the server is stopped:

docker compose stop
tar -czf vrising-data-backup.tar.gz data
docker compose start

Store backups outside the project directory or on another host. A backup that lives only beside the live save does not protect against disk failure or accidental deletion.

The Compose example uses stop_grace_period: 30s so the process has time to shut down cleanly, and restart: unless-stopped so Docker restarts the service after a crash or host reboot while respecting an intentional manual stop. Diyagi’s example uses a 15-second grace period and also marks restart: unless-stopped as required for automatic restarts. Choose the grace period documented by your image and leave enough time for the server to flush world data.

Enable and secure RCON

Diyagi documents optional RCON configuration through environment variables or ServerHostSettings.json. Its example invokes the bundled command-line client from inside the container:

docker exec -it container-name rcon-cli announce 'Server message'
docker exec -it container-name rcon-cli shutdown
docker exec -it container-name rcon-cli cancelshutdown

Replace container-name with the actual container name and use the RCON syntax documented by the selected image. Set a strong RCON password, keep the TCP port private or restricted by firewall rules, and avoid publishing it to the entire Internet. The documented command capability is not a security audit; treat RCON as an administrative interface that needs the same care as SSH or a control panel.

Troubleshoot by symptom

The container exits during startup

• Read the complete output with docker compose logs.
• Check that the host has enough disk space for the server files and Wine prefix.
• Verify that the image name and every environment variable belong to the same image documentation.
• Confirm the bind-mounted directories are writable by the container’s service user.

The server starts but is not listed

• Wait several minutes after first launch.
• Verify both UDP ports, especially 9877, through Docker, the host firewall, and the router.
• Enable the image-supported Steam and EOS listing settings, then restart.
• Try direct-IP connection to distinguish discovery failure from server reachability.

Players connect but the wrong world loads

• Check SAVE_NAME for accidental changes.
• Inspect data/Saves/v4/ and confirm the expected save directory exists.
• Stop the container before copying or restoring a save.

Manual settings revert after restart

• Identify whether the image compiles host or game settings from environment variables.
• For Diyagi, set COMPILE_HOST_SETTINGS=false and/or COMPILE_GAME_SETTINGS=false before relying on file edits.
• For rhavinx, change the environment value that patches ServerHostSettings.json, or remove the conflicting variable according to its documentation.

RCON is unreachable

• Confirm RCON is enabled in host settings and that the password matches.
• Check that TCP access is allowed only from the administration network.
• Run the client inside the container first; this avoids exposing a port while diagnosing the command and credentials.

Docker versus managed hosting

Self-managed Docker is appropriate when you want control over the image, server files, update timing, backups, firewall rules, and logs. You are responsible for all of those operations, including router configuration and recovery when an update or setting change fails.

Stunlock Studios’ official hosting guide links PocketHost as a managed alternative. Its interface provides status, basic settings, logs, configuration files, restart and update controls, and permission management. A managed service trades some infrastructure control for a web interface and provider-managed operations; verify current pricing, regions, limits, and terms directly before choosing one.

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Operational checklist

• Persistent mounts exist for both /home/steam/vrising/server and /home/steam/vrising/data.
• SAVE_NAME is recorded and backed up.
• UDP 9876 and 9877 are published and forwarded when Internet players are expected.
• RCON TCP access is private and enabled only when needed.
• Environment variables match the selected image’s schema.
• Backups are made before image updates, clean reinstalls, or configuration migrations.
• Logs are checked after every update or settings change.

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