Arma Reforger Mod Dependencies
Many Workshop mods depend on other mods to function. A server config needs the mod you want plus every mod it requires, or the server cannot assemble a complete mod set at startup. This guide explains how dependencies work, how to find them on ReforgerMods.net, and how to add them cleanly.
What a dependency is
A dependency is another Workshop mod that a mod needs in order to load. A weapon pack might depend on a shared core mod, or a scenario might depend on the terrain and faction mods it was built on. The dependency relationship is declared by the mod author on the Workshop, not something you infer from the name.
Dependencies can also be transitive. If mod A depends on mod B, and mod B depends on mod C, then a server running A needs B and C. The server resolves the full set at startup, so a config that lists only A but not B or C is incomplete even though it looks correct.
How the server uses dependencies
At startup the server reads game.mods, then downloads and mounts each mod. A mod cannot mount if a mod it requires is not part of the set. In practice this shows up as a mod that fails to load, a scenario that will not start, or a startup log that stops on a missing content reference. Adding the missing dependency to game.mods is the fix.
Load order in the array does not decide resolution. The server works out the correct order from the declared dependencies. Order is for humans, and the server mod order guide covers keeping the array readable.
Find dependencies on ReforgerMods.net
Open a mod in the mod browser and read its dependencies section. Each listed dependency links to its own detail page, so you can follow the chain and collect every required mod ID without leaving the site. This is normalized from Arma Reforger Workshop data, so it shows the dependency relationships in one place instead of one Workshop page at a time.
Developers can request the same relationships as JSON from the V2 API:
curl https://api.reforgermods.net/v2/mods/{mod_id}/dependenciesDependency data is cached, so it can lag slightly behind a very recent Workshop change. Treat it as a practical setup aid rather than a moderation signal or an official entitlement.
Add required mods to config.json
List the main mod and every dependency it needs in game.mods. Each entry needs a modId; the name is optional and only helps you read the file.
"mods": [
{ "modId": "5965550F24A0C152", "name": "Main Mod" },
{ "modId": "5A0C1525965550F2", "name": "Required Core" },
{ "modId": "0F2A5C15965550C1", "name": "Transitive Dependency" }
]The adding mods guide explains the full entry shape, and the find a mod ID guide covers where each ID comes from. If a dependency ships a scenario you plan to run, the scenarios guide explains how the mod and its scenarioId fit together.
Dependencies and download size
Every dependency is a real download that clients and the server must fetch before the mod set is ready. A single mod with several large dependencies can pull in more data than its own file size suggests. When you plan a mod list, account for the whole resolved set, not just the headline mods, so first joins and updates are not slower than expected.
Versions and dependencies
Dependency requirements belong to a specific mod version. Updating one mod can change what it depends on, so re-check dependencies after an update rather than assuming an old list is still complete. Mod detail pages show version history so you can see when a mod last changed.
Avoid duplicate entries
If two mods depend on the same Workshop item, list it once. Duplicate IDs make the file harder to maintain and can hide which version pin or required flag you meant to keep. The mod manager flags duplicates while you build the list, and the validator flags them in a finished file.
Troubleshooting missing dependencies
- A mod loads on one server but not yours: compare mod lists and add any dependency the working server includes.
- A scenario will not start: confirm the scenario mod and all of its dependencies are in
game.mods. - Startup stops on a missing content or resource reference: a required mod is absent from the set.
- The list looked complete but broke after an update: re-check the updated mod's dependencies, which may have changed.