How Arma Reforger Server Mods Work

Arma Reforger server mods come from Bohemia Interactive's own Workshop. They do not use Steam Workshop's numeric published-file IDs, and copying a Steam collection tutorial from another game produces the wrong configuration. Reforger expects an array of 16-character hexadecimal mod IDs in config.json, then manages the packages through its addon downloader.

Run a managed Reforger server with verified Workshop links and one-step mod applies

Find the correct Bohemia Workshop ID

Open an addon on the official Arma Reforger Workshop. Its URL contains a value such as:

https://reforger.armaplatform.com/workshop/5614E482BF83E310

The final 5614E482BF83E310 is the mod ID. It is always 16 hexadecimal characters. A display name is not an identifier, and an ID from the Steam Workshop belongs to a different content system.

Before adding anything, read the official page for its supported game version, dependencies, known conflicts and current download size. Large terrains and total-conversion packages change startup time and disk needs far more than a small vehicle or quality-of-life addon.

Add mods to config.json

Items live inside game.mods:

{
  "game": {
    "name": "Everon Operations",
    "scenarioId": "{ECC61978EDCC2B5A}Missions/23_Campaign.conf",
    "mods": [
      { "modId": "5614E482BF83E310" },
      { "modId": "696214A3D7FAD490" }
    ]
  }
}

Leaving out version tells the server to use the current Workshop version. Pinning a specific version can make a controlled event repeatable, but it also creates a deliberate mismatch after an author updates and removes or supersedes that package. Follow-current is the practical default for ordinary public servers.

Keep addon downloads outside the Steam runtime

Set explicit addon download and temporary directories when starting the server:

./ArmaReforgerServer   -config /srv/reforger/data/config.json   -profile /srv/reforger/data/profile   -addonDownloadDir /srv/reforger/data/addons   -addonTempDir /srv/reforger/data/tmp   -maxFPS 60

The official runtime under /srv/reforger/runtime can then be updated with SteamCMD without treating downloaded Workshop content as application files. Reforger can reuse existing packages on the next start and download only what changed.

Dependencies still matter

The Workshop page publishes the addon's declared dependency list. Reforger resolves required packages while preparing the server's active addon set, and clients joining the server are prompted to obtain the matching content. Still inspect dependencies before approval. They affect total disk use, first-start time and the number of third-party releases your server relies on.

A dependency count is not a compatibility guarantee. Two addons can both install correctly and still alter the same systems, expect different scenarios, or break after a game update. Build a short list first, start the exact scenario, join with a clean client, and add more content in small batches.

Scenario addons are different from ordinary mods

A gameplay or asset addon can accompany an official scenario. A custom scenario must also be selected as scenarioId. Installing the package alone does not tell the server which mission to start. Use the scenario ID documented by its author, including the braces, addon GUID and mission path.

Do not replace an established persistent scenario casually. Back up the profile before switching, verify where that scenario stores progress, and keep the old addon list until the replacement has completed a real join and save cycle.

A safe mod update routine

1. Tell players about the maintenance window.
2. Stop the server cleanly and back up its complete data directory.
3. Change only the intended IDs or version pins.
4. Start the server and allow every addon and dependency to download.
5. Read the log for missing, blocked or incompatible packages.
6. Join from outside the host and load the selected scenario.

Do not judge the first modded boot by the vanilla startup time. A running process is not proof that every package finished or that the scenario opened. Check both UDP listeners and complete one client join.

Removing a mod safely

Remove its entry from game.mods and restart. That prevents the addon from loading, but it cannot guarantee that a persistent scenario no longer references assets or scripts the mod added. Read the author's uninstall notes first and keep a backup from before the removal.

Deleting cached package files is usually unnecessary. Inactive downloads can be cleaned later when disk space matters, after the server has started successfully without them. Never use the profile directory as a cleanup target.

How GHosting handles Reforger mods

On a GHosting Arma Reforger server, the Mods tab accepts the official Workshop URL or the bare 16-character ID. The backend retrieves Bohemia's official item record, rejects private, unlisted, blocked or invalid entries, and shows the current title, version, package size, download count and declared dependency count.

The saved value is a deduplicated uppercase ID list. Save and restart writes a valid JSON array with no hardcoded version, keeps addon and temporary downloads in persistent data directories, and restarts once. That avoids a confusing saved-but-not-applied state while still leaving the complete server config, profile and addon files available through Files and owner-only SFTP.

GHosting automates verification, configuration, downloading and updates. It cannot promise that arbitrary third-party addons work together or repair persistent scenario data after an unsafe removal. That boundary is why the panel shows official metadata before apply instead of presenting every Workshop item as equally safe.

For the underlying fields and startup parameters, use Bohemia Interactive's official server configuration reference and startup parameter reference.

GHosting is an independent hosting provider and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Bohemia Interactive.