Please, add the Dedicated Server component to prebuilt UE4 binaries, available from Epic Launcher, at least as optional component (like different target platforms, sources, starter content etc). I’m really in need of autonomous server in several of my education projects, but my i5-7400 is not too tough to rebuild UE4 editor in less than 7 hours, which result the loss of whole work day. ((
you don’t need to build the editor if you want a dedicated server!?
No. You have to build “Development Editor” (more than 2500 modules), than a “Development Server” (more than 420 modules). And because I need Linux and Windows version of my app, I have to do this two built for each target platforms. This is why I asking to add “server” module to prebuilt binaries.
Wow, didn’t know that! So this article are also applicable to my packaged applications, not to the Engine itself. This is really works, but… in my case when I use combination lvlName?Listen -server -log I get the game window on top of server’s log, and even default player. Can I somehow suppress lunching the game windows and client creation?
Yes, it a engine feature, and since editor is self is UE4 application it has those options too
“?Listen” enables normal client-side server (local game instance that other clients can connect to, usually used for LAN play) might be reason why game is turning on so remove that. -log is not specificly for server, it will open log window regardless what you run, it’s actually useful during loading of editor or game to see what is actully happening too
Simple mapname -server -log will do
-game is editor specific, it runs project without editor modules loaded (atleats i think), same as you would run standalone in play options
it is not normal that your game pops up and it joins you into it with default player. try UE4Editor.exe projectfile.uproject “/Game/Your/Maps/Mapname?listen” -server -silent LOG=MyLog.txt
I actually did tried to run without “?Listen”, but in that case clients can’t join, and client still runs.
?listen is for listen servers. Listen server is a hosted server where the host is joining the game too. -server is a dedicated server. When using -server then the option ?listen becomes meaningless.
no, my dedicated server is running fine with my provided command. no gui, no log, no “ghost player”
So do we have to build from source to get dedicated server to work or not? I hear most places that you have to build from source in a special way. I tried adding -server when executing, and didn’t get any server capabilities in my built app.
can you share a little more info about your build configs? When I use you command all works like it should be, but my point is I can’t ship all the unreal engine with my project.
What do you mean by “didn’t get any server capabilities”. Every UE App has that capabilities, but YOU must implement them. -server does nothing more than: “Run the game as a server using uncooked content.”. So compared with a listen server the difference is it doesnt spawn a defaultPawn and doesn’t take part as an additional client. so to answer your question - no, we don’t need to have a source build to get a server without a pawn and without a UI sitting in your way.
If you want to ship it - you need to build a dedicated server. as far as I know the EULA you’re not allowed to ship the Editor eg. So my environment is different, I’m running different dedicated server backends with sometimes multiple versions and builds of my software. so I’ve installed UE 4.20-4.23 (+source build), and If I need a backend I go with the UE4Editor.exe projectfile.uproject “/Game/Your/Maps/Mapname?listen” -server -silent LOG=MyLog.txt way like mentioned. you can also overwrite listening ports etc… so I don’t need to cook, don’t need to package, don’t need to compile dedicated servers etc…
sorry to say, lucky me - not so lucky you 
if you need to ship it - build it.
but that’s why epic can’t ship a binary version of a dedicated server - what should it do? I mean a dedicated compiled server is YOUR game/app in a stripped down version.
I mean I built a game that works as a listen server and as a client when I build it to Win64 exe,
but running that exe with -server command line switch doesn’t seem to make it run any differently. It still launches using graphics, requiring DX11, and therefore I can’t run it on a VM on Azure as a dedicated server so that people can connect to it publicly. I have to use LogMeIn Hamachi or set up port forwarding on my home computer and get ISP approval for someone to connect to my game over the internet.
However I have seen a few guides and tutorials on the internet that show you how to build from source in order to be able to build an app executable that will run as a dedicated server. So I’m confused because I keep hearing on one side that you don’t have to do that to have the app be a dedicated server, and on the other hand that you do have to do that.
As a already working with dedicated server module for some ue’s version I can see it consists of two parts, one of which is editor’s part, common to everyone, which I asking to include to launcher’s prebuilt version. The other part, holding my project’s code I of courswe will rebuilt when start packaging.
Yes if you need headless dedicated server, running without desktop you need to add special build config to your project and unfortunately use special module, included only to github version of unreal engine. This is why I started this topic…
Sorry but you guys are right ;p i always assumed server option is accessible, but i checked the source and IsRunningDedicatedServer is indeed hardcode dependent on build flags while only editor has runtime option to run dedicated server
Also sorry that deleted the conversation, but since my answer is end up being invalid i force to delete it
But one things still stand, post this on feedback forum you most likely have higher chance to get this noticed
OK Thank you, I am much less confused now 
Although, I was really really hoping you were right. It takes me all day to build from source too Time to upgrade my computer I guess