A DayZ mod server runs Steam Workshop mods that every player downloads too: you put each mod’s folder next to the server, copy its .bikey into the keys folder, and list the folders in the -mod= launch parameter, separated by semicolons. Server-only mods go in -serverMod= instead and never reach players. That’s the whole system. Below: the exact steps on Windows and Linux, load order, mods that need their own mission files, the mods most modded DayZ servers start with, and fixes for the kicks and crashes that follow a new mod.
How DayZ server mods work
DayZ mods come from the Steam Workshop for DayZ (app 221100). A mod loaded with -mod= is sent to every player, so players must run the same mods at the same version to join. A mod loaded with -serverMod= stays on the server. And the server checks every mod file against its signature (verifySignatures = 2, the only value Bohemia supports), which is why each mod’s key has to be in place.
| Piece | Where it goes | What it does |
|---|---|---|
Mod folder (e.g. @CF) |
Server root, or any path you give | The mod’s files: addons with the .pbo and .bisign files |
.bikey file |
The server’s keys folder |
Lets the server accept that mod’s signed files |
-mod=@CF;@MyMod |
Launch line | Loads mods on the server and on every client |
-serverMod=@MyServerMod |
Launch line | Loads server-side mods that clients never download |
| Mission XML entries | mpmissions/<mission>/ |
Make modded items spawn as loot (types.xml) or set up the mod’s map |
The folder name is only a label. @CF is the usual convention, but Bohemia’s Linux guide loads mods by their numeric Workshop IDs (-mod=1559212036;1564026768;) and that works just as well.
How to add mods to a DayZ server (Windows)
Download the mods with SteamCMD (or copy them from your own Steam Workshop folder), move each into the server folder, copy its key, and add it to the start line. Back up first: the server’s world lives in the mission’s storage_1 folder, and a mod that changes items can leave it in a state you’d rather undo.
- Find the mod’s Workshop ID. It’s the number at the end of the Workshop URL. Community Framework is
1559212036, Community Online Tools is1564026768. - Download it next to the server. The same SteamCMD line that installs the server can fetch Workshop items:
steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\dayzserver +login your_steam_name +app_update 223350 +workshop_download_item 221100 1559212036 +workshop_download_item 221100 1564026768 +quitThe files land in
C:\dayzserver\steamapps\workshop\content\221100\<id>. If you’re subscribed to the mod in Steam already, the same folder exists under your Steam library’ssteamapps\workshop\content\221100. - Copy each mod into the server root and give it a readable name:
C:\dayzserver\@CF,C:\dayzserver\@COT. - Copy the keys. Every mod has a
keys(sometimesKeys) folder with one or more.bikeyfiles. Copy them intoC:\dayzserver\keys. - Add the mods to your start line, in load order, with the whole value in quotes:
DayZServer_x64.exe -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302 "-mod=@CF;@COT" -profiles=profiles -dologs -adminlog -freezecheck - Start the server and read the log. The
.RPTfile in your profiles folder shows each mod loading, or the error that stopped it. - Tell your players. They subscribe to the same Workshop items and enable them in the DayZ Launcher before joining.
On Linux
Bohemia’s Linux guide downloads mods with SteamCMD and links them into the server folder instead of copying, so an update to the Workshop files is picked up straight away:
~/servers/steamcmd/steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir ~/servers/dayz-server/ +login your_steam_name +app_update 223350 +workshop_download_item 221100 1559212036 +workshop_download_item 221100 1564026768 +quit
cd ~/servers/dayz-server/
ln -s ~/servers/dayz-server/steamapps/workshop/content/221100/1559212036 ~/servers/dayz-server/1559212036
ln -s ~/servers/dayz-server/steamapps/workshop/content/221100/1564026768 ~/servers/dayz-server/1564026768
ln -s ~/servers/dayz-server/steamapps/workshop/content/221100/1559212036/keys/* ~/servers/dayz-server/keys/
./DayZServer -config=serverDZ.cfg -port=2302 "-mod=1559212036;1564026768;" -BEpath=battleye -profiles=profiles -dologs -adminlog -netlog -freezecheckLink every mod’s keys the same way. Linux file names are case-sensitive, so a mod folder with capital letters in it has to be typed exactly. The full server install is in the DayZ dedicated server guide.
