DayZ Linux Launcher (DZLL) Documentation

You need:

1. A Linux installation with the native Steam desktop client installed.
2. Steam signed in to the account that owns DayZ.
3. DayZ installed through Steam.
4. Enough free disk space for DayZ and the mods used by the servers you play.

Flatpak Steam is not supported for DZLL's Workshop mod preparation. If Flatpak Steam is running, close it and start the native Steam client instead.

You do not normally need to enter a Steam or DayZ folder path. DZLL looks through your native Steam libraries for the installed DayZ game and uses the matching Workshop location. If automatic detection cannot find it, use Settings → Mods → Workshop Directory and select it manually.

There is no special Linux command you need to run. Start Steam normally from your desktop or application menu.

1. Start the native Steam client.
2. Sign in and wait until Steam is online.
3. Start DZLL.
4. Wait while DZLL updates its server list. The startup message may say Updating The Server Database, Please Wait….
5. When the server list appears, search or filter it.

If Steam is closed when you click Join, DZLL can ask whether it should start Steam. Choose Start Steam and wait for Steam to become ready. You can choose Always start Steam automatically in that prompt, or later use Start Steam Automatically on Join in Settings → Launch.

Search by server name or address

Use the search box with the hint Filter by name or IP. Click MOD for required mods. Type part of a server name or its IP address. The list narrows as you type. Searches shorter than two characters may not narrow the list.

Filter the list

• Map — show a selected map or All Maps.
• Show Favourites — show only starred servers.
• 1st Person Only and 3rd Person Only — these cannot be active together.
• No Password — hide password-protected servers.
• Online Only — hide servers that appear offline.
• Previously Joined — show servers joined before.

Click RESET to clear the search and filters.

Search by required mods

Click MOD beside the search box to search by required mods. Select a known mod from the suggestions, or type mods: in the normal search box. Selected mods appear as removable chips; click the × on a chip to remove it.

Finding a Server: A Simple Example

1. Start Steam and leave it running.
2. Start DZLL.
3. Type part of the server name into the search box.
4. Select a server row.
5. Check the map, player count, ping, perspective badge, password lock, and required mods.
6. Click the play button or the server's Join action.
7. Let DZLL check and prepare the required mods.
8. Leave the preparation window alone until it says the mods are ready and launches DayZ.

The current server browser is a column view. Each row contains:

• A star (☆ or ★) for favourites.
• A lock icon for Password Protected.
• 1P for first-person only and 3P when third-person is allowed.
• The server name, country flag when available, and address. Right-clicking the address can copy it.
• Mods: number for the required mod count. Click it to inspect mod names.
• TIME, PLAYED, MAP, PLAYERS, and PING information.
• The eye-style button for Server Companion and the play button to join.

Click PLAYED, PLAYERS, or PING to sort. Click the same heading again to reverse the order.

Refreshing live information

Use the refresh control to update live ping, player count, queue, and online status. An OFFLINE server is not responding to DZLL's status check; it may be restarting or temporarily unavailable. Try refreshing later.

When you choose Join, DZLL checks the selected server's required mods and the local copies available to DayZ.

When everything is ready

DZLL quickly verifies current mods and starts DayZ. You may see Checking & Preparing Mods for Join..., followed by All Mods Ready, Launching DayZ, Please Wait....

When mods are missing or need updates

DZLL asks native Steam to download missing Workshop mods or update older copies. The preparation window can show Waiting for Steam…, the active mod and size, a progress bar and percentage, and a count such as 1/4. When complete, it may show All Mods Downloaded, Launching DayZ, Please Wait.... DayZ should start automatically.

When Steam needs attention

Steam must be running and signed in. If a required mod is outdated or unfinished, open Steam's Downloads page, let the update finish, and try Join again.

DZLL uses the server's required mod list. It does not ask you to download each mod manually before every join.

1. DZLL reads the server's required mod list.
2. DZLL checks whether each required mod is ready.
3. If needed, DZLL asks Steam to download or update the mods.
4. DZLL waits for Steam to finish.
5. DZLL checks the result again and starts DayZ with the prepared mods.

If Auto-install Missing Mods is turned off in Settings → Mods, missing mods are not downloaded automatically. For the normal setup, leave Enable DZLL Mod Management and Auto-install Missing Mods enabled.

