Dedicated server guide

Counter-Strike 2

Manage counterstrike2 with AlphaGSM. Choose a runtime supported by the recorded module capabilities.

Recorded lifecycle pass · Support evidence: 2026-10-16.

Runtime familysteamcmd-linux

Declared runtimes: Docker or a Linux host process.

Network bindings

27015/UDP, 27015/TCP. Named port values remain unknown; review the game guide and configuration for additional requirements.

Mods and plugins

Declared curated families: counterstrikesharp, metamod. The optional counterstrikesharp example installs its dependencies and applies the mod plan before launch. For Workshop content, use the setup builder with an actual game-compatible item ID; review supported content types in the guide.

Backup hook

Backup hook support is unknown in this snapshot; review the game guide for backup and restore procedures.

Choose a supported runtime

Linux and Docker quickstart

Review the game guide for installation, account, licensing and runtime prerequisites before setup.

Docker

Complete interactive setup and review game-specific configuration before starting the server. Review the game guide for installation, account, licensing and runtime prerequisites before setup. Optional curated example: counterstrikesharp. Omit all optional mod steps for a base server.

Start the Docker manager ./alphagsm-docker start
Create the game instance ./alphagsm-docker my-counterstrike2 create counterstrike2
Complete interactive setup ./alphagsm-docker my-counterstrike2 setup
Optional: add metamod # Optional curated mod: counterstrikesharp; add metamod ./alphagsm-docker my-counterstrike2 mod add manifest metamod
Optional: add counterstrikesharp # Optional curated mod: counterstrikesharp; add counterstrikesharp ./alphagsm-docker my-counterstrike2 mod add manifest counterstrikesharp
Optional: apply the mod plan # Optional: apply the mod plan ./alphagsm-docker my-counterstrike2 mod apply
Start the game server ./alphagsm-docker my-counterstrike2 start
Check the instance status ./alphagsm-docker my-counterstrike2 status

./alphagsm-docker start
./alphagsm-docker my-counterstrike2 create counterstrike2
./alphagsm-docker my-counterstrike2 setup
# Optional curated mod: counterstrikesharp; add metamod
./alphagsm-docker my-counterstrike2 mod add manifest metamod
# Optional curated mod: counterstrikesharp; add counterstrikesharp
./alphagsm-docker my-counterstrike2 mod add manifest counterstrikesharp
# Optional: apply the mod plan
./alphagsm-docker my-counterstrike2 mod apply
./alphagsm-docker my-counterstrike2 start
./alphagsm-docker my-counterstrike2 status

Host process

Create the game instance ./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 create counterstrike2
Complete interactive setup ./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 setup
Optional: add metamod # Optional curated mod: counterstrikesharp; add metamod ./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 mod add manifest metamod
Optional: add counterstrikesharp # Optional curated mod: counterstrikesharp; add counterstrikesharp ./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 mod add manifest counterstrikesharp
Optional: apply the mod plan # Optional: apply the mod plan ./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 mod apply
Check the host prerequisites ./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 doctor
Start the game server ./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 start
Check the instance status ./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 status

./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 create counterstrike2
./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 setup
# Optional curated mod: counterstrikesharp; add metamod
./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 mod add manifest metamod
# Optional curated mod: counterstrikesharp; add counterstrikesharp
./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 mod add manifest counterstrikesharp
# Optional: apply the mod plan
./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 mod apply
./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 doctor
./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 start
./alphagsm my-counterstrike2 status

This guide covers the counterstrike2 module in AlphaGSM.

counterstrike2 is currently PASSED in the checked-in support tracker on the documented Ubuntu 24.04 Linux baseline. Use this module (or its cs2server alias) for the current CS2 dedicated-server flow; the legacy counterstrikeglobaloffensive / csgo surface remains a separate disabled app 740 path.

alphagsm myserver create counterstrike2

cs2server is an alias for this module.

Requirements

screen
SteamCMD runtime libraries (lib32gcc-s1, lib32stdc++6)
Python packages from requirements.txt

Quick Start

Create the server:

alphagsm mycs2 create counterstrike2

Run setup:

alphagsm mycs2 setup

Start it:

alphagsm mycs2 start

Check it:

alphagsm mycs2 status

Stop it:

alphagsm mycs2 stop

Setup Details

Setup configures:

the game port (default 27015)
the install directory
SteamCMD downloads the server files for Steam app 730
the launcher defaults to game/cs2.sh
Source config is written under game/csgo/cfg/server.cfg

CI's anonymous app 730 install downloaded 73.4 GB and took about 22 minutes 20 seconds in the successful smoke run on 2026-10-15. Integration setup now allows one bounded hour for that download. A timeout fails the test and retains captured output, bounded Steam content-log tails, download counters and free disk space; it no longer starts a short retry against a possibly active SteamCMD child or reports a timeout as a skip. Both runtime installs completed in run 38812335342, revealing separate readiness and bot-population failures. This lifecycle has its own outer test deadline covering setup, readiness waits, shutdown and command overhead, so the ordinary 20-minute integration default cannot abort the download first.