How to add mods manually
No SteamCMD? Subscribe to the mod in Steam, let it download, then copy its folder from steamapps\workshop\content\221100\<id> to the server over FTP or your host’s file manager. Then the same three steps: key into keys, folder name into -mod=, restart. On a hosted server the start line usually lives in the panel’s startup settings rather than a batch file; with DayZ server hosting on GameTeam you upload the folders and keys through the panel’s file manager.
Load order and dependencies
Mods load in the order you list them in -mod=, and a mod has to come after the mods it depends on. Frameworks go first. Each Workshop page lists its “Required items”; every one of them has to be on the server, in the launch line and in players’ downloads.
- Community Framework (CF) is the base layer many mods are built on. Its Workshop page says to wipe the server before installing it, so add it at a fresh start rather than to a world you want to keep, and back up either way.
- DayZ Expansion Bundle packs the Expansion mods into one item but needs DayZ-Expansion-Licensed loaded with it. DayZ-Expansion-Animations is separate and optional.
- A rule of thumb for the line: frameworks, then maps, then big overhauls, then small add-ons. When a mod’s page gives an order, that wins.
"-mod=@CF;@COT;@MyMap;@MyWeaponsPack"Mods that need mission files: maps and overhauls
Some mods only work once the server’s mission is set up for them. A map mod needs its own mission folder in mpmissions and the matching template in serverDZ.cfg; overhauls like Expansion ship mission files of their own; and item packs only spawn loot once their entries are added to the economy files. Copying the mod folder alone isn’t enough for any of these.
- Map mods (Namalsk Island, Deer Isle and others): get the map’s server mission from the map author, put it in
mpmissions, and pointtemplateinclass Missionsat its folder name. Keep the map mod in-mod=, because players need the terrain too. - Overhaul mods: follow the mod’s own server guide. Expansion’s Workshop page links a separate mission-files guide.
- New items as loot: mods that add weapons or gear usually ship
types.xmlentries. Merge them into your mission’sdb/types.xml, or register an extra file throughcfgeconomycore.xml, which Bohemia built so mods can bring their own economy files. One unclosed tag stops the server from starting, so check the RPT log after every merge.
Loot values and the other mission files are explained in DayZ server settings explained.
Popular DayZ server mods to start with
Most modded DayZ servers start from the same handful of Workshop items: a framework, an admin tool, then a map or an overhaul. These are the ones you’ll see on server lists, with what each one needs.
| Mod | Workshop ID | What it does | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| CF (Community Framework) | 1559212036 | Shared code layer other mods depend on | Wipe before installing, per its page; load it first |
| Community Online Tools (COT) | 1564026768 | In-game admin menus: teleport, heal, weather, spawn vehicles | Needs CF. Start the server once, then add your ID’s JSON file under profiles/PermissionsFramework/Players |
| DayZ-Expansion-Bundle | 2572331007 | Vehicles including helicopters and boats, base building, reworked Chernarus and more | Needs DayZ-Expansion-Licensed; uses its own mission files |
| Namalsk Island | 2289456201 | Cold-climate community map | Its page forbids monetizing it, priority queue slots included |
| DeerIsle | 1602372402 | Community map | The Workshop item is the map download; server files and docs come from the author |
Every mod adds memory. A vanilla server is fine on 6 GB; a public server with a map and an overhaul wants 8 GB or more, and more again as bases pile up in persistence.
What is vanilla++ DayZ?
Vanilla++ (also written vanilla+) is a server style, not a mod: DayZ’s normal gameplay with a few quality-of-life mods on top. Think an admin tool or a few extra cars rather than a full rework of the game. It’s the middle ground between official-style vanilla and a full overhaul like Expansion, and server owners tag it in the name, such as | VANILLA++ |, so players know what they’re joining.
Server-side mods with -serverMod
A mod that only changes what the server does, such as custom scripts, logging or event tools built for it, can load with -serverMod= so players never download it. It takes the same format as -mod=: folder names separated by semicolons. Only use it for mods whose author says they’re server-side. A client mod loaded this way leaves players missing files they need.
"-mod=@CF;@COT" "-serverMod=@MyServerScripts"Keeping mods working through DayZ updates
A DayZ update can break mods until their authors patch them, and players can’t join while their mod versions differ from the server’s. Bohemia runs each update on the experimental branch first, and says that window, usually 4 to 6 weeks before stable, is a buffer for modders. Use it: check your mods’ Workshop pages and changelogs before stable lands.
- Back up the mission folder and note your mod list.