Downloading and Updating Mods

Steam must be open and logged in while DZLL checks or changes Workshop content. Steam's Downloads page is useful when a download seems slow or unfinished. The preparation overlay shows the active mod, download size when available, progress, and completed items. Wait for it to finish before starting DayZ yourself.

DZLL can prepare a server's required mods before you join it.

1. Turn on Show Background Download Buttons in Settings → General.
2. Click a server's download button in the server list.
3. Follow the background preparation strip showing the server, current mod, progress, and percentage when available.

Multiple servers can be queued. DZLL prepares them one after another and reports how many are ready, failed, or cancelled. Click Cancel to stop active and queued work; Retry Failed retries failed servers, and Close closes the result.

While background preparation is active, joining may be unavailable. Wait for it to finish or cancel it first.

The preparation window has a Cancel button.

• During a mod download, Cancel stops the download and cleans up unfinished subscription work. Wait for Cancelling download and cleaning up... to finish.
• While waiting for Steam or launch, it stops waiting and closes the preparation window.
• A cancelled join does not start DayZ. Try Join again when Steam is ready.

Cancellation may take a short time. Do not repeatedly click the button. If the operation has finished with an error, it changes to Close.

Open it with the installed-mods button, or through Settings → Mods → Manage Installed Mods. It shows locally detected DayZ mods, Workshop status, IDs, size, last used date, selection checkboxes, and repair controls.

If no mods are listed, DZLL shows No installed mods found. Join a modded server to install required mods. Steam must be running and logged in to verify subscriptions or repair a Workshop mod. Flatpak Steam must be closed; native Steam must be the only Steam client running.

Remove a selected Workshop mod

1. Select mods with their checkboxes.
2. Click Unsubscribe Selected.
3. Read and confirm the dialog only if you are sure.

Local-only items are skipped by this action.

Clean up local-only files

Clean Up Local Files is separate from unsubscribing. DZLL checks selected items first. Follow the confirmation text, such as Close Steam and Clean Up or Clean Up, and wait for the status to finish.

Remove all Workshop subscriptions

Unsubscribe All Workshop Mods is a broad action. Read the confirmation carefully. During a long operation, Stop After Current stops after the current item. Do not manually delete files inside Steam's Workshop folders while Steam is running.

1. Close DayZ completely.
2. Open Manage Installed Mods.
3. Find the mod, using Search mods by name or ID… if needed.
4. Click the row's Repair Mod tool.
5. Confirm with Repair Mod.
6. Wait for completion.

Repair downloads a fresh copy of that one mod and ends with Repair complete. It does not repair every installed mod. If DayZ is running, close it first. Native Steam must also be available; do not manually delete the mod.

Click the star at the left of a row to favourite it. A filled star (★) means it is favourited. Use Show Favourites to display only those servers.

The PLAYED column records when DZLL last detected DayZ successfully starting for that server. It can show:

• Today
• Yesterday
• N Days Ago
• no value when you have not successfully joined it

Use Previously Joined to show servers with a recorded join. To erase this list, open Settings → General and click Clear Played History. This does not uninstall mods or remove favourites.

Server Companion watches one selected server and can show its online state, map, ping, players, queue, and in-game time. It can also learn a restart pattern from repeated observations.

Start monitoring a server

1. Turn on Show Server Companion in Settings → General.
2. Click the eye-style monitor button for a server.
3. The panel opens with current information. If none is selected, it says Join a server to begin monitoring.

Use Pause and Resume to control polling. CLEAR removes the current companion selection.

What learning means

Server Companion needs to observe complete restart cycles. It may show no learned cycle, a likely pattern, or a confidence value that is still improving. It may show Restart Cycle, Next Restart, Countdown, and Confidence or Pattern Confidence. These are estimates, not guarantees; incomplete observations can hide the prediction until there is enough information again.

Turn on Server Shutdown/Restart Alert for the monitored server. When enabled, choose an Alert Sound, adjust Alert Volume, and use the play button to test it.

When there is enough confidence and timing information, DZLL can warn about an expected restart or shutdown about five minutes beforehand. If there is no safe prediction, no five-minute warning is available. Keep the companion visible and monitoring the server to continue watching it.

