Hosting a Godot ENet dedicated server

Short answer

Yes, by design. A Godot 4 game that already uses ENetMultiplayerPeer can run on NetCraftGames as a Linux x86_64 headless server: you export it with Godot's dedicated server mode, pack it, declare its UDP port, and we deploy it, check it and hand out the address. ENet is UDP, so browsers cannot use it; browser clients need the WebSocket lane.

What Godot gives you

Godot's export documentation says to select the server export preset, open its Resources tab and choose "Export as dedicated server" mode, which adds the dedicated_server feature tag automatically. Since Godot 4.0 any binary also runs headless with the --headless argument. You can detect server mode in code with OS.has_feature("dedicated_server").

What you provide

• A Linux x86_64 export in dedicated server mode, packed as .tar.gz.
• A server that creates its peer on a fixed UDP port, for example peer.create_server(8910, 32), then assigns it to multiplayer.multiplayer_peer.
• A health and join reply on the declared UDP port, and a loopback player-count endpoint if you want idle shutdown.
• The same Godot version for client and server.

Steps

1. Export a dedicated serverIn Project > Export add a Linux preset, open its Resources tab, choose Export as dedicated server, and export a Linux x86_64 binary with the export templates matching your editor version.
2. Create the server on a fixed UDP portIn the server path create an ENetMultiplayerPeer, call create_server(port, max_clients), assign it to multiplayer.multiplayer_peer and skip all window, audio and input setup.
3. Run headless and test locallyStart ./server.x86_64 --headless on a Linux machine and join with a real client from another computer before packing.
4. Add health and join repliesAnswer a small UDP request on the declared port with a known string, so a join can be proven and not only a port.
5. Report players and save under /gameExpose a bounded loopback player-count endpoint and write saves under /game/saves so shutdown can checkpoint first.
6. Pack and declareArchive the export folder as .tar.gz with no links or secrets, and declare the engine as Godot ENet with its UDP port and start command.

Honest gaps

• Not certified. The exact export template version, UDP reachability from real networks and an actual join still need live evidence.
• UDP only. Players behind networks that block UDP cannot connect to an ENet server.
• Mobile. Android and iOS clients are declared intent; suspension and rejoin are not tested.
• No anti-cheat and no host migration.

Frequently asked questions

Written by Charging Bull Software. Facts on this page are checked against the product source and dated sources listed above; where something is not proven, the page says so.