- Update the server, then re-download every mod (the same
workshop_download_itemlines). On Linux, Bohemia’s guide does this in anupdate.shthat runs before every start. - Copy any new keys. A mod update can come with a new
.bikey, and the old one won’t match. - If the server won’t start, remove mods from the end of the
-mod=line until it does. The last one you removed is the one to wait on.
Is the new DayZ update out? The latest is 1.30, which arrived with the Badlands expansion on October 15, 2026 and came with a full wipe of the official servers. What that means for your own server, and how to update it, is in how to update a DayZ server.
Mod permissions and monetization
Running a mod is free; making money from a server that runs it needs permission. Bohemia’s monetization rules require its approval for selling perks and the permission of the authors of the mods you use. Some authors give it up front (CF’s page grants approval as long as you follow Bohemia’s agreement), and some refuse outright (Namalsk Island’s page bans monetizing it, priority queue slots included). Read each Workshop page before you open a donation shop, and never re-upload a mod you didn’t make.
DayZ Mod servers for Arma 2
“DayZ mod servers” can also mean the original DayZ: Dean Hall’s mod for Arma 2 and Operation Arrowhead, the game Bohemia later rebuilt as DayZ Standalone. Arma 2 DayZ Mod servers are a different game on different server software. Nothing in this guide (serverDZ.cfg, the 223350 server files, Workshop keys) applies to them. Everything here is for DayZ Standalone, the DayZ sold on Steam today.
Troubleshooting a modded DayZ server
When a modded server breaks, the cause is almost always a key, a version mismatch or the load order. The RPT log in the profiles folder names the mod in most cases. Match the symptom here:
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Players kicked on join with a signature error | The mod’s .bikey isn’t in keys, or it’s from an older version |
Copy the current key in and restart |
| Players can’t join after a mod update | Server and players on different mod versions | Re-download the mod on the server; players let Steam update it |
| Server closes during startup | A dependency missing, or loaded after the mod that needs it | Check “Required items” on the Workshop page; fix the order in -mod= |
| Mod loaded but nothing changed | Folder name in -mod= doesn’t match the folder, or the value isn’t quoted |
Compare names exactly (case matters on Linux); quote the whole -mod= value |
| New items never spawn | The mod’s types.xml entries weren’t added |
Merge them into db/types.xml or register them in cfgeconomycore.xml |
| Map mod loads Chernarus instead | template still points at dayzOffline.chernarusplus |
Install the map’s mission folder and change template |
| Server slows down as the week goes on | Mods plus stored bases outgrowing the RAM | Add RAM, or trim mods and base limits |
FAQ
How do I add mods to my DayZ server?
Put the mod’s folder in the server root, copy its .bikey into keys, add the folder name to -mod= in the start line, and restart. Players subscribe to the same mods on the Workshop.
Do players need the mods too?
For everything in -mod=, yes, at the same version as the server. Only mods loaded with -serverMod= stay server-side.
Can I add mods without wiping my DayZ server?
Often, yes: small add-ons usually slot into a running world. But some mods ask for a wipe (CF’s page does), and big overhauls change items the stored world depends on. Back up the mission folder first so you can roll back.
Can I mod a DayZ private server on Xbox or PlayStation?
No. Steam Workshop mods are PC only. Console private servers run close-to-vanilla rules with a smaller set of options.
How many mods can a DayZ server run?
DayZ sets no fixed number. The practical limits are RAM, the download size your players will put up with, and how well the mods get along. Add them one at a time and restart between each, so you always know which one broke something.
Why does my modded server work for me but kick my friends?
Usually their mod versions differ from the server’s, or you’ve joined with mods they don’t have enabled. Have everyone launch through the DayZ Launcher with the server’s mod list enabled.
Skip the setup: a modded DayZ server without the busywork
A DayZ mod server is a lot of copying: folders, keys, launch lines, XML merges, and the same again after every update. With DayZ server hosting on GameTeam you upload mods through the panel’s file manager, pay per GB of RAM (from $0.49/GB a week, or $1.99/GB billed monthly) with unlimited slots, and leave the fiddly parts to the AI copilot. Tell it “add @CF and @COT to the mod line, CF first, and restart”, or ask “why does everyone get kicked since I added Namalsk?” and it reads the RPT log and tells you which key or mod is the problem. Make a backup with one click before each new mod, so a bad one costs you a restore, not the world.
New to DayZ servers? Start with the DayZ dedicated server guide.