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Self-host Palworld Dedicated Server Docker

2.8.1

Docker image for running a Palworld dedicated game server

ReleaseOpen SourceMIT
GitHubWebsite
Install
Updated13 hours ago
LanguageShell
Setup difficultyEasy
Stars
3 220
CPU
4 cores
RAM
16GB
Storage
8GB
Ports
8211 (Palworld game server traffic (UDP, set via PORT)), 27015 (UDP query port needed to appear in the community server browser), 8212 (REST API (TCP)), 25575 (RCON admin console)
Docker
thijsvanloef/palworld-server-docker
Install with Docker

What is Palworld Dedicated Server Docker?

A container image that runs the Palworld dedicated server on your own hardware, aimed at players who want a private multiplayer world with friends. It downloads and installs the game server files automatically through SteamCMD, exposes nearly every world setting as an environment variable, and bundles conveniences such as RCON access, a built-in REST API, cron-driven automatic updates and backups, Discord webhook notices and Steam Workshop mod support. Deployment is documented for plain Docker, Docker Compose, Kubernetes manifests and an official Helm chart, and the image works on Linux, Windows, macOS (including Apple Silicon) and Raspberry Pi, on both x64 and ARM64. A separate tag runs the Windows server binary under Wine. The docs list at least 4 CPU cores and 16 GB RAM as minimum server hardware. The project is MIT-licensed and maintained by Thijs van Loef.

Should you self-host Palworld Dedicated Server Docker?

Palworld Dedicated Server Docker scores 63/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #15 of 62 in Game Servers. It has 3 220 GitHub stars.

It shipped 10 stable releases in the past year. The latest, 2.8.1, came out on 23 October 2026. New versions land roughly every 6 days.

Setup is easy: most people get it running in one sitting. An official Docker image is available. It is MIT-licensed and written mostly in Shell.

Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is minecraft (78/100, 14 491 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See Palworld Dedicated Server Docker vs minecraft side by side.

Features

  • Automatic Backups
  • Automatic server downloads
  • Automatic Updates
  • Community server listing
  • Cron Scheduling
  • Crossplay configuration
  • Discord Notifications
  • Mod support
  • Remote administration (RCON)
  • REST API

Palworld Dedicated Server Docker README

How to install Palworld Dedicated Server Docker

Install Palworld Dedicated Server Docker with Docker

docker run -d \
    --name palworld-server \
    -p 8211:8211/udp \
    -p 27015:27015/udp \
    -v ./palworld:/palworld/ \
    -e PUID=1000 \
    -e PGID=1000 \
    -e PORT=8211 \
    -e PLAYERS=16 \
    -e REST_API_ENABLED=true \
    -e REST_API_PORT=8212 \
    -e TZ=UTC \
    -e ADMIN_PASSWORD="adminPasswordHere" \
    -e SERVER_PASSWORD="worldofpals" \
    -e COMMUNITY=false \
    -e SERVER_NAME="palworld-server-docker by Thijs van Loef" \
    -e SERVER_DESCRIPTION="palworld-server-docker by Thijs van Loef" \
    -e CROSSPLAY_PLATFORMS="(Steam,Xbox,PS5,Mac)" \
    --restart unless-stopped \
    --stop-timeout 30 \
    thijsvanloef/palworld-server-docker:latest

How to configure Palworld Dedicated Server Docker

  • ADMIN_PASSWORDSecures administration access in the server

    Secures administration access in the server

  • AUTO_UPDATE_CRON_EXPRESSIONSetting affects frequency of automatic updates

    Setting affects frequency of automatic updates

    values: Cron expression

  • AUTO_UPDATE_ENABLEDfalseEnables automatic updates of the game server

    Enables automatic updates of the game server

    values: true/false

  • AUTO_UPDATE_WARN_MINUTESHow long to wait to update the server after players were informed

    How long to wait to update the server after players were informed

  • BACKUP_CRON_EXPRESSIONSetting affects frequency of automatic backups

    Setting affects frequency of automatic backups

    values: Cron expression

  • BACKUP_ENABLEDEnables automatic backups

    Enables automatic backups

    values: true/false

  • COMMUNITYfalseWhether or not the server shows up in the community server browser

    Whether or not the server shows up in the community server browser

    values: true/false

  • CROSSPLAY_PLATFORMSPlatforms allowed to connect for crossplay

    Platforms allowed to connect for crossplay

  • DELETE_OLD_BACKUPSDelete backups after a certain number of days

    Delete backups after a certain number of days

  • DISCORD_WEBHOOK_URLDiscord webhook url found after creating a webhook on a discord server

    Discord webhook url found after creating a webhook on a discord server

  • LOG_LEVELLog verbosity; DEBUG logs all command arguments, including secrets

    Log verbosity; DEBUG logs all command arguments, including secrets

    values: DEBUG/INFO/WARN/ERROR

  • MOD_ENABLEDEnables Mod support

    Enables Mod support

    values: true/false

  • MOD_IDSComma-separated Steam Workshop mod IDs to download and deploy

    Comma-separated Steam Workshop mod IDs to download and deploy

  • MOD_UPDATE_ON_BOOTUpdate/Install the mods when the container starts

    Update/Install the mods when the container starts

    values: true/false

  • MULTITHREADINGfalseImproves performance in multi-threaded CPU environments; effective up to about 4 threads

    Improves performance in multi-threaded CPU environments; effective up to about 4 threads

    values: true/false

  • PGID1000The gid of the group the server should run as

    The gid of the group the server should run as

  • PLAYERS16Max amount of players that are able to join the server

    Max amount of players that are able to join the server

    values: 1-32

  • PORT8211UDP port that the server will expose

    UDP port that the server will expose

    values: 1024-65535

  • PUBLIC_IPManually specify the global IP address of the network the server runs on; otherwise auto-detected

    Manually specify the global IP address of the network the server runs on; otherwise auto-detected

    values: x.x.x.x

  • PUBLIC_PORTManually specify the public port when it differs from the container port and community listing is enabled

    Manually specify the public port when it differs from the container port and community listing is enabled

    values: 1024-65535

  • PUID1000The uid of the user the server should run as

    The uid of the user the server should run as

  • QUERY_PORT27015Query port used to communicate with Steam servers

    Query port used to communicate with Steam servers

    values: 1024-65535

  • RCON_ENABLEDtrueEnable RCON for the Palworld server

    Enable RCON for the Palworld server

    values: true/false

  • RCON_PORT25575RCON port to connect to

    RCON port to connect to

    values: 1024-65535

  • REST_API_ENABLEDEnable the REST API port

    Enable the REST API port

    values: true/false

  • REST_API_PORTREST API port to connect to

    REST API port to connect to

  • SERVER_DESCRIPTIONDescription of the server

    Description of the server

  • SERVER_NAMEA name for your server

    A name for your server

  • SERVER_PASSWORDSecure your community server with a password

    Secure your community server with a password

  • TZUTCTimezone used for time stamping backup server

    Timezone used for time stamping backup server

  • USE_BACKUP_SAVE_DATAEnables native automatic backups

    Enables native automatic backups

    values: true/false

  • USE_DEPOT_DOWNLOADERfalseUses DepotDownloader to download game server files instead of steamcmd, helping hosts incompatible with steamcmd (e.g. M-series Mac)

    Uses DepotDownloader to download game server files instead of steamcmd, helping hosts incompatible with steamcmd (e.g. M-series Mac)

    values: true/false

Palworld Dedicated Server Docker releases & version history

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