SteamCMD

A Node.js wrapper for Valve's SteamCMD tool. Download, install, and manage Steam applications programmatically.

Features:

• Automatic SteamCMD download and installation
• Promise-based API with async/await support
• Progress tracking for downloads and installations
• TypeScript definitions included
• Cross-platform (Windows, Linux, macOS)

SteamCMD will be automatically downloaded to your platform-specific data folder:

• Linux: ~/.local/share/steamcmd
• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/steamcmd
• Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\steamcmd

Requirements

Node.js 18 or higher is required.

See SteamCMD requirements for platform-specific dependencies.

For Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt-get install lib32gcc-s1

Installation

npm install @caleb-collar/steamcmd

Usage

Module API (Recommended)

Basic Installation

const steamcmd = require("@caleb-collar/steamcmd");

// Install a dedicated server (e.g., Counter-Strike 2)
await steamcmd.install({
  applicationId: 730,
  path: "./cs2-server",
});

With Authentication

await steamcmd.install({
  applicationId: 123456,
  path: "./game-server",
  username: "your-steam-username",
  password: "your-steam-password",
  steamGuardCode: "12345", // If Steam Guard is enabled
});

Workshop Items

// Download a workshop item
await steamcmd.install({
  applicationId: 107410, // Arma 3
  workshopId: 450814997,
  path: "./arma3",
});

Progress Tracking

await steamcmd.install({
  applicationId: 740,
  path: "./csds",
  onProgress: (progress) => {
    console.log(`${progress.phase}: ${progress.percent}%`);
    // Output: "downloading: 45%", "validating: 100%"
  },
  onOutput: (data, type) => {
    // type is 'stdout' or 'stderr'
    process.stdout.write(data);
  },
});

Utility Functions

const steamcmd = require("@caleb-collar/steamcmd");

// Check if SteamCMD is installed
const installed = await steamcmd.isInstalled();
console.log("SteamCMD installed:", installed);

// Get installation info
const info = steamcmd.getInfo();
console.log(info);
// {
//   directory: '/home/user/.local/share/steamcmd',
//   executable: '/home/user/.local/share/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh',
//   platform: 'linux',
//   isSupported: true
// }

// Manually ensure SteamCMD is installed
await steamcmd.ensureInstalled({
  onProgress: (p) => console.log(`Download: ${p.percent}%`),
});

// List installed apps in a directory
const apps = await steamcmd.getInstalledApps({ path: "./server" });
console.log(apps);
// [{ appId: 740, name: 'CSGO Server', buildId: 12345, ... }]

// Get installed version of an app
const version = await steamcmd.getInstalledVersion({
  applicationId: 740,
  path: "./server",
});
console.log(version);
// { appId: 740, name: 'CSGO Server', buildId: 12345, lastUpdated: Date }

// Update an existing installation
await steamcmd.update({
  applicationId: 740,
  path: "./server",
  onProgress: (p) => console.log(`Update: ${p.percent}%`),
});

// Validate an installation
await steamcmd.validate({
  applicationId: 740,
  path: "./server",
});

EventEmitter Progress

const steamcmd = require("@caleb-collar/steamcmd");

// Create an event emitter for real-time progress
const emitter = steamcmd.createProgressEmitter("install", {
  applicationId: 740,
  path: "./server",
});

emitter.on("progress", (p) => {
  console.log(`${p.phase}: ${p.percent}%`);
});

emitter.on("output", (data, type) => {
  process.stdout.write(`[${type}] ${data}`);
});

emitter.on("error", (err) => {
  console.error("Failed:", err.message);
});

emitter.on("complete", () => {
  console.log("Done!");
});

Error Handling

const {
  SteamCmdError,
  DownloadError,
  InstallError,
} = require("@caleb-collar/steamcmd");

try {
  await steamcmd.install({
    applicationId: 740,
    path: "./server",
  });
} catch (err) {
  if (err instanceof SteamCmdError) {
    console.error(`SteamCMD error: ${err.message} (code: ${err.code})`);
  } else if (err instanceof InstallError) {
    console.error(`Install failed: ${err.message}`);
    console.error(`Exit code: ${err.exitCode}`);
  } else {
    throw err;
  }
}

Legacy Callback API

// Callback-style is still supported for backward compatibility
steamcmd.install({ applicationId: 740, path: "./server" }, (err) => {
  if (err) {
    console.error("Installation failed:", err.message);
    return;
  }
  console.log("Installation complete!");
});

