How to install mods on an Arma Reforger server?

Want to install mods on your Arma Reforger server without the hassle? The game gives you a ready-to-paste JSON list, and the Oxygenserv panel does the rest.

Prerequisites

• Access to the Oxygenserv panel (your login and password)
• Arma Reforger installed on your PC (same version as the server)
• Chosen mods downloaded at least once via the in-game “Workshop”
• An Arma Reforger server on Oxygenserv created and startable
• Ability to edit server.json (or config.json) in the panel

Detailed steps

1. Grab the JSON list of your mods from the game
   Launch Arma Reforger, open “Workshop”, and subscribe to the mods you want, including all prerequisites. When done, click the puzzle icon in the top-right. Open the “JSON” tab. Click “Copy to clipboard” to copy the array. You now have the exact list to paste into your server config.
2. Log in to the Oxygenserv panel and stop the server
   Open the Oxygenserv panel, select your Arma Reforger service, then click “Stop”. Wait until the status shows “Stopped” before editing. Editing while it’s running can discard changes. You’ll see a green “Start” button once it’s fully stopped.
3. Open the server configuration
   Go to “Files” then the config editor and open the main server config. Depending on your template, the file is usually server.json (sometimes config.json). Make a quick backup: duplicate it as server-backup.json. If anything breaks, you can roll back instantly.
4. Enable modded mode and locate the mods section
   In the JSON, ensure "modded": true exists at the root level. Find the "mods": [] section. If it doesn’t exist, add it cleanly: "mods": [] with a comma on the previous line if needed. Save if you created these keys, then reopen to continue.
5. Paste the mods JSON array into "mods": []
   Place the cursor right after the first [ of "mods": [], add a new line, then paste. It should look like this:
   "mods": [
{
"modId": "59E0AA2E55CC9EB3",
"name": "AI Plus"
},
{
"modId": "A1B2C3D4E5F6",
"name": "Quality of Life Pack"
}
]
   Make sure there’s no trailing comma after the last object. If you later see “Invalid JSON”, it’s usually a comma or missing brace.
6. Save and restart the server
   Click “Save” (top-right). Open the “Console” tab and click “Start” or “Restart”. Watch the logs: you should see lines like “Workshop: Downloading mod …” followed by “Server started”. If it hangs, check the log for a JSON parse error and fix the reported line.
7. Join and verify versions
   Start the game, find your server (it should be flagged “Modded”), and join. If you get a version or dependency mismatch, re-export the list via the puzzle icon and replace the array in "mods": []. Ensure players have downloaded the same mods and prerequisites. Restart the server after any change.

Tips & optimization

– Keep the active mod count reasonable (e.g., 10–20) for faster loading and fewer conflicts.
– Always include prerequisites: missing one can prevent a clean startup.
– After a major mod update, re-export the list from the game to ensure correct IDs/versions.
– Schedule a daily off-peak restart to clear memory and improve stability.
– Validate your JSON with an online validator before saving—this avoids most startup errors.

FAQ

The server won’t start after adding mods. What now?

Stop the server, restore your server-backup.json, then diff and fix the JSON. Look for trailing commas, missing quotes, or unclosed braces. Validate with a JSON checker. Paste the mods array cleanly and restart.

Players can’t join (version mismatch)?

Re-export the mod list via the puzzle icon (JSON tab) and replace everything inside "mods": []. Ask players to update/download the same mods in Workshop. Restart the server to apply new versions.

I can’t find the right config file in the panel

In Oxygenserv, go to “Files” and search for server.json or config.json. Open the one containing "mods": [] and "modded": true. If the section is missing, add it as shown above.

You’re set to mod your server like a pro. Take a minute to validate the JSON, restart, and enjoy the upgraded experience with your community.

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