SHSelfHostIndex

Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead vs Valheim Server Docker

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?
CA Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead Open-source turn-based survival roguelike VS VA Valheim Server Docker Dockerized dedicated server for the game Valheim
FeatureCataclysm: Dark Days AheadValheim Server Docker
CategoryGame ServersGame Servers
LicenseCC-BY-SA-3.0Apache-2.0
LanguageC++Shell
Setup difficultyMediumMedium
Min. RAM512 MB2,048 MB
Deploymentbare-metal, binary, sourcedocker
GitHub stars★ 12,896★ 2,239
First released20132021
ReplacesNetHackofficial Valheim hosting

Why pick each one

Choose Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead if…

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

Choose Valheim Server Docker if…

  • Released under the Apache-2.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Active community (2.2k GitHub stars)
  • Written in Shell
Valheim Server Docker details

Frequently asked questions

Is Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead or Valheim Server Docker 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 Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead and Valheim Server Docker free and open-source?

Yes. Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead is licensed under CC-BY-SA-3.0 and Valheim Server Docker under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

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

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

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