Installation

This page explains how to install and deploy the Managed Valheim server container on TrueNAS SCALE or any OCI-compatible environment. It covers image selection, environment variables, volume setup, and initial startup.

1. Choose an Image Version

The container is published to your private registry. Select a versioned tag for stable deployments:

gitea.theminisip.ca/mini-server-manager/managed-valheim:1.0.1.1

You may also use latest, but pinned versions are recommended for production servers to ensure predictable behavior.

2. Create Required Volumes

The server requires two persistent volumes:

/config — runtime configuration and metadata
/backups — world backup storage

On TrueNAS SCALE, these map to datasets you select during app installation.

3. Configure Environment Variables

The container is fully configurable through environment variables. At minimum, set the following:

Variable	Default	Description
`SERVER_NAME`	Valheim Server	Name shown in the server browser
`WORLD_NAME`	Dedicated	World save name
`SERVER_PASSWORD`	changeme	Password required to join
`PUBLIC`	1	Public listing toggle

Backup automation is also configurable:

Variable	Default	Description
`BACKUP_INTERVAL`	21600	Backup interval (seconds). Default is 6 hours.
`BACKUP_RETENTION_DAYS`	7	Days to retain backups before pruning.

Internal directories used by the container:

/opt/valheim_base — clean SteamCMD install
/opt/valheim — modded runtime directory
/opt/steamcmd — SteamCMD installation

4. Expose Required Ports

Valheim requires three UDP ports:

2456/udp
2457/udp
2458/udp

TrueNAS SCALE will automatically expose these based on your app configuration.

5. Deploy the App on TrueNAS SCALE

To install the server on TrueNAS SCALE:

Open Apps → Installed → Add.
Select your custom catalog entry for Managed Valheim.
Choose the desired image tag (e.g., 1.0.1.1).
Configure environment variables.
Assign volumes for /config and /backups.
Save and deploy.

On first startup, the container will:

Install or update Valheim via SteamCMD
Copy updated binaries into the modded directory
Download and install BepInEx
Generate the managed wrapper script
Start the Valheim server
Begin automated backups

6. Verify Installation

You can verify the server is running by checking:

TrueNAS SCALE app logs
Container logs (stdout)
BepInEx logs under /opt/valheim/BepInEx/

The server will appear in the Valheim server browser if PUBLIC=1 is set.

7. Optional: Mod Installation

Mods can be added by placing files into:

/opt/valheim/BepInEx/plugins

These files persist across updates because the modded directory is preserved during the SteamCMD update cycle.

Next Steps

Home — Overview