Factorio Linux Headless Server: Complete Systemd Setup Guide
For high-uptime Factorio dedicated servers, running on a Linux distribution like Ubuntu 24.04 or Debian 13 is the gold standard. Unlike running in a visible terminal, a headless linux server allows for automated updates, crash recovery, and efficient resource allocation. This guide walks you through the 2026 methodology for an enterprise-grade setup.
🐧 Headless Binary
The "Headless" version of Factorio contains no graphics libraries, making it lightweight and perfect for SSH-based dedicated hosting.
⚙️ Systemd Core
Using Systemd ensures your server starts automatically on boot and restarts instantly if the process crashes.
1. Preparing the Linux Environment
First, create a dedicated user for the server to improve security. Never run Factorio as root.
sudo useradd -m factorio
sudo -u factorio mkdir ~/server
cd /home/factorio/serverDownload the latest headless tarball from the Factorio website and extract it. Ensure you have glibc and libstdc++6 installed, which are standard on modern Linux distributions.
2. Creating the Systemd Service
Create a service file at /etc/systemd/system/factorio.service to manage the process:
[Unit]
Description=Factorio Headless Server
After=network.target
[Service]
Type=simple
User=factorio
WorkingDirectory=/home/factorio/server
ExecStart=/home/factorio/server/bin/x64/factorio --start-server-load-latest --server-settings /home/factorio/server/data/server-settings.json
Restart=always
[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target3. Managing Updates and Savings
With a dedicated server on Linux, you can use cron jobs or simple bash scripts to automate backups. Factorio saves its world data as .zip files in the /saves directory. For 2026 clusters, we recommend mounting this directory on an NVMe SSD to reduce save-lag in massive late-game factories.
Long-Tail Tip: If you are running multiple instances, use systemd-instance (Factorio@1.service) to manage separate ports and config files without duplicating service descriptors.
Professional Factorio Linux Hosting
Don't waste time with command lines. At Supercraft, our Factorio dedicated servers run on hardened Linux kernels with pre-configured systemd services and automated mod-syncing, ensuring your factory grows 24/7 without interruption.