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To add mods safely to an Arma 3 Altis Life 5.0 dedicated server, download each Workshop item with SteamCMD, expose it as an @ModName folder, place player-required content in -mod, keep server-only components in -serverMod, install the matching signature keys, and preserve the Altis Life mission and extDB3 files. Test one mod at a time in a staging copy before changing the live server.
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What must be true when you finish
A working installation has four separate parts that must agree:
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- The dedicated server can read every mod folder from its startup command.
- Every player has the same compatible client-required mod set.
- Server-only administration, persistence and database components are loaded with
-serverMod, not forced onto clients. - Altis Life RPG 5.0.0 still has its mission PBO,
life_server.pbo, map-specificmission.sqm, and extDB3 configuration and binaries.
Mods do not all belong in the same parameter. The distinction between -mod and -serverMod is the most common cause of unnecessary download prompts and join failures.
Before changing the live server
Stop and back up the installation
Stop the Arma 3 service or batch file before copying, replacing or updating any mod. Make a restorable backup of:
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server.cfgorconfig.cfg- The complete
MPMissionsdirectory @life_serverand itsAddonsfolder@extDB3, includingextdb3-conf.iniand the platform-specific binaries- The Altis Life database
- The server profile directory and recent RPT logs
- The current startup script, service definition or hosting-panel settings
If you are adding several items, copy the server to a staging directory or separate test instance. A dependency update can break mission initialization even when the server itself still starts; staging gives you a clean rollback point.
Confirm the server root and platform
Locate the directory containing the Arma 3 dedicated-server executable. All relative -mod and -serverMod paths should resolve from this installation (or a directory below it). Record whether the server runs on Windows or Linux, how it is started, and where its profile and RPT files are written. Do not edit a shortcut while the service actually starts from a different script.
Classify the mod before downloading it
Open the creator’s official Workshop page or release notes and record the following for every item:
- The numeric Workshop ID shown in the page address after
?id=. - Required frameworks and dependencies, such as CBA, and their supported versions.
- Whether the item changes content that clients must load or is server-only.
- Whether it contains a
Keysdirectory and signed PBOs. - The version tested with your Altis Life 5.0 mission and any required load order.
A similar name is not proof of compatibility. An item intended for another mission version, map or framework may load partially and fail later during mission initialization.
Choose the correct startup parameter
| Content type | Parameter | Who needs it | Typical examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Client-required | -mod |
The dedicated server and every connecting player | Frameworks, vehicles, weapons, maps or gameplay assets referenced by the mission |
| Server-only | -serverMod |
The dedicated server only | Persistence, administration, logging and database components such as @life_server and @extDB3 |
Never put a server-only package in -mod merely because it is convenient. Doing so can make the launcher ask every player to install software they do not need. Conversely, an asset referenced by the mission will produce missing-addon errors if it is hidden in -serverMod.
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Download Workshop content with SteamCMD
Use the Arma 3 application ID
Workshop content for Arma 3 is downloaded through SteamCMD with application ID 107410. Stop the server first, then run a command in the SteamCMD directory. The documented Linux-style pattern is:
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorssteamcmd +force_install_dir /data/arma3 +login anonymous +workshop_download_item 107410 <workshop-id> validate +quitReplace <workshop-id> with the item’s numeric Workshop ID. On Windows, use the equivalent absolute installation path, for example C:Arma3Server, with the quoting required by your shell. The command’s validate operation checks the downloaded files; it does not guarantee that the mod is compatible with your mission.
Find the downloaded files
SteamCMD stores Workshop data under its content directory. The downloaded item normally has a numeric directory name. Expose it to the server as an @ModName directory inside or below the Arma 3 installation, either by copying it or by using a symbolic link supported by your operating system and hosting arrangement. Keep the internal Addons, Keys and metadata files intact.
Use a stable, unambiguous folder name, such as @CBA_A3 or @YourClientMod, and use that exact spelling in the startup command. Folder names are not Workshop IDs; the ID is used for downloading and Workshop association, while the folder name is what the server loads.
Add Workshop metadata when appropriate
Bohemia Interactive’s server-browser integration can associate a local mod folder with its Workshop item through a meta.cpp file in the mod root:
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protocol = 1;
publishedid = 123456789;Replace 123456789 with the actual Workshop ID. This metadata lets the Arma 3 Launcher associate the server mod with its Workshop page and offer activation or download assistance. It does not replace the server’s startup parameter or make a server-only package a client dependency.
