You can use this image in order to start an ARK-Server for either public or private sessions.
The Server itself is managable by ARK-Server-Tools.

This image always installs the latest version of ARK-Server currently avaialable.
Thus, the tags are reffering to the ARK-Server-Tools version which is used by the corresponding image.

The basic configuration of your server is done by using environment variables when starting the container:

I personally preffer docker-compose but for those of you, who want to run their own ARK-server without any "zip and zap", here you go:

# You may want to change SESSION_NAME, ADMIN_PASSWORD or host-volume
$ docker run -d --name="ark_server" --restart=always -v "${HOME}/ark-server:/app" -e SESSION_NAME="Awesome ARK is awesome" -e ADMIN_PASSWORD="FooB4r"

In order to startup your own ARK-server with docker-compose - which I personally preffer over a simple docker run - you may adapt the following docker-compose.yml:

version: '3'

services:
  server:
    restart: always
    container_name: ark_server
    image: hermsi/ark-server:latest
    volumes:
      - ${HOME}/ark-server:/app
      - ${HOME}/ark-server-backups:/home/steam/ARK-Backups
    environment:
      - SESSION_NAME=${SESSION_NAME}
      - SERVER_MAP=${SERVER_MAP}
      - SERVER_PASSWORD=${SERVER_PASSWORD}
      - ADMIN_PASSWORD=${ADMIN_PASSWORD}
      - MAX_PLAYERS=${MAX_PLAYERS}
      - UPDATE_ON_START=${UPDATE_ON_START}
      - BACKUP_ON_STOP=${BACKUP_ON_STOP}
      - PRE_UPDATE_BACKUP=${PRE_UPDATE_BACKUP}
      - WARN_ON_STOP=${WARN_ON_STOP}
    ports:
      # Port for connections from ARK game client
      - "7777:7777/udp"
      # Raw UDP socket port (always Game client port +1)
      - "7778:7778/udp"
      # RCON management port
      - "27020:27020/tcp"
      # Steam's server-list port
      - "27015:27015/udp"
    networks:
      - default

After applying your changes to the docker-compose.yml above, light it up:

$ docker-compose up -d

After your container is up and ARK is installed you can start tweaking your configuration.
Basically, you can modify every setting which ARK-Server-Tools are capable of.
For reference of the available commands check their docs.

The main config files are located at the following path in the container:

• /app/server/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini
• /app/server/ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/Game.ini

You can easily apply your changes directly into these files.

Alternatively, it is possible to run any available command with ARK-Server-Tools and apply your changes that way:

$ docker exec ark_server arkmanager status
$ docker exec ark_server arkmanager update --force
$ docker exec ark_server arkmanager installmods

For a full list of all available commands check here

It is also possible to add cronjobs inside the cointainer. You could use the crontab for update- or backup-stuff.
In order to do so, edit the crontab-file located direct in the server-volume.

$ vim "${HOME}/ark-server/crontab"

Add your desired cronjobs with valid syntax:

0 0 * * * arkmanager update --warn --update-mods >> ${SERVER_VOLUME}/log/crontab.log 2>&1
0 0 * * * arkmanager backup >> ${SERVER_VOLUME}/log/crontab.log 2>&1

Close file (:wq) and restart the container:

$ docker restart ark_server