GameDash has two kinds of host with different requirements: the machine running the panel, and the machines running game servers.
A node is any machine you want to host game servers on.
| Operating system | Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, Red Hat family) or Windows |
| Architecture | x86_64 or aarch64 / arm64 |
| Runtime | Java 21 — installed for you by the daemon package |
| Privilege | root on Linux, Administrator on Windows |
| Docker | Required for containerised instances |
The daemon refuses to start without root on Linux. This is not a preference — it manages cgroups, packages, containers and other users' processes, and cannot do any of that unmodified as a normal user.
You do not need to install Java yourself. The Linux package pulls in the runtime it needs; see Installing the daemon.
The daemon and wrapper bind several ports on each node. The panel must be able to reach them.
| Port | Service |
|---|---|
| 2145 | Daemon REST API (HTTP) |
| 2146 | Wrapper control API (HTTPS) |
| 2147 | Daemon REST API (HTTPS) |
| 2149 | Daemon SSH — only when enabled, off by default |
| 2153 | Daemon TCP relay |
Game servers need their own ports on top of these, which vary by game. Ports & firewall has the full picture, including why the panel has to reach a node rather than only the other way round.
The panel is the central installation — database, web interface and API. It is deployed with Docker, so the host requirements are Docker's rather than ours. Because running Docker on Windows carries meaningful overhead, a Linux host is strongly recommended.
You will also want DNS records pointing at the panel host before you start: the web interface, the API and the relay are normally served on separate names.
Each node registers with the GameDash licence server when its daemon first starts, and a node beyond your licensed count will not be allowed to run. Size your licence to the number of nodes you intend to operate, not the number of instances. See How licensing works.
Next: Installing the panel.