BTC Server Manager

BTC Server Manager is a web-based control panel and orchestration platform built to host, manage, and monitor Arma 3, DayZ, and Arma Reforger dedicated server instances. It provides server administrators and gaming communities with a centralized interface to automate updates, manage mods, edit configurations, and monitor server health.

This manager was developed to manage the game servers of the =BTC= Black Templars Clan (www.blacktemplars.it). The software is provided "as is", without warranty of any kind.

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📸 Screenshots Gallery

Here's a quick look at the main features of the BTC Server Manager interface:

🎛️ Unified Dashboard	📝 Live Log Streaming
Start, stop, and monitor all your server instances (Arma 3, DayZ, Reforger) from a single intuitive view.	Real-time streaming of server console logs for instant debugging and monitoring.

🧩 Workshop Search Engine	⚙️ Mod Presets Management
Search, browse, and download mods directly from the Steam Workshop for both Arma 3 and Arma Reforger.	Easily create, import, and manage custom HTML mod presets tailored for different server profiles.

🛠️ Custom CBA Settings Generator	🗺️ Scenario Orchestration
Preview CBA configurations visually and automatically generate a custom CBA userconfig PBO for each specific instance.	Upload .pbo files, configure mission parameters, and orchestrate Headless Clients seamlessly.

View more screenshots...

Server Configurations	Arma 3 Mod Presets	Reforger Workshop
Quick access to advanced server settings, ports, and configuration editors.	Detailed view of the mod preset management interface.	Dedicated high-performance scraper for the official Arma Reforger Workshop.

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Key Features

Unified Multi-Instance Dashboard

• Dynamic Process Management: Start, stop, restart, and monitor multiple server instances of different games from a single, unified interface.
• Drag-and-Drop Reordering: Easily organize and prioritize server instances within the dashboard using intuitive drag-and-drop functionality.
• Live Telemetry & Logs: Stream real-time server console logs directly to your browser and monitor player counts, memory usage, and server performance.
• Console Metrics Scraper: Parses Arma Reforger console outputs directly to extract live server FPS and memory usage metrics.

Advanced SteamCMD & Mod Management

• Integrated Mod Search Engines:
  • Arma 3 & DayZ: Direct integration with the Steam Web API for browsing, searching, and queuing Workshop mods directly from the dashboard.
  • Arma Reforger: High-performance scraper for the official Arma Reforger Workshop (reforger.armaplatform.com) that parses SPA datasets (__NEXT_DATA__) to pull description, author, version, and thumbnail metadata.
• Auto-Resolution of Reforger Mod IDs: Administrators can paste either a full Reforger workshop URL or a raw 16-character hexadecimal mod ID (e.g., 596D56D54637D064). The backend automatically resolves the slug, handles dependencies, and synchronizes assets.
• Automated Reforger Scenario Sync: Crawls Reforger mod workshop pages to identify, extract, and catalog custom playable scenarios (including game modes and player counts), making them instantly selectable in the launcher configuration.
• Linux Filesystem Normalization: Automatically converts all downloaded mod filenames to lowercase during installation to prevent case-sensitivity mismatches under Linux hosts.
• Deduplicated Mod Symlinking: Downloads mods to a shared global repository and uses symlinks to map them to individual server folders, saving substantial storage space across multiple server instances.
• Automated Signature Key Sync: Scans mod folders, extracts Arma 3 .bikey signature verification keys, and copies them to the server's secure keys/ directory automatically upon installation.
• CBA Settings Generation: Automatically generates and packages a PBO mod (@cba_server_N) for CBA settings to seamlessly integrate custom server configurations.

Visual Configuration Editors

• Dynamic File Editors: View and edit critical server settings (such as server.cfg, serverDZ.cfg, or JSON settings) with side-by-side physical file previews.
• Mod Preset Management: Import and export Arma 3 Launcher compatible .html mod presets seamlessly.

Arma 3 Scenario & Process Orchestration

• Mission Uploads: Upload scenario .pbo files directly through the dashboard.
• Headless Client Orchestration: Automatically spin up and link local Headless Clients (HC) to offload AI processing and maintain high server FPS.

Discord Events Integration

• Interactive Event Posting: Administrators can post Arma 3 and Reforger game events directly to Discord channels from the web dashboard.
• Interactive RSVP System: Discord messages include interactive buttons ("Going", "Not Going", "Maybe") allowing community members to RSVP directly.
• Automated Sync: Real-time processing of Discord interactions keeps the RSVP lists updated and automatically deduplicates users.
• Attendance Stats: Track and view detailed attendance statistics for events via the /events/stats endpoint.
• Graceful Degradation: The manager works perfectly even if the Discord bot is not configured, automatically hiding the events UI.

