ServerSizer

Games Rust

Rust server requirements

Build 25681086, 2026-10-06. Native Linux server. Steam SteamDB

Requirements

Our benchmarkFacepunch wikiStarmineFluxSells these plansPine HostingMisquotes developer
CPU223% of one core, idleNo figure; faster CPU for more playersModern core at 3.5 GHz+
RAM5.9 GB idle, 9.0 GB peak (our limit)12 GB free, more for 6k maps6-8 GB at 20 players up to 18-32 GB at 2008 GB ~50, 12 GB ~100, 24 GB ~200 slots8 GB min, 10 GB+ better
Disk5.8 GB install15 GB free, SSD/NVMe preferredA few GB
NetworkUDP 28015 and 28017, TCP 28083UDP 28015 game and query, TCP RCON and Rust+UDP 28015 game, TCP 28016 RCONUDP 28015, TCP 28016, UDP 28017
OSLinux, nativeWindows, Linux or OSXMostly Linux, Windows supported

RAM by players

Starmine
6 to 12 GB
Flux (RunOnFlux)
8 GB
  • Recommended
  • Community
  • Starmine: "Real case | Consistent map | Minimum RAM | Target RAM / 20 players among friends | 3000 | 6 GB | 8 GB / 50 community players | 3500 | 8 GB | 10 to 12 GB / 100 players, regular wipe | 4000 | 12 GB | 16 GB / 200 public players | 4500 to 5000 | 18 GB | 24 to 32 GB"
  • Flux (RunOnFlux): "Plan RAM | Recommended players | Typical use / 8 GB | ~50 slots | Small community / small map, Vanilla or light Oxide / 12 GB | ~100 slots | Medium community, standard 4000–4500 map, modded / 24 GB | ~200 slots | Large community, big map, heavily modded Oxide/uMod"

Memory over time

0 GB1 GB2 GB3 GB4 GB5 GB6 GB7 GB8 GB9 GB10 GB11 GB12 GB9.0 GB0 min30 min0 GB1 GB2 GB3 GB4 GB5 GB6 GB7 GB8 GB9 GB10 GB11 GB12 GB9.0 GB0 min
  • In use
  • Peak, with cache
Raw data (CSV)

Community results

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Hosting
RAM headroom
Privacy

Pending

  • 24 hours idle
  • One player for 30 minutes
  • No memory limit
  • Map sizes 3000 and 4500

Ports

PortProtocolUseOur server
28015UDPGame traffic (server.port).Open
28017UDPSteam query: higher of server.port and rcon.port, plus one.Open
28016TCPRCON (rcon.port), web RCON with rcon.web 1.Open
28083TCPRust+ companion app.Open

Forward UDP 28015 and 28017, and TCP 28083 for Rust+. Keep RCON private.

Docker setup

3 steps

  1. Download

    Free anonymous download, Steam app 258550, about 5.8 GB.

    docker volume create rust_files
docker run --rm -v rust_files:/data steamcmd/steamcmd:latest \
  +@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType linux +force_install_dir /data \
  +login anonymous +app_info_update 1 +app_update 258550 validate +quit
docker run --rm -v rust_files:/data alpine chown -R 1000:1000 /data

  2. Run

    game_runtime image as on the Palworld page. Bench command; 12 GB limit as Facepunch recommends. Add -p 28015:28015/udp -p 28017:28017/udp -p 28083:28083 to publish the ports.

    printf 'FROM ubuntu:24.04\nRUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends ca-certificates libcurl4t64 && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*\nUSER ubuntu\n' | docker build -t game_runtime -
docker run -d --name rust --init --memory 12g \
  -v rust_files:/rust -w /rust -e LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/rust/RustDedicated_Data/Plugins/x86_64 \
  game_runtime ./RustDedicated -batchmode +server.port 28015 +server.level "Procedural Map" \
  +server.seed 1234 +server.worldsize 4000 +server.maxplayers 10 +server.hostname "My server" \
  +server.identity server1 +rcon.port 28016 +rcon.password change-me +rcon.web 1 -logfile rustserverlog.txt

  3. Ready line

    5.4 minutes after container start, including map generation.

    docker exec rust sh -c 'tail -F /rust/rustserverlog.txt' | grep -m1 'Server startup complete'

Settings

11 settings

Launch options (+name value). Optional server.cfg in server/<identity>/cfg, created by hand.

SettingWhat it does
+server.port 28015Game port, UDP.
+server.level "Procedural Map"Map type.
+server.seed 1234Map seed.
+server.worldsize 4000Map size, 1000 to 6000. Larger needs more RAM.
+server.maxplayers 10Player slots.
+server.hostnameName in the server list.
+server.identity server1Save folder under server/.
+rcon.port 28016RCON port, TCP.
+rcon.passwordRCON password.
+rcon.web 1WebSocket RCON.
-logfile rustserverlog.txtLog file.

Troubleshooting

4 problems
First start takes minutes
The server generates the map first: 5.4 minutes at size 4000 here. Wait for 'Server startup complete'.
Memory during map generation
Generation reached our 9 GB limit and used up to 5 cores. Facepunch recommends 12 GB free, more for a 6000 map.
Running RustDedicated without runds.sh
runds.sh adds RustDedicated_Data/Plugins and Plugins/x86_64 to LD_LIBRARY_PATH. Do the same.
Outbound connection to files.facepunch.com
The server uploads the generated map to Facepunch's map cache.

Method

build 25681086
ServerRust dedicated server, Steam build 25681086, downloaded 2026-10-06.
Imagegame_runtime (Ubuntu 24.04 with ca-certificates and libcurl), uid 1000; server files and save on a Docker volume.
MachineAMD Ryzen 9 5950X, Proxmox VE 9, each game server in Docker inside a dedicated LXC container. 9 GB memory limit, no swap.
Command./RustDedicated -batchmode +server.port 28015 +server.level "Procedural Map" +server.seed 1234 +server.worldsize 4000 +server.maxplayers 10 +server.hostname serversizer-lab +server.identity server1 +rcon.port 28016 +rcon.password (random) +rcon.web 1 -logfile rustserverlog.txt

Changes from defaults

  • Facepunch wiki example command without description, URL and header image.
  • LD_LIBRARY_PATH as in the shipped runds.sh.
  • 9 GB memory limit, below Facepunch's 12 GB. Map generation reached it; the kernel reclaimed file cache and the server kept running.
  • Idle CPU retested after a warm start at 9 GB and 10.5 GB limits: 1.9 cores both times, no page refaults, so not caused by the limit.

Full method

Sources