SHSelfHostIndex

SteamCMD Server vs Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted game servers options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
ST SteamCMD Server Generic SteamCMD-based dedicated game server containers VS CA Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead Open-source turn-based survival roguelike
FeatureSteamCMD ServerCataclysm: Dark Days Ahead
CategoryGame ServersGame Servers
LicenseGPL-3.0CC-BY-SA-3.0
LanguageShellC++
Setup difficultyMediumMedium
Min. RAM2,048 MB512 MB
Deploymentdockerbare-metal, binary, source
GitHub stars★ 181★ 12,896
First released20202013
Replacescommercial game server hostingNetHack

Why pick each one

Choose SteamCMD Server if…

  • Released under the GPL-3.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Written in Shell
SteamCMD Server details

Choose Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead if…

  • Enormous depth
  • Active development
Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead details

Frequently asked questions

Is SteamCMD Server or Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead better?

Neither is universally better. Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are SteamCMD Server and Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead free and open-source?

Yes. SteamCMD Server is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead under CC-BY-SA-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run SteamCMD Server and Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead with Docker?

SteamCMD Server: yes. Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead: check the project docs for container support.

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