Passwordless Steam Authentication

• Steam QR Code Login: Authenticate SteamCMD sessions using the official Steam Mobile App QR code scanning feature (BeginAuthSessionViaQR). This allows secure workshop downloads without storing plain-text user passwords or manual Steam Guard email verification on headless hosts.

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Game Support Matrix

Feature	Arma 3	DayZ	Arma Reforger
Multi-Instance Management	Yes	Yes	Yes
Dynamic Config Editing	Yes (server.cfg)	Yes (serverDZ.cfg)	Yes (config.json)
SteamCMD Mod Sync	Yes	Yes	Yes (Reforger Workshop)
Reforger Scenario Auto-Sync	No	No	Yes
Reforger Hex ID Auto-Resolution	No	No	Yes
Live Log Telemetry	Yes	Yes	Yes (Console scraping)
Mission Management (.pbo)	Yes	No	No
Mod Preset Export/Import	Yes (HTML format)	Yes	No
Headless Client Support	Yes	No	No

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Deployment Security & Web Exposure

Warning

Because BTC Server Manager controls native server processes, executes command-line operations (via SteamCMD), and modifies host configuration files, it must never be exposed directly to the public internet without an authentication layer.

To safely expose this dashboard to the web, implement one of the following methods:

Option A: Cloudflare Tunnel & Cloudflare Access (Recommended)

This is the recommended deployment method because it offers high security, encrypted connections, and zero ingress ports opened on your network.

Overview

• Zero Open Ports: Run a Cloudflare Tunnel (cloudflared) to connect outbound to Cloudflare, eliminating the need to forward ports on your router or firewall.
• Identity-Aware Access: Enforce an Access Policy (Cloudflare One) requiring authentication via Google, GitHub, or Email OTP.
• Cryptographic Verification: The backend automatically validates the standard Cf-Access-Jwt-Assertion header against Cloudflare's public keys.

Step 1: Create a Cloudflare Tunnel

1. Go to the Cloudflare Zero Trust Dashboard.
2. Navigate to Networks -> Tunnels and click Create a Tunnel.
3. Select Cloudflare (managed) as the connector, name it, and save.
4. Copy the Tunnel Token from the installation commands shown in the UI.
5. In your .env file, set TUNNEL_TOKEN to this value. The cloudflared service in docker-compose.yml will automatically connect to Cloudflare using this token.

Step 2: Configure the Main Panel Subdomain

1. In the Tunnel configuration under the Public Hostname tab, click Add a public hostname.
2. Set up the domain you want to use for the main panel (e.g. panel.yourdomain.com).
3. Set the Service Type to HTTP and the URL to http://btcservermanager:8080 (this resolves internally via Docker DNS).
4. Save the hostname.

Step 3: Configure FastDL Subdomain (Optional)

FastDL is completely optional and only needed if you want high-speed HTTP mission downloading for Arma 3. The main control panel works perfectly without it. If you decide to enable FastDL:

1. In the same Tunnel configuration, click Add a public hostname again.
2. Set up a separate subdomain for FastDL (e.g. fastdl.yourdomain.com).
3. Set the Service Type to HTTP and the URL to http://btcservermanager:8081.
4. In your .env file, configure FASTDL_DOMAIN=fastdl.yourdomain.com (do not include the protocol or port). The server manager will automatically use this URL in the Arma 3 server configuration to allow players to download missions at high speed.
5. Cache Management: The manager can automatically purge Cloudflare's CDN cache when you delete Arma 3 scenarios, and pre-cache them upon upload. To enable this, configure CF_ZONE_ID and CF_API_TOKEN in your .env.

Step 4: Create a Cloudflare Access Policy (Mandatory for Panel Security)

To enforce identity-aware authentication, you must protect the main panel domain under Cloudflare One (Zero Trust Access):

1. Create an Access Application:

   • In the Cloudflare Zero Trust sidebar, navigate to Access -> Applications.
   • Click Add an Application and select Self-hosted.
   • Name your application (e.g., BTC Server Manager).
   • In the Application domain section, enter the exact subdomain mapped to the main panel (e.g., panel.yourdomain.com).
   • Scroll down and click Next.

2. Define the Authorization Policy:

   • Name the policy (e.g., Allow Admins).
   • Set the Action to Allow.
   • Under Configure rules, choose your preferred authentication criteria (for example, Emails and input allowed administrator email addresses, or Emails ending in to restrict access to a specific company/organization domain).
   • Click Next and save the application.

