How to create a The Front server? The complete guide

The Front is an open-world survival crafting shooter where you build bases, tame tech-dinos and drive vehicles, all on a persistent world that must run non-stop. Creating your own server therefore means running a heavy simulation 24/7. We'll show you the manual path (SteamCMD), then the delegated path, with no marketing detours.

Step 1: get the dedicated server via SteamCMD

The Front dedicated server isn't in your usual Steam library: it's downloaded from the command line with SteamCMD. You create a clean folder, launch the tool, then pull the server application with force_install_dir followed by app_update and the dedicated server's App ID. Expect several GB to download.

Step 2: first launch and file generation

On the very first start of the server executable, the file tree is created, including the GameServerSettings.ini that drives the game. Don't fill it in blind: launch once, shut down, then edit. The detail of the useful lines is in our GameServerSettings.ini configuration guide.

Step 3, network: open the right ports

This is the classic wall of self-hosting. The Front needs its ports (UDP, around 27015 for the Steam query and 7777 for the game) forwarded from your router to the machine. Add a fixed public IP to share. Operators using CGNAT (no real public IP) make the exercise nearly impossible without a gateway.

The hidden cost of DIY

• The Front is hungry for RAM and single-thread CPU: the PC must stay powered on and dedicated.
• Playing and hosting on the same machine? Guaranteed frame drops on busy evenings.
• Your personal IP is exposed: on a PvP survival, that's an invitation to attacks.
• Steam patches, backups, automatic restarts: it all rests on you.

The delegated path, in seconds

A host swallows this whole chain: no more SteamCMD to drive, no more NAT to tame, no more IP to expose. At Fly-Serv, delivery is instant: pick your plan and the server is online within seconds with a ready-to-share address, and the FlyPanel dashboard handles startup, files and settings.

The real trade-off isn't "free vs paid", but "your time and your electricity vs €7.99/month". Do the math over a full month, PC running day and night.

Conclusion

For a weekend test on a beefy machine, DIY does the job. For a lasting community, launch your The Front server with Fly-Serv from €7.99/month on a Ryzen 9 7950X3D, Anti-DDoS included. Before you decide, size up your needs with How much does a The Front server cost? or browse our hosting plans.