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How the 5Stack Service Works ​

The 5Stack service is a program, 5stack, that runs as a system service on your panel server and on each game server node. It is how a panel is installed and run:

  • Install the panel with one command, and answer the setup questions on a web page or in the terminal. See Install.
  • Update from the panel, when you choose. See Updating.
  • Manage the server from your browser: updates, settings, add-ons, GPU nodes, backups and logs, all with buttons. See Browser Console.
  • Add game server nodes by typing a short code the node shows. See Add a Game Server Node.
  • Move the panel to a new server, game server nodes included. See Move to a New Server.
  • Back up the panel into one encrypted recovery backup. See Backups.
  • Change settings with 5stack config, and run the panel's scripts with 5stack run, with no git checkout. See Command Reference.

On the server, sudo 5stack ui opens the browser console, and 5stack on its own opens a menu of all of this in the terminal. See The 5stack Command.

See How It Fits Together for a diagram of what runs where and what each part talks to.

What runs where ​

  • On the panel server, the agent runs as root under systemd (5stack.service). It keeps its own credentials in /var/lib/5stack, which only root can read.
  • On each game server node, the same agent joins the node to your panel and re-joins it if the panel moves.
  • Both connect out to the 5Stack cloud at get.5stack.gg over HTTPS. Nothing connects in to them, and the agent doesn't listen on a network port.

Anything the 5Stack cloud passes between your servers, such as your setup answers or a node's join keys, is encrypted to the server that receives it. 5Stack passes it along but can't read it.

What needs the 5Stack cloud ​

Installing, updating, adding a game server node and moving to a new server go through the 5Stack cloud. The panel, matches and game servers that are already running don't depend on it. If get.5stack.gg can't be reached, they keep working, and only those steps wait.

Panels installed from the git checkout ​

A panel installed with git clone and ./install.sh moves onto the 5Stack service with git pull && sudo ./service.sh. Its config and secrets carry over. See Upgrade an Existing Panel.