Uses
A GoldSrc or Source engine based multiplayer game can be hosted in three different ways:
- Inside the Windows game client, using the "New Game" button (a "listen server", see game servers)
- Using the Steam-based dedicated server (only on Windows)
- Using a standalone dedicated server
Most high-performance servers use the latter case. The Windows build of the standalone dedicated server can optionally be run with a graphical front-end, but graphical is the default mode when running in Steam. Most often commercial game server hosts choose the Linux build as it is regarded as a more flexible server operating system with higher performance.
Read more about this topic: Half-Life Dedicated Server