If you’ve read any of our other self-hosting guides, you’ve probably noticed we default to Docker for setting up game servers. But it’s not the only option — running a server directly on your machine (“bare metal”) is still common, and for some setups it’s the simpler choice. Here’s how the two actually compare.

What Is Bare Metal Hosting?

Bare metal means installing and running the game server software directly on your operating system, with no containerization layer in between. You download the server files, install any dependencies (like Java for Minecraft), and run the server executable directly.

What Is Docker?

Docker packages a game server and everything it needs (dependencies, runtime, configuration) into an isolated “container” that runs consistently regardless of your underlying operating system. Instead of installing Java, configuring paths, and managing dependencies manually, you pull a pre-built image and run it with a single command.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Factor	Bare Metal	Docker
Setup complexity	Manual dependency installation	One command, pre-configured image
Isolation	None — shares your OS environment	Fully isolated per container
Running multiple servers	Can get messy (port/dependency conflicts)	Clean — each container is separate
Updates	Manual, game-by-game	Usually as simple as pulling a new image
Resource overhead	Slightly lower	Small added overhead (usually negligible)
Portability	Tied to your specific OS setup	Same container runs anywhere Docker does
Troubleshooting	Can get tangled with other installed software	Contained — issues stay isolated to that container

Where Bare Metal Wins

• Slightly lower resource overhead — since there’s no containerization layer, you’re not paying even the small performance cost Docker adds (though in practice this difference is usually negligible for typical game servers)
• Simpler mental model for a single server — if you’re only ever going to run one game server and never touch it again, direct installation avoids learning Docker at all
• No dependency on Docker being installed and maintained — one less piece of software to keep updated

Bare metal makes sense if you’re hosting exactly one server, don’t plan to expand, and want the absolute simplest setup with the fewest moving parts.

Where Docker Wins

• Running multiple game servers on one machine. Docker keeps each server’s dependencies and configuration completely separate — no conflicts between, say, a Minecraft server needing one Java version and a different game needing another.
• Cleaner updates and rollbacks. Pulling a new image version is simple, and you can roll back to a previous image if an update breaks something.
• Portability. If you ever move to new hardware or reinstall your OS, your Docker setup can be recreated identically elsewhere without hunting down the exact install steps again.
• Easier troubleshooting. Since each server is isolated, a crash or misconfiguration in one container won’t affect your other services or your host OS.
• Community-maintained images handle the tedious config for you. Popular images (like itzg/minecraft-server) come pre-configured with sensible defaults, environment variable options, and active maintenance — you’re not reinventing server setup from scratch.

Docker makes the most sense if you plan to run more than one game server, want to experiment without risking your main OS environment, or expect to eventually expand your home server setup.

Our Recommendation

For most home self-hosters — especially if you’re planning to run more than one game (Minecraft today, Valheim or ARK later) — Docker is worth the small learning curve. The isolation and portability pay off quickly once you’re managing more than one server, and the initial setup complexity is genuinely minor: most guides (including ours) get you running in a single command.

If you’re certain you’ll only ever run one server and never touch it again, bare metal is a perfectly valid, slightly simpler choice — but most people underestimate how quickly “just one server” turns into “let me also try hosting X.”

Getting Started

Ready to try the Docker approach yourself? Our step-by-step guide to setting up a Minecraft server at home walks through the exact commands, using Docker from the very first step.