3. How It Works (Cryptographic Verification):

   • When an administrator attempts to access panel.yourdomain.com, Cloudflare intercepts the request and prompts them to authenticate via the configured Identity Providers (OTP, Google, GitHub, etc.).
   • Once authenticated, Cloudflare generates a cryptographically signed JSON Web Token (JWT) and injects it into the HTTP request headers as Cf-Access-Jwt-Assertion.
   • When the request is routed through the tunnel to btcservermanager (port 8080), the Go backend middleware intercepts all /api routes and automatically parses this header.
   • The backend downloads Cloudflare's public keyset (JWKS) from https://{CF_TEAM_DOMAIN}.cloudflareaccess.com/cdn-cgi/access/certs and uses it to verify the signature, expiration, and issuer of the incoming token.
   • If the JWT is missing, invalid, or signed by an incorrect authority, the backend immediately rejects the request with an HTTP 401 Unauthorized status, keeping the API completely secure.

Important

To configure cryptographic validation in the backend, you must define the CF_TEAM_DOMAIN variable in your .env file (e.g., CF_TEAM_DOMAIN=your-team-name.cloudflareaccess.com). Without this, the backend will refuse incoming API requests for security.

Step 5: FastDL Public Accessibility Notice

• Unlike the main dashboard (port 8080), the FastDL endpoint on port 8081 must not be protected by a Cloudflare Access authentication policy.
• Because the Arma 3 game client automatically requests mission .pbo files from this subdomain directly using standard HTTP GET requests when players connect, it cannot authenticate or prompt players with a login screen.
• Leaving fastdl.yourdomain.com public is completely secure, as the FastDL backend server ONLY serves whitelisted .pbo scenario files residing in the fastdl directory. All other file extensions, path traversals (..), or directory listings are rejected with an automatic HTTP 404 response.

Option B: Reverse Proxy with Password Protection

If you are not deploying within the Cloudflare ecosystem, place the application behind a reverse proxy (such as Nginx, Caddy, or Traefik) configured with strict authentication:

• Proxy-Level Auth: Enable Basic Auth (auth_basic) or integrate authentication helpers like Authelia.
• Enforced Encryption: Configure SSL/TLS to ensure all traffic goes over HTTPS.
• Rate Limiting: Set up rate limits on the proxy to prevent brute-force login attempts.

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Setup & Installation

Environment Variables (.env)

Create a .env file in the root directory using the template below.

# --- REQUIRED ---
STEAM_API_KEY=your_steam_web_api_key

# --- SECURITY & CORS ---
SECRET_KEY=use_a_secure_32_character_random_string
# WARNING: In production, ALLOWED_ORIGIN must be the exact domain of the panel (e.g., https://panel.yourdomain.com)
ALLOWED_ORIGIN=http://localhost:5173
CF_TEAM_DOMAIN=
CF_ZONE_ID=
CF_API_TOKEN=

# --- CONTENT SECURITY POLICY (CSP) ---
CSP_ENABLED=false
CSP_MODE=report-only

# --- OPERATIONS & SETTINGS ---
PORT=8080
TIMEZONE=Europe/Rome
DEBUG=true
LOG_RETENTION_DAYS=30
MAX_SCENARIO_SIZE=104857600
PPROF_ENABLED=false
PPROF_PORT=6060