Disposable smoke and integration installs now write game/csgo/cfg/gamemode_competitive_server.cfg with bot_quota 0, bot_kick and sv_hibernate_when_empty 0. CS2 executes game-mode defaults after server.cfg; the native override keeps the test empty and awake after those defaults. See Valve's game-mode configuration order. These rules apply to the temporary test installation. Operator configuration is unchanged. Integration readiness requires real A2S and AlphaGSM info responses, including de_dust2, the managed port, and zero players/bots, rather than depending on Source 1 startup log strings. Replacement CI validation is pending.

Notes

Module name: counterstrike2
Default port: 27015
Current status: enabled in AlphaGSM integration and smoke surfaces.
counterstrikeglobaloffensive, csgo, and csgoserver remain the legacy CS:GO surface backed by app 740.

Developer Notes

Run File

Executable: game/cs2.sh
Location: <install_dir>/game/cs2.sh
Engine: Custom (SteamCMD)
SteamCMD App ID: 730

Server Configuration

Config files: game/csgo/cfg/server.cfg
Template: Source game config scaffold created during install

Maps and Mods

Map directory: Check game documentation
Mod directory: Check game documentation
Workshop support: AlphaGSM can now track provider-id based CS2 server-side mod installs.

Mod Sources

CS2 supports pinned framework manifests plus external provider-id mod sources.

alphagsm mycs2 mod add manifest metamod
alphagsm mycs2 mod add manifest counterstrikesharp
alphagsm mycs2 mod apply

counterstrikesharp installs MetaMod first. The pins are MetaMod 2.0.0-git1483 and CounterStrikeSharp 1.0.377 with its runtime.

gamebanana means you provide a numeric GameBanana item id and AlphaGSM resolves the current downloadable archive from GameBanana.
moddb means you provide a canonical Mod DB download or addon page URL and AlphaGSM resolves Mod DB's start-download link when the file is a supported zip or tar archive.
workshop means you provide a Steam Workshop item ID or filedetails URL and AlphaGSM tries to download it through SteamCMD.
workshop-collection expands a collection ID or filedetails URL into individual items. The collection and every nested item must belong to CS2 (AppID 730). Imports preserve existing entries and skip duplicates. Both Workshop sources use anonymous login; access remains controlled by Steam. Only supported addon/config trees can be staged; arbitrary Workshop map packages are not installed by this adapter.
AlphaGSM records the files installed for each CS2 mod entry so mod cleanup removes only tracked files and leaves unrelated files alone.

Examples:

alphagsm mycs2 mod add gamebanana 12345
alphagsm mycs2 mod add moddb https://www.moddb.com/mods/cage-eight/downloads/cage-eight
alphagsm mycs2 mod add workshop 1234567890
alphagsm mycs2 mod add workshop-collection COLLECTION_ID
alphagsm mycs2 mod apply
alphagsm mycs2 mod cleanup

Configuration templates

Reference files from this source revision. Review paths, passwords and game-specific settings before use.

server.cfg

Share your server

Sector Alpha server directory

When your server is ready, you can publish its connection details and community information on Sector Alpha. Review your listing and keep the information current.

Find a community

Browse the directory for game servers and their published connection details.

Browse server directory

Publish your server

Prepare a name, address and description for your listing.

Publish a server

Manual server sharing instructions

Frequently asked questions

What support evidence is recorded for Counter-Strike 2?

Recorded lifecycle pass. Review the game guide for installation, account, licensing and runtime prerequisites before setup.

Which runtimes can run Counter-Strike 2?

Declared runtimes: Docker or a Linux host process.

Which ports does Counter-Strike 2 use?

27015/UDP, 27015/TCP. Named port values remain unknown; review the game guide and configuration for additional requirements.

Can I add mods to Counter-Strike 2?

How should I back up Counter-Strike 2?

Backup hook support is unknown in this snapshot; review the game guide for backup and restore procedures.

Source and support evidence

This guide mirrors AlphaGSM’s upstream documentation at 32cef5ba9e03053c8e461fffa0ba133b160b528d. Commands and prerequisites can change. Check current support notes before installation.

All game guides