Swarm Hosts / Guides

Project Zomboid

Staging — awaiting client validation

Project Zomboid is available for server evaluation. Player connection and server-browser discovery have not been validated. Use a test save and a matching game client before relying on it for a shared world.

The dedicated server keeps saves, settings, and its Workshop cache in persistent storage. Its game and query traffic use an adjacent UDP port pair. See Staging games for evaluation limits.

Requirements

Start with 4 CPU cores and 8 GiB memory. Leave additional disk space for saves, backups, and Workshop downloads. These are starting allocations for a small test server; player count and mods can increase resource use.

Launch and settings

  1. Choose Project Zomboid from Staging and select a suitable host.
  2. Set the Internal server name before first boot. It selects the configuration and save namespace; changing it later selects different server state.
  3. Set the public name, optional join password, player limit, public listing preference, and autosave interval.
  4. Leave the private admin and management credentials blank to generate unique values, or provide your own values of at least 16 characters. Keep them separate from the player join password.
  5. Launch, then inspect the startup logs and UDP query readiness result.

The staging image includes Build 42.21. Check the reported runtime version before choosing a client build and match both versions. The private RCON service is not a player connection port. Public network and relay reachability remain unvalidated.

Connect

For later client evaluation, add the displayed player host and primary UDP port in Project Zomboid's multiplayer server list. Both the primary port and the immediately following UDP port are needed. Use the displayed relay endpoint when available. Match the client and server game version, and check direct join before evaluating public server-browser discovery.

Persistent data and backups

Saves and configuration are under /serverdata/Zomboid; the server INI is in /serverdata/Zomboid/Server/<internal-server-name>.ini. The persistent Workshop cache is /serverdata/steamapps/workshop. Backups cover /serverdata/Zomboid, not the Workshop cache. Back up before changing game build, server name, maps, or mod ordering; test restoration before relying on it.

Server Actions

Game-specific Server Actions are unavailable during staging. Platform lifecycle, logs, settings, files, and backup controls remain subject to your permissions. A successful launch does not certify backup restoration or game administration.

Mods & Content

Workshop content is resolved by the game at startup to the provider's current files. The managed content page does not install or alter the server's WorkshopItems, Mods, or ordered Map settings. These fields must be managed together in the INI after a backup. The persistent cache does not provide exact version selection or exact rollback. Evaluate vanilla first, then add compatible content gradually.