Build the startup command
Load client-required mods with -mod
Separate multiple folders with semicolons:
-mod=@CBA_A3;@YourClientMod;Use relative paths within or below the Arma 3 directory when relying on the official -mod behavior. Keep the list in a documented order, especially when a framework’s instructions specify that it must load before an addon that depends on it. Do not add spaces or a mistyped folder name; a visually similar name can prevent the folder from loading.
Load server-only components with -serverMod
Keep persistence and database packages separate:
-serverMod=@life_server;@extDB3;@YourServerTool;Players should not be told to subscribe to these folders. The server still needs to read their files, but clients should only receive the client-required list from -mod.
Document the exact client list
Publish each required mod’s display name, Workshop ID, expected version policy and dependency order. A launcher preset or imported modset is useful, but it is not a substitute for stating the list: players need to know what to repair when an automatic Workshop update changes a file.
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Preserve the Altis Life 5.0.0 layout
Adding a mod must not move or rename the files that the Altis Life framework expects. The cited framework guide requires extDB3 for Altis Life RPG v5.0.0. A representative Windows layout is:
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Arma 3 Server/
├─ @life_server/
│ └─ Addons/
│ └─ life_server.pbo
├─ @extDB3/
│ ├─ extdb3-conf.ini
│ └─ extDB3.dll
└─ MPMissions/
└─ Altis_Life.Altis.pboKeep life_server.pbo in place
The server-side Altis Life code belongs under @life_serverAddonslife_server.pbo on Windows, or the corresponding path on Linux. Do not unpack the PBO, rename it, or place it in the mission directory. If it is loaded as a server-only package, keep @life_server in -serverMod.
Keep the mission PBO in MPMissions
The playable mission remains Altis_Life.Altis.pbo under MPMissions. Adding a map or gameplay addon does not change this filename unless the framework’s release explicitly provides a different mission. Confirm that the server’s mission selection or automatic initialization points to the same map and mission class.
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For version 5.0.0 and later, copy the SQM for the selected map from the framework’s SQMs folder into the mission directory and rename the copy to exactly mission.sqm. A mission that starts with the wrong map’s SQM can show missing objects, incorrect spawn locations or initialization errors even when every mod is present.
Configure extDB3 privately
Set the database connection in @extDB3extdb3-conf.ini (or the platform-equivalent path), then verify that the extDB3 binaries match the server platform. Keep database credentials out of public repositories, shared player backups and downloadable mod presets. A successful process start does not prove that the database connection succeeded; check the RPT log for the extDB3 connection and query errors.
Install signature keys
Signature enforcement determines whether the server accepts signed addon files. With verifySignatures = 2, inspect every enabled mod’s Keys directory and copy each public .bikey file into the dedicated server’s root keys directory. Preserve the mod’s signed PBOs and do not replace them with files from a different release.
Restart after adding or replacing keys. A client with an unsigned or differently signed copy can be kicked even when the folder name and Workshop ID match. The key proves that the addon was signed by the corresponding private key; it does not prove that the addon is safe, current or compatible with Altis Life.
Testing versus enforcement
| Operating mode | Benefit | Risk and use |
|---|---|---|
| Signature enforcement enabled | Rejects clients whose addon signatures do not match the server’s accepted keys | Missing keys or an incorrectly signed client copy cause kicks; use for the live server |
| Permissive staging test | Helps isolate mission and dependency problems before distributing keys | Provides less protection against unauthorized or altered content; restrict to a private test instance |
Synchronize every player
Players need the same required client modset, including compatible versions of dependencies. They can subscribe to the Workshop items manually or use a launcher preset/modset. When the server’s mod folders contain valid Workshop metadata, the Arma 3 Launcher can associate required items with their Workshop pages and offer activation or download prompts.
Give players a repair procedure: close the game, verify or reacquire the affected Workshop item, remove an obsolete duplicate with a different folder name, activate the published preset, and launch with no extra versions enabled. Server-only entries from -serverMod should not appear in the player’s required list.
A repeatable deployment procedure
- Stop the server and back it up. Save configuration, missions, Altis Life, extDB3, database and logs.
- Record the mod specification. Note the Workshop ID, folder name, dependencies, client/server classification, signed status and tested version.
- Download one item with SteamCMD. Use app ID
107410, the numeric Workshop ID andvalidate. - Expose the folder. Place it as
@ModNameinside or below the Arma 3 installation and retain its internal structure. - Add optional Workshop metadata. Put a
meta.cppwith the correctpublishedidin the mod root when Launcher association is desired. - Choose the parameter. Add client content to
-mod; add server-only content to-serverMod. - Install keys. Copy each required public
.bikeyfrom the mod’sKeysdirectory to the server’skeysdirectory if signature verification is enabled. - Check Altis Life files. Confirm
life_server.pbo,Altis_Life.Altis.pbo, the correctly renamedmission.sqm, extDB3 binaries andextdb3-conf.ini. - Start the staging instance. Wait for mission selection or automatic initialization and inspect the newest RPT log.
