ARK: Survival Evolved - Docker

Docker build for managing an ARK: Survival Evolved server.

This image uses Ark Server Tools to manage an ark server and is inspired by Moletrix/Docker_ARK-Server and jacobped/docker-ark-server-tools.

Features

Easy install (no steamcmd / lib32... to install)
Use Ark Server Tools : update/install/start/backup/rcon/mods
Easy crontab configuration
Easy access to ark config file
Mods handling (via Ark Server Tools)
Docker stop is a clean stop
Auto upgrading of arkmanager

Usage

Fast & Easy server setup:

docker run --detach \
  --publish 7778:7778/udp \
  --publish 27015:27015/udp \
  --env SESSIONNAME=myarkserver \
  --env ADMINPASSWORD="myadminpassword" \
  --name containername gkalomiros/ark-dedicated-server

Container Runtime Manipulation

You can map the ark volume to access config files:

docker run --detach \
  --publish 7778:7778/udp --publish 27015:27015/udp \
  --env SESSIONNAME=myarkserver --env ADMINPASSWORD="myadminpassword" \
  --volume /ark/manager/installation:/home/steam/arkmanager \
  --volume /ark/server/installation:/home/steam/arkserver \
  --volume /configuration/files:/home/steam/etc \
  --name containername gkalomiros/ark-dedicated-server

This will persist the ark-server-tools, ark game files, and your customized configurations between container runs. Once started, the container will write its current (default) configuration files to the /home/steam/etc volume for any file that isn't already located there. For expected files that already exist in that volume on startup, they will be used for configuring the service. The following files are used:

crontab : used to automate tasks within the container while it is running.
main.cfg : the instance configuration file used by ark-server-tools.
Game.ini and GameUserSettings.ini : ARK's configuration files.

You can manager your server with rcon if you map the RCON port:

docker run --detach \
  --publish 7778:7778/udp \
  --publish 27015:27015/udp \
  --publish 32330:32330 \
  --env SESSIONNAME=myarkserver \
  --env ADMINPASSWORD="myadminpassword" \
  --name containername gkalomiros/ark-dedicated-server

Any of the network ports can be remapped, for example, if you run multiple instances on the same host:

docker run --detach \
  --publish 7779:7779/udp \
  --publish 27016:27016/udp \
  --publish 32331:32331 \
  --env SESSIONNAME=myarkserver \
  --env ADMINPASSWORD="myadminpassword" \
  --env GAMEPORT=7779 \
  --env SERVERPORT=27016 \
  --env RCONPORT=32331 \
  --name containername gkalomiros/ark-dedicated-server

Running arkmanager Commands

Any commands available in ark-server-tools can be accessed on a running container like so:

docker exec containername /home/steam/arkmanager/usr/local/bin/arkmanager/arkmanager <command>

You can check all available command for arkmanager here

Job Automation

Tasks can be automated by editing /home/steam/etc/crontab. You can check this website for more information on cron.

Chnages to this file will be picked up on container restarts, but can be consumed immediately with the following command: docker exec containername crontab -u steam /home/steam/etc/crontab

Mods

To add mods, simply add them as a comma-separated list to the MODS environment variable:

docker run --detach \
  --publish 7778:7778/udp \
  --publish 27015:27015/udp \
  --env SESSIONNAME=myarkserver \
  --env ADMINPASSWORD="myadminpassword" \
  --env MODS="1,2,3" \
  --name containername gkalomiros/ark-dedicated-server

Recommended Usages

Simple container

I use a bash script something like this:

ARK_UID=`id --user steam`
ARK_GID=`id --group steam`
SESSIONNAME="myarkserver"
SERVERPASSWORD="serverpassword"
ADMINPASSWORD="adminpassword"
SERVERPORT=7778
GAMEPORT=27015
if [ "`docker ps --all --quiet --filter name=${SESSIONNAME}`" == "" ]; then
    echo "Initializing $SESSIONNAME"
    docker run \
        --attach STDIN \
        --attach STDOUT \
        --attach STDERR \
        --interactive \
        --tty \
        --publish "${SERVERPORT}:${SERVERPORT}/udp" \
        --publish "${GAMEPORT}:${GAMEPORT}/udp" \
        --env "SERVERPORT=$SERVERPORT" \
        --env "GAMEPORT=$GAMEPORT" \
        --env "ARK_UID=$ARK_UID" \
        --env "ARK_GID=$ARK_GID" \
        --env "SERVERPASSWORD=$SERVERPASSWORD" \
        --env "ADMINPASSWORD=$ADMINPASSWORD" \
        --volume /home/steam/arkmanager:/home/steam/arkmanager \
        --volume /home/steam/arkserver:/home/steam/arkserver \
        --volume /home/steam/etc:/home/steam/etc \
        --name "$SESSIONNAME" \
        gkalomiros/ark-dedicated-server:latest
else
    echo "Starting $SESSIONNAME"
    docker start --attach $SESSIONNAME
fi

On first run, wait for the service to come up, the Ctrl+C to stop the container. Then, edit the configuration files in /home/steam/etc to your liking. Then, run the command again, log in, test it out, and repeat to tweak as desired. Once, satisfied, enter the script into the system service manager of your choice.