Sidecar Containers

A sidecar is a container that runs alongside your game server container within the same pod. Sidecars share the pod's network namespace and can access data through shared volumes, enabling them to provide additional functionality without modifying your game server code.

Sidecar containers can be added to Armadas, ArmadaSets, Formations, and Vessels.

Available Sidecars

Agones SDK Sidecar

The Agones SDK Sidecar (agones-gameserver-sidecar) is automatically added to every game server by GameFabric. It runs the Agones SDK server (including the local REST endpoint) that enables your game server to communicate with the Agones SDK.

This sidecar is an integral part of GameFabric and cannot be configured or removed.

You can view the logs from the Agones SDK Sidecar in:

• Vessel UI: Navigate to the Container Logs tab and select agones-gameserver-sidecar
• Monitoring stack: Access logs through Grafana

Allocation Sidecar

The Allocation Sidecar is provided by GameFabric for automatic integration with the Allocator. It handles:

• Automatic registration: Watches for your game server to reach the "Ready" state and registers it with the Allocator
• Allocation callbacks: Receives allocation notifications and transitions the game server to the "Allocated" state
• Cleanup: Deregisters your game server when it shuts down

Use the Allocation Sidecar when running session-based games with Armadas where players are assigned to servers through matchmaking.

For detailed configuration, see Automatically Registering Game Servers.

Custom Sidecars

You can add custom sidecar containers for purposes such as:

• Monitoring: Collect and export game server metrics
• Logging: Aggregate and forward logs to external systems
• Debugging: Run diagnostic tools alongside your game server
• Game-specific services: Run additional services specific to your needs

Adding a Custom Sidecar

1. Navigate to your Formation, Vessel, ArmadaSet, or Armada configuration
2. In the Sidecars section, select Create from scratch
3. Configure the container image, ports, environment variables, and resource limits
4. Save your changes

For UI guidance, see Running your Game Server.

Best practices

• Keep sidecars lightweight: Sidecars share resources with your game server. Minimize CPU and memory usage.
• Use appropriate resource limits: Set CPU and memory limits to prevent sidecars from starving your game server.
• Handle graceful shutdown: Ensure your sidecar responds appropriately to termination signals.
• Consider network ports: Sidecars share the pod's network namespace. Avoid port conflicts with your game server.