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Installing SteamCMD

SteamCMD is the command-line version of the Steam client, essential for installing and updating dedicated game servers. This guide covers installation for both Linux and Windows environments.

Linux Installation​

On Linux, SteamCMD requires certain 32-bit libraries to function correctly. Most users will be running this on a Debian-based or RHEL-based system.

Debian / Ubuntu​

  1. Update your package lists: Ensure your system is up to date before introducing new dependencies.

    sudo apt-get update

  2. Install required dependencies: SteamCMD requires 32-bit architecture support and specific libraries.

    sudo apt-get install lib32gcc-s1 lib32stdc++6

  3. Create a dedicated user: For security, never run SteamCMD as the root user. It's better to keep things isolated so a failure doesn't compromise the whole system.

    sudo useradd -m steam
    sudo passwd steam
    su - steam

  4. Download and Run: You can download SteamCMD directly into your new user's directory.

    mkdir ~/steamcmd && cd ~/steamcmd
    curl -sqL "https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd.linux.tar.gz" | tar zxvf -

  5. Initial Execution: Run the executable to let it finish its initial setup. It might take a moment to download necessary files; it stays calm until it's fully primed, then it's ready to go.

    ./steamcmd.sh

AlmaLinux / RHEL / CentOS / Rocky / Fedora​

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On older versions of these OS's, you may need to use yum instead of dnf.

  1. Enable EPEL Repository: You'll likely need the EPEL repository enabled to find the necessary dependencies.

    sudo dnf install epel-release

    Or for older versions

    sudo yum install epel-release

  2. Install required dependencies: SteamCMD requires 32-bit libraries. On RHEL-based systems, we use dnf.

    sudo dnf install glibc.i686 libstdc++.i686

    Or for older versions

     sudo yum install glibc.i686 libstdc++.i686

  3. Create a dedicated user: For security, never run SteamCMD as the root user. It's better to keep things isolated so a failure doesn't compromise the whole system.

    sudo useradd -m steam
    sudo passwd steam
    su - steam

  4. Download and Run: You can download SteamCMD directly into your new user's directory.

    mkdir ~/steamcmd && cd ~/steamcmd
    curl -sqL "https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd.linux.tar.gz" | tar zxvf -

  5. Initial Execution: Run the executable to let it finish its initial setup. It might take a moment to download necessary files; it stays calm until it's fully primed, then it's ready to go.

    ./steamcmd.sh

macOS​

  1. Install Xcode Command Line Tools: Before you can run SteamCMD, you'll need the standard development tools.

    xcode-select --install

  2. Download and Run: You can download SteamCMD and extract it similarly to the Linux method.

    mkdir ~/steamcmd && cd ~/steamcmd
    curl -sqL "https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd.linux.tar.gz" | tar zxvf -

    (Note: While there is a Linux version, many users run the Linux binary via Rosetta 2 on Apple Silicon Macs. If you encounter issues, ensure Rosetta 2 is installed.)

  3. Initial Execution:

    ./steamcmd.sh

Windows Installation​

The Windows installation is more straightforward as it doesn't require managing 32-bit library dependencies manually.

  1. Create a Directory: Create a folder where you want SteamCMD to live (e.g., C:\steamcmd). It is best to keep this separate from your game server files to avoid any messy overlaps.

  2. Download SteamCMD: Download the Windows zip file directly from Valve: https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/client/installer/steamcmd.zip

  3. Extract the Files: Extract the contents of the .zip file into the folder you created in step 1.

  4. Run the Executable: Open Command Prompt or PowerShell, navigate to your folder, and run:

    steamcmd.exe

    The first time you run it, it will download the necessary update files. Once the prompt Steam> appears, the system is stable and ready for commands.

Basic Usage​

Once you are at the Steam> prompt, you can begin installing games. A typical workflow looks like this:

  1. Login: login anonymous (most dedicated servers allow anonymous login).
  2. Set Install Directory: force_install_dir ./my_server_folder
  3. Download Game: app_update <AppID> validate
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