# --- CUSTOM PERSISTENCE ---
# DATABASE_URL=/app/storage/data/btc.db
# STORAGE_PATH=/app/storage

# --- DISCORD EVENTS ---
# DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN=
# DISCORD_GUILD_ID=

Detailed Configurations

Variable	Description	Default / Example
STEAM_API_KEY	Required. Steam Web API key, essential to search and sync workshop mod details.	Get Key
SECRET_KEY	Encryption key used to securely hash sensitive data like Steam credentials.	32+ char random string
ALLOWED_ORIGIN	CORS allowed origin. In production, set this to your dashboard domain to block cross-site requests.	http://localhost:5173
CF_TEAM_DOMAIN	Your Cloudflare Zero Trust team domain (e.g., https://yourteam.cloudflareaccess.com) to enable cryptographically signed JWT validation.	(Blank by default)
CF_ZONE_ID	Cloudflare Zone ID for the FastDL domain (used for cache purging on scenario deletion).	(Blank by default)
CF_API_TOKEN	Cloudflare API Token with "Purge Cache" permissions.	(Blank by default)
TUNNEL_TOKEN	Cloudflare Tunnel Token required if using the cloudflared service.	(Blank by default)
FASTDL_PORT	Port for the FastDL HTTP mission serving.	8081
FASTDL_DOMAIN	Public FastDL domain (e.g., fastdl.yourdomain.com).	(Blank by default)
CSP_ENABLED	Enables strict Content Security Policy headers on dashboard responses.	false
CSP_MODE	CSP execution mode. Set to report-only to test for issues, or enforce to actively block violations.	report-only
PORT	Listening port for the Go backend API.	8080
TIMEZONE	Timezone setting for logging and automated task schedules.	Europe/Rome
DEBUG	Enables verbose console logging for server startups and system lifecycle events.	true
FOX_EASTER_EGG	Enables the "Fox Easter Egg" on the dashboard.	false
LOG_RETENTION_DAYS	Initial fallback value for log retention. Can be overridden and configured dynamically directly within the dashboard settings panel.	30
MAX_SCENARIO_SIZE	Maximum file size in bytes for Arma 3 scenario .pbo uploads (default: 100MB).	104857600
ADDITIONAL_MODS	Semicolon separated list of additional mod IDs to always include.	(Blank by default)
ARMA3_GAME_PORTS	Game server port bindings for Arma 3 instances.	127.0.0.1:2302-2306...
DAYZ_GAME_PORTS	Game server port bindings for DayZ instances.	127.0.0.1:2402-2405...
REFORGER_GAME_PORTS	Game server port bindings for Arma Reforger instances.	127.0.0.1:2001:2001...
PPROF_ENABLED	Enables the Go pprof debug server for memory and CPU profiling.	false
PPROF_PORT	Port for the pprof debug server if enabled.	6060
DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN	Discord Bot Token from the Developer Portal. Required to enable the Discord Events feature.	(Blank by default)
DISCORD_GUILD_ID	The ID of the Discord Server (Guild) where the bot will operate.	(Blank by default)

Production Deployment (Docker Compose)

To run the manager using Docker (recommended for production):

docker-compose up --build -d

Local Development Setup

1. Backend Setup (Go 1.26.5+)

1. Navigate to the backend folder:

   cd backend

2. Run the application (database migrations run automatically on startup):

   go run cmd/main.go

2. Frontend Setup (Node.js & npm)

1. Navigate to the frontend folder:

   cd frontend

2. Install dependencies and start the development server:

   npm install
   npm run dev

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Profiling & Performance Diagnostics

To investigate memory issues, goroutine leaks, or CPU bottlenecks, you can enable the built-in Go pprof profiler.

1. Enable pprof in Environment

Set the following variables in your .env file (or pass them in the docker-compose environment settings):

PPROF_ENABLED=true
PPROF_PORT=6060

If you are running in Docker, ensure port 6060 is exposed in your docker-compose.yml:

ports:
  - "8080:8080"
  - "6060:6060" # Map pprof port

2. Capture Profiles

Once the manager is running with pprof enabled, you can collect diagnostics:

• Download Heap Profile (Memory allocations):

  go tool pprof http://localhost:6060/debug/pprof/heap

• Download CPU Profile (30-second capture):

  go tool pprof http://localhost:6060/debug/pprof/profile?seconds=30

• Inspect Active Goroutines (Goroutine leak detection):

  curl http://localhost:6060/debug/pprof/goroutine?debug=2

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Benchmarks

You can view the latest performance benchmark results here.

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Architecture & Technical Stack

The manager uses a decoupled architecture to separate web interfaces from server orchestration logic.

graph TD
    Client[React Dashboard] <-->|HTTP & WebSockets| API[Go API Gateway]
    API -->|JWT Validation| CF[Cloudflare JWKS Validator]
    API -->|Service Dispatch| Domain[Domain Services]

    subgraph Core Domain Orchestration
        Domain --> ProcessMgr[Process Manager]
        Domain --> SteamCMD[SteamCMD Job Executor]
        Domain --> Workshop[Workshop Installer]

        ProcessMgr -->|OS Processes| OSProc[Game Servers]
        SteamCMD -->|Sequential Queue| Worker[SteamCMD Worker]
        Workshop -->|Filesystem| Storage[Mods & Keys]
    end

    SQLite[(SQLite Database)] <-->|Persistence| Domain

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Backend

• Language: Go 1.26.5
• Web Framework: Chi Router (go-chi/chi)
• Communication: WebSockets (coder/websocket) for real-time log and state streaming
• Database: SQLite (CGO-free driver for high portability)

Frontend

• Framework: React 19 / TypeScript / Vite
• Styling: Tailwind CSS
• Routing: React Router
• Visuals: Chart.js for server performance graphs

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License

Distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). See the LICENSE file for more information.