palworld-docker-wine

Run a fully moddable Palworld dedicated server on any Linux Docker host.

This image runs the Windows build of the Palworld dedicated server under Wine — unlocking the official mod system (UE4SS, PalSchema, Lua, and Steam Workshop mods) that is otherwise Windows-only, while keeping the convenience of Linux Docker hosting. A full web management UI is included.

⚠️ Deploy and test at your own risk. This is a community project, not an official product. Mods can corrupt saves; Wine adds a compatibility layer to a game server that doesn't officially support it. Take backups, test on a throwaway world first, and expect rough edges.

What you get

• 🧩 Full mod support — the official Palworld mod system runs and executes: UE4SS, PalSchema, Lua and pak mods, installed with one click or one env var
• 🖥️ Bundled web manager (port 8220) — dashboard, settings editor, announcements, deploy pipeline, backups, world migration, and a built-in Steam Workshop mod browser
• ⚙️ Same env-variable configuration as the popular thijsvanloef/palworld-server-docker image — existing tooling and muscle memory carry over
• 🚀 Near-native performance — Wine translates API calls, it doesn't emulate; the server runs at full speed and boots in ~30 seconds after first install
• 💾 Save compatibility — worlds move freely between this and native Linux servers (players keep their characters)

Screenshots

Dashboard	Workshop mod browser

Quick start

git clone https://github.com/1tsmejp/palworld-docker-wine.git && cd palworld-docker-wine
# edit docker-compose.yml: set SERVER_PASSWORD, ADMIN_PASSWORD and MANAGER_PASSWORD
docker compose up -d --build
docker logs -f palworld-wine     # first boot downloads ~6 GB via steamcmd

• Game: 8211/udp · REST API: 8212/tcp (never forward this) · Manager UI: http://localhost:8220 (any username + MANAGER_PASSWORD)
• Game server only, no manager: docker compose up -d palworld-wine
• Manager first, launch later: docker compose up -d manager, then configure everything in the UI and press Launch
• Running on a non-default external port (e.g. a second server mapped 8311:8211/udp): also set PUBLIC_PORT to the external port — it's what the server advertises to Steam, and the default (8211) will point players at the wrong server. Forward the port as UDP.

Installing mods

1. Manager UI: Mods tab → sign in to Steam (QR scan with the mobile app; the account must own Palworld) → Install → restart from the Deploy tab.
2. Declarative: WORKSHOP_MODS: "3625557007,3761921027" in the compose env — missing mods install at boot; the UI keeps this list in sync.
3. Manual: drop a mod with its Info.json into Mods/Workshop/<name>/ and add ActiveModList=<PackageName> to Mods/PalModSettings.ini.

Important: UE4SS-, Lua- and PalSchema-type mods need their loader runtimes installed on the server (clients get them automatically, servers don't): UE4SS Experimental (Palworld) = Workshop ID 3625223587, PalSchema = 3625280368. The manager warns when a mod's declared dependencies are missing. Verify execution in Pal/Binaries/Win64/Mods/NativeMods/UE4SS/UE4SS.log.

Configuration

All world settings use the same environment variables as thijsvanloef's image (EXP_RATE, DEATH_PENALTY, PLAYERS, …), generated into PalWorldSettings.ini at boot. Set DISABLE_GENERATE_SETTINGS=true to manage the INI by hand. Extras: UPDATE_ON_BOOT (steamcmd update each start), AUTO_UPDATE_ENABLED (poll Steam every AUTO_UPDATE_CHECK_INTERVAL_MINUTES, default 60, for a new build; warn players in-game for AUTO_UPDATE_WARN_MINUTES, default 30, save, and restart the container to apply it — needs UPDATE_ON_BOOT=true, the REST API, and a restart: policy), WORKSHOP_MODS (see above). USE_BACKUP_SAVE_DATA must stay False under Wine — back up the /palworld volume externally (the manager does this too).

Technical notes — the Wine specifics baked into this image

Confirmed working combination (aligned with ripps818/docker-palworld-dedicated-server-wine):

1. Launch the console build PalServer-Win64-Shipping-Cmd.exe — the PalServer.exe launcher stub hangs under Wine, and the windowed shipping exe breaks saves and logins.
2. winetricks vcrun2022 (real MSVC runtime) — without it the save pipeline fails (Failed to save. Failed copy from backup.) and players are kicked at character creation.
3. WineHQ stable + persistent Xvfb + -useperfthreads -NoAsyncLoadingThread -UseMultithreadForDS; winbind for Steam NTLM auth.
4. steamcmd is native Linux — only the game runs under Wine (@sSteamCmdForcePlatformType windows, app 2394010).
5. Official mod deploy targets: pak → Content/Paks/~WorkshopMods/<pkg>/, PalSchema → Mods/NativeMods/UE4SS/Mods/PalSchema/mods/, Lua/UE4SS → Mods/NativeMods/UE4SS/Mods/.

Credits

• thijsvanloef/palworld-server-docker — env convention and settings template
• ripps818/docker-palworld-dedicated-server-wine — proven Wine recipe this image aligns with
• Wine, winetricks, steamcmd, UE4SS, PalSchema

MIT licensed. Not affiliated with Pocketpair.