- Connect with a clean matching client. Test loading, joining, spawning, database persistence and any feature supplied by the new mod.
- Promote only after the test passes. Copy the tested command and files to production, restart, and record the deployed versions.
Workshop downloads versus manual files
| Approach | Advantages | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Workshop through SteamCMD | Uses the publisher’s numeric item, supports validation and can integrate with Launcher metadata | Automatic updates can change the files without matching your mission’s tested version; version records and rollback backups are essential |
| Manual archive or copied files | Gives you a fixed file set and can preserve a known-good build offline | Updates, dependencies, signatures and provenance must be tracked manually; an incomplete archive may omit keys or required folders |
Use the method that matches the publisher’s distribution policy, but keep a copy of the exact files that passed your Altis Life test. “Latest” is not the same as “compatible.”
Automatic updates or pinned versions
Automatic Workshop updates reduce maintenance when a publisher ships routine fixes, but they can also replace a dependency while your mission still expects the previous interface. Pin or roll back to an older build when the publisher provides one and the update breaks the mission. If no rollback is available, restore the server backup, disable the update path temporarily and test the new release in staging before re-enabling production updates.
Record the date, Workshop ID, local folder name and tested release for every production change. This makes a future signature or dependency failure attributable to a specific update instead of an unexplained collection of files.
Troubleshooting by symptom
“Addon is not signed” or signature kicks
- Confirm the mod’s public
.bikeyis in the server rootkeysdirectory. - Check that the key came from the same signed release as the PBOs in the loaded folder.
- Make sure the client has the signed Workshop build, not an old manual copy or an altered archive.
- Restart after changing keys and compare the RPT entry with the exact addon name.
“Missing addon” or dependency errors
- Check spelling and capitalization of every
@ModNamein the startup command. - Look for an extra level of nesting, such as
@ModName@ModNameAddons; the folder named in the parameter must contain the mod’s expected directories. - Confirm that required frameworks such as CBA are installed, enabled and loaded in the required order.
- Compare the client’s active list with the server’s
-modlist and remove duplicate or obsolete versions.
The server starts, but Altis Life does not initialize
- Verify
@life_serverAddonslife_server.pboand that@life_serveris in-serverMod. - Verify
MPMissionsAltis_Life.Altis.pboand the selected mission name. - Copy the correct map SQM into the mission directory and rename it
mission.sqm. - Check extDB3 binaries,
extdb3-conf.ini, database reachability and credentials. - Read the first initialization error in the RPT rather than only the final “mission failed” line.
Players are prompted to install a server-only mod
Remove that folder from -mod and place it in -serverMod. Then remove it from the player-facing preset and restart the server. If the component actually supplies assets referenced by a mission, classify it as client-required instead; the parameter must match what the mission executes.
A Workshop update broke the mission
- Stop production and preserve the current logs.
- Restore the last known-good mod folder and configuration from backup, or pin an older publisher-provided build.
- Reproduce the failure in staging with the new build and inspect dependency and initialization errors.
- Update the player preset only after the server and a clean client pass the same test.
When managed hosting is worthwhile
A managed Arma 3 host can automate SteamCMD downloads, startup parameters and file permissions. It is useful when you do not control a persistent Windows or Linux machine or when several administrators need a web-based mod manager. You still need to classify -mod versus -serverMod, preserve the Altis Life 5.0 files, manage extDB3 credentials and test updates. A panel cannot resolve an incompatible dependency or supply a missing signature key. Check the provider’s current program terms, supported operating system, backup controls and rollback features before moving a live database.
Quick Recap
Production checklist
- Server stopped before file changes
- Configuration, mission, Altis Life, extDB3, database and logs backed up
- Workshop ID and dependency list recorded
- Folder exposed as the intended
@ModName - Client-required folders listed under
-mod - Server-only folders listed under
-serverMod - Correct
meta.cppadded where Workshop association is needed - Every required
.bikeycopied tokeyswhenverifySignatures = 2 life_server.pbo,Altis_Life.Altis.pbo, map-specificmission.sqmand extDB3 files verified- One-mod staging test completed with a clean matching client
- RPT log checked after startup and after a player joins
- Rollback copy retained before enabling automatic updates
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