API Reference

install(options, [callback])

Install a Steam application or Workshop item.

| Option | Type | Description | | ---------------- | ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------- | | applicationId | number \| string | Steam application ID to install | | workshopId | number \| string | Workshop item ID (requires applicationId) | | path | string | Installation directory | | username | string | Steam username for authentication | | password | string | Steam password for authentication | | steamGuardCode | string | Steam Guard code for 2FA | | platform | string | Target platform: 'windows', 'macos', or 'linux' | | onProgress | function | Progress callback: (progress) => void | | onOutput | function | Output callback: (data, type) => void |

Returns: Promise<void> if no callback provided, undefined if callback provided.

isInstalled()

Check if SteamCMD is installed and executable.

Returns: Promise<boolean>

ensureInstalled([options])

Ensure SteamCMD is installed, downloading if necessary.

| Option | Type | Description | | ------------ | ---------- | -------------------------- | | onProgress | function | Download progress callback |

Returns: Promise<void>

getInfo()

Get information about the SteamCMD installation.

Returns: { directory, executable, platform, isSupported }

getInstalledApps(options)

List all installed Steam applications in a directory.

| Option | Type | Description | | ------ | -------- | ------------------------------ | | path | string | Installation directory to scan |

Returns: Promise<Array> - Array of installed app info objects

getInstalledVersion(options)

Get the installed version of a Steam application.

| Option | Type | Description | | --------------- | ------------------ | ---------------------- | | applicationId | number \| string | Steam application ID | | path | string | Installation directory |

Returns: Promise<Object | null> - Version info or null if not installed

update(options)

Update an installed Steam application.

| Option | Type | Description | | ---------------- | ------------------ | ------------------------------ | | applicationId | number \| string | Steam application ID to update | | path | string | Installation directory | | username | string | Steam username (optional) | | password | string | Steam password (optional) | | steamGuardCode | string | Steam Guard code (optional) | | onProgress | function | Progress callback (optional) |

Returns: Promise<void>

validate(options)

Validate an installed Steam application.

| Option | Type | Description | | --------------- | ------------------ | -------------------------------- | | applicationId | number \| string | Steam application ID to validate | | path | string | Installation directory | | username | string | Steam username (optional) | | password | string | Steam password (optional) | | onProgress | function | Progress callback (optional) |

Returns: Promise<void>

createProgressEmitter(operation, options)

Create an EventEmitter for real-time progress tracking.

| Parameter | Type | Description | | ----------- | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | | operation | string | Operation type: 'install', 'update', 'validate' | | options | object | Same options as install() |

Returns: EventEmitter - Emits 'progress', 'output', 'error', and 'complete' events

Command Line Interface

npx steamcmd <appid> [workshopid] [options]

Options:

| Option | Description | | -------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | | -u, --username <value> | Steam username | | -p, --password <value> | Steam password | | --path <value> | Install path (default: current directory) | | --platform <value> | Target platform | | --steamGuardCode <value> | Steam Guard code | | -h, --help | Show help |

Examples:

# Install CS2 dedicated server
npx steamcmd 730 --path ./cs2-server

# Install with authentication
npx steamcmd 123456 --username myuser --password mypass --path ./game

# Install a workshop item
npx steamcmd 107410 450814997 --path ./arma3

TypeScript

TypeScript definitions are included:

import steamcmd, {
  SteamCmdError,
  InstallOptions,
} from "@caleb-collar/steamcmd";

const options: InstallOptions = {
  applicationId: 740,
  path: "./server",
  onProgress: (progress) => {
    console.log(`${progress.phase}: ${progress.percent}%`);
  },
};

await steamcmd.install(options);

ES Modules

The package supports both CommonJS and ES Modules:

// CommonJS
const steamcmd = require("@caleb-collar/steamcmd");

// ES Modules
import steamcmd from "@caleb-collar/steamcmd";
// or with named exports
import { install, getInfo, SteamCmdError } from "@caleb-collar/steamcmd";

Finding App IDs

• Steam Application IDs
• SteamDB

Workshop IDs can be found in the URL of any Workshop item page.

License

MIT

Credits

• Original Author: Björn Dahlgren - Creator of the original node-steamcmd package
• Modernization: Caleb Collar - ES Modules, TypeScript definitions, Promise API, and modern Node.js support