Rust Docker

Local Docker-based development environment for running a Rust Dedicated Server with support for modern Rust modding frameworks.

Currently supported:

• Carbon (default)
• Oxide/uMod

This repository is intended for local plugin development, testing, and fast iteration without installing the Rust server directly on the host system.

Features

• Rust Dedicated Server installed via SteamCMD
• Carbon or Oxide/uMod installed during image build
• Docker Compose based setup
• Local src/ folder mounted into the active plugins directory
• RCON enabled for local development
• Runs the server as a non-root user inside the container
• Minimal setup focused on plugin development

Repository Structure

.
├── compose.yaml
├── init.sh
├── .env
├── container/
│   ├── Dockerfile
│   ├── install-carbon.sh
│   └── install-oxide.sh
└── src/

Path	Purpose
compose.yaml	Defines the Rust server container, exposed ports, and plugin bind mount
container/Dockerfile	Builds the Rust Dedicated Server image and installs the selected framework
container/install-carbon.sh	Downloads and installs the latest Carbon release
container/install-oxide.sh	Downloads and installs the latest Oxide.Rust release
init.sh	Prepares the local src/ plugin directory permissions
src/	Local plugin source folder mounted into the active plugin directory

Requirements

• Docker
• Docker Compose
• Linux, macOS, or WSL2 on Windows

On Windows, WSL2 is recommended because Rust server file permissions and bind mounts behave more predictably there.

Setup

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/uxturbo/rust-docker.git
cd rust-docker

Prepare the local plugin directory:

./init.sh

Configure the framework in .env:

MOD_FRAMEWORK=carbon
PLUGIN_PATH=/srv/rust/carbon/plugins

Available framework options:

Carbon (default)

MOD_FRAMEWORK=carbon
PLUGIN_PATH=/srv/rust/carbon/plugins

Oxide/uMod

MOD_FRAMEWORK=oxide
PLUGIN_PATH=/srv/rust/oxide/plugins

Build and start the server:

docker compose up --build

The first build downloads the Rust Dedicated Server through SteamCMD and installs the selected framework.

Ports

Port	Protocol	Purpose
28015	UDP	Rust game server
28016	TCP	RCON

Plugin Development

Place your plugin files inside the local src/ directory:

src/
└── MyPlugin.cs

The folder is mounted directly into the active framework plugin directory.

Examples:

/srv/rust/carbon/plugins

or

/srv/rust/oxide/plugins

depending on the selected framework.

Server Defaults

The container starts the Rust server with development-friendly defaults:

Setting	Value
Hostname	C470DEV
Max players	10
World size	1000
Game mode	vanilla
Seed	123456
Server identity	devserver
RCON web	enabled

These values are defined in container/Dockerfile inside the final CMD.

RCON

RCON is enabled on port 28016.

Default development password:

super_secure_dev_password

Do not expose this setup publicly without changing the RCON password and reviewing the server configuration.

Data Persistence

Currently, only the local src/ folder is mounted into the container.

That means plugin files are kept on the host, but server-generated data inside the container is not designed as long-term persistent project state. If you recreate the container, server data may be lost.

For persistent development data, add a bind mount or Docker volume for /srv/rust.

Example:

volumes:
  - type: bind
    source: ./src
    target: ${PLUGIN_PATH:-/srv/rust/carbon/plugins}
  - type: bind
    source: ./data
    target: /srv/rust

Common Commands

Start the server:

docker compose up

Rebuild the image:

docker compose up --build

Stop the server:

docker compose down

Open a shell inside the container:

docker exec -it rust-server bash

Follow logs:

docker logs -f rust-server

Security Notes

This setup is intentionally optimized for local development.

Before using it outside a trusted local environment:

• Change the RCON password
• Review exposed ports
• Add persistent data handling
• Avoid publishing private plugins in src/
• Review all bind mounts and file permissions

License

MIT