Open Settings with the settings button. The pages are General, Launch, Mods, Discord, and About. Most users can leave the defaults unchanged.

General

• Ingame Name — the name DayZ should use.
• Show Background Download Buttons — prepare mods before joining.
• Hide Test Servers By Default — hide test servers.
• Show Server Companion — show its panel.
• Export Data and Import Data — move learned restart information between installations.
• Show Counts In Title Bar, Servers Loaded, and Global Players — optionally show counts.
• Clear Played History — remove recent-server history.
• Auto Check For Updates — check for launcher updates automatically.
• Update Server Database — manually refresh the server database.

Launch

• Additional Launch Params — extra DayZ launch options.
• Start Steam Automatically on Join — start native Steam when closed.
• Skip DayZ Launcher and Minimise DayZ Launcher — control the separate launcher.
• No Splash — control the launcher splash screen.
• Force Fullscreen and Windowed Mode — choose how DayZ opens; these are mutually exclusive.

Mods

• Enable DZLL Mod Management — the master switch for automatic required-mod handling.
• Workshop Directory — normally leave blank for automatic detection; use Browse if needed.
• Additional Mods (Id's) — add extra Workshop IDs.
• Auto-install Missing Mods — download missing required mods when joining.
• Manage Installed Mods — open the Mod Manager.

Discord

Discord settings are optional. Enable Rich Presence can show DZLL or DayZ activity. Privacy Mode (Hide Server Details) hides server details. Detail Level offers In Menus, In Game, and On Server.

About

This page shows the DZLL version, update controls, support links, and project links. Use Check For Updates to check manually.

Steam is not running

Start native Steam and sign in, click Start Steam when asked, or enable Start Steam Automatically on Join. Try Join again.

Steam is offline

Bring Steam online, wait for it to finish signing in, and retry. DZLL cannot reliably check, download, or update required mods while Steam is offline.

Flatpak Steam is running

Close Flatpak Steam and start native Steam only. If both clients are running, close both, start native Steam, and use Recheck where DZLL offers it.

DayZ cannot be found

Confirm DayZ is installed in native Steam and can launch. If DZLL still cannot find the Workshop location, use Settings → Mods → Workshop Directory → Browse.

A mod download appears stuck

Check Steam's Downloads page. If Steam has finished but DZLL still reports an unfinished update, let Steam settle and try Join again.

Steam is still downloading a mod

Leave Steam open and allow the download to finish. Retry Join afterward.

A mod is damaged or DayZ will not load it

Close DayZ, open Manage Installed Mods, and use Repair Mod. Do not manually delete Workshop files.

The server appears offline

Refresh and check again. It may be restarting or temporarily unavailable. Online Only can hide offline rows, but does not make one available.

The server has a password

A lock means Password Protected. Get the password from the server owner or community. Use No Password to hide passworded servers.

Join waits longer than expected

DZLL may be waiting for Steam, a mod download, or DayZ. Keep Steam signed in, check Downloads, or click Cancel and wait for cleanup.

I want to stop waiting

Click Cancel. During download work DZLL cancels and cleans up; during waiting it stops and closes the preparation window. DayZ will not launch.

Server Companion has no restart prediction

This is normal for a new or recently selected server. Keep monitoring it over time; a prediction appears only when the learned timing is reliable enough.

Do I need to download every mod manually?

No. With Enable DZLL Mod Management and Auto-install Missing Mods enabled, DZLL asks native Steam to prepare required Workshop mods when you join.

Should Steam be open before I start DZLL?

It is easiest to start native Steam and sign in first. If it is closed, DZLL can ask to start it when you join.

Can I use Flatpak Steam?

No. DZLL's current Workshop preparation requires the native Steam client.

Can I delete Workshop files by hand?

Do not manually delete them while Steam is running. Use Unsubscribe Selected, Unsubscribe All Workshop Mods, Clean Up Local Files, or Repair Mod as appropriate.

What is ping?

Ping is the time for a status request to reach the server and return, measured in milliseconds. It guides connection responsiveness but does not guarantee in-game performance.

What does the queue value mean?

It is the number of players waiting to enter the server, when the server reports a queue.

Why does a mod show no last-used date?

DZLL records a server as played only after it detects DayZ successfully starting. A cancelled or failed join does not create a successful played entry.