SHSelfHostIndex

Infrared 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?
IN Infrared Minecraft proxy with domain-based routing and idle hibernation VS CA Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead Open-source turn-based survival roguelike
FeatureInfraredCataclysm: Dark Days Ahead
CategoryGame ServersGame Servers
LicenseMITCC-BY-SA-3.0
LanguageGoC++
Setup difficultyMediumMedium
Min. RAM64 MB512 MB
Deploymentdocker, binary, sourcebare-metal, binary, source
GitHub stars★ 855★ 12,896
First released20202013
ReplacesManual server managementNetHack

Why pick each one

Choose Infrared if…

  • Saves resources on idle servers
  • Flexible routing
Infrared details

Choose Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead if…

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Infrared 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 Infrared and Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead free and open-source?

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

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

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

Related comparisons