Commands stay obvious, which keeps first-run setup and day-two operations aligned.
Operator-first CLI
Your game servers. One readable command line.
AlphaGSM is an open source command-line tool for running dedicated game servers. Create servers, run setup, start and stop them, inspect runtime posture, push updates, apply mods, and ship backups without burying the operator in ad hoc scripts. Twenty-one games can install anonymous Steam Workshop content. The same commands are published for AI agents.
- One command surface for create, setup, start, status, update, backup, and restore.
- Works directly on the host or with Docker-backed runtimes when you want cleaner isolation.
- Built for operators who need repeatable steps, fast status checks, and less guesswork.
Command preview · illustrative output
operator@sector-alpha:~$
Run the way your environment demands instead of forcing a single deployment shape.
Visibility and recovery stay close to the same command surface you use every day.
Game catalogue
Find a module. Know its prerequisites.
Browse 240 tracked module entries: 141 passed, 49 enabled with authentication, 45 enabled with user-provided prerequisites, 4 disabled, and 1 awaiting validation. Variants and aliases are included; enabled does not mean every lifecycle was freshly verified.
Support snapshot: 16 October 2026. Ubuntu 24.04 is the full lifecycle validation baseline; check each module's detailed runtime notes. Anonymous Workshop lists 21 games whose public dedicated-server content later passed process and Docker load. AI agent skills cover provisioning, backups, health checks, and upgrades.
Browse game guides & supportFeature set
Everything you need to move from empty machine to managed server.
Alpha Game Server Manager is shaped around real operational work: provisioning, launch, inspection, maintenance, backup, and content management.
Fast create and setup
Start from direct commands like ./alphagsm mymc create minecraft.vanilla and
./alphagsm mymc setup instead of hand-building server directories from scratch.
Clear lifecycle control
Use consistent verbs for start, stop, restart, and
status so the path from launch to diagnosis stays predictable.
Runtime diagnosis built in
Check backend posture with doctor before launch when you want to confirm runtime,
image, or container expectations ahead of time.
Backups and recovery
For modules with backup hooks, protect server state with backup and restore commands beside the normal operating workflow instead of hiding in external scripts.
Mod and plugin operations
Apply curated and provider-based content workflows with commands such as
mod add, mod apply, and mod cleanup for supported servers.
Practical day-two commands
Send messages, inspect logs, update Steam servers, and keep maintenance tasks close to the same terminal habits your operators already trust.
Command flow
The path from first install to steady operations is easy to teach.
Alpha Game Server Manager works best when the basics are muscle memory. The workflow below is simple enough for first-time operators and structured enough for long-lived fleets.
Create
Pick a server id and module, then let Alpha Game Server Manager scaffold the server footprint.
./alphagsm mymc create minecraft.vanilla
Setup
Run guided setup to fill in ports, paths, versions, and environment-specific details.
./alphagsm mymc setup
Launch
Bring the server online with a direct command instead of a pile of shell aliases.
./alphagsm mymc start
Verify
Check status immediately and confirm the runtime posture before players ever connect.
./alphagsm mymc status
Runtime flexibility
Start with Docker. Choose the runtime your module supports.
Alpha Game Server Manager is not locked to one execution model. It can run directly on the host, drive Docker-backed servers from the host, or use the Docker manager route when that is the fastest path to a working environment.
Host-first operations
Keep the tool close to the machine when you want direct filesystem access, native runtime control, and the shortest path from terminal to server process.
Docker-backed deployments
Move supported servers into container-backed workflows when you want dependency isolation, cleaner rollouts, and less host-side package drift.
Doctor before launch
Validate backend expectations early so operators know what runtime, image, and container posture Alpha Game Server Manager is about to use before the server starts.
Why it works
A shared workflow for the work you do every day.
Alpha Game Server Manager keeps familiar operations together: fewer moving parts to remember, fewer one-off scripts, and fewer "which machine state am I in" moments when something needs fixing fast.
Readable commands
Verbs stay literal. The command line communicates intent clearly enough to read over someone’s shoulder.
Recovery is built in
Modules with backup hooks keep backup and restore beside start and stop, so recovery can be part of normal operation.
Content workflows stay close
Supported mod and plugin flows can live inside the same operator rhythm instead of splitting across extra tooling.
Works for multiple server types
Minecraft, TF2, CS2, and other dedicated server modules fit the same operational language.
Open source project
Learn the workflow. Help improve the next one.
Operator guides, published support evidence, and contributor documentation live alongside the program source. Start with the task you want to complete.
Get a server running
Follow a Docker-first installation and an interactive first-server walkthrough.
Get startedKeep it running
Find health checks, settings, maintenance, backups, and troubleshooting.
Operations guideJoin the project
Ask for help, report a reproducible problem, improve docs, or add a server module.
Community & contributingFollow development
Check releases, changelog, platform coverage, license, and current directions.
About AlphaGSMInstall Workshop content
Copy the create, setup, add, and apply commands for each game that passed anonymous Workshop in both runtimes.
Workshop commandsRun it with an agent
Point Cursor, Claude, or Codex at 35 skills for provisioning, backups, health checks, incidents, and upgrades.
Agent skillsAlpha Game Server Manager
Your next server starts with a clear guide.
Alpha Game Server Manager gives game server operators a command line that feels disciplined: fast to learn, practical to use, and flexible enough for both clean first runs and messy real-world maintenance.
Start with the docs