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Getting started

SimpleDZ is a desktop app that installs, updates and looks after your DayZ servers. Getting your first server running takes a few minutes:

Create an account. Register with your e-mail address and a password, then click the link in the confirmation e-mail. If it doesn't arrive within a few minutes, check your spam folder or send it again.
Download the app. Sign in and go to Download. Pick the Windows installer or the Linux package.
Install it on the machine that will run your servers — your PC, a dedicated server or a VPS.
Sign in in the app with the same e-mail and password.
Create a server. The wizard asks for a name and the basic settings, then downloads the DayZ server files for you. You don't need a Steam account.
Add mods (optional). Add the Workshop mods you want — SimpleDZ downloads them and keeps them up to date.
Start the server and open its ports in your router or firewall so players can connect (see Requirements).

That's it. From now on SimpleDZ watches for updates, restarts the server when needed and runs the tasks you set up in the Scheduler.

Requirements

Operating system: 64-bit Windows 10 or 11, or a 64-bit (x64) Linux distribution.
A machine you fully control: your own PC, a dedicated server or a VPS. Game-server hosting where you only get a control panel and no access to the system is not supported (why?).
Disk space: the DayZ server alone takes several GB; mods add more. Leave room for backups too.
Network: each server needs its ports reachable from the internet over UDP — the game port (2302 by default) and the Steam query port (27016 by default). You'll find the exact ports in the server's settings in the app; with several servers SimpleDZ assigns them so they never collide.
A SimpleDZ account (e-mail and password).
No Steam account and no extra copy of the game — SimpleDZ downloads the server and Workshop mods for you.

Install, update and uninstall (Linux)

Install — run in a terminal (no sudo needed):

curl -fsSL https://ksdev.ovh/dl/install.sh | bash

SimpleDZ appears in your application menu; you can also start it with simpledz in a terminal.

Update — run the same command again. Only the program is replaced; your servers, backups and settings stay untouched. New versions are announced in News.

Uninstall — removes the program, menu entry and icon, keeps your data and settings:

curl -fsSL https://ksdev.ovh/dl/install.sh | bash -s -- --uninstall

Remove everything — also deletes your data folder (servers, backups, cache) and settings. You'll be asked to confirm:

curl -fsSL https://ksdev.ovh/dl/install.sh | bash -s -- --purge

Stop your servers and close SimpleDZ before uninstalling.

Where are your files

SimpleDZ keeps everything in three places:

Location	What's inside
`~/SimpleDZ/`	Your data: `Servers/` (one folder per server — mission, profiles, config, mods), `Backups/`, `Logs/` and `Cache/` (downloaded game and mod files shared by all servers).
`~/.config/simpledz/`	Settings: `settings.json` (application settings and your server list) and your sign-in session.
`~/.local/share/simpledz/`	The program itself. You don't need to touch it — updates replace it without affecting your data.

Quick access: in the app, Tools → Open server folder opens a server's files, and Options → Data folder → Open opens ~/SimpleDZ.
Manual backup: copy ~/.config/simpledz/ and ~/SimpleDZ/Servers/. Cache/ doesn't need a backup — SimpleDZ downloads it again when needed.
Another disk: servers take a lot of space (each one is a few GB). Move the data folder in Options → Data folder → Change… (servers must be stopped). Advanced: set the SIMPLEDZ_DATA_DIR environment variable.
Uninstall: see Install, update and uninstall.

FAQ

Do I need a Steam account or a copy of DayZ?

No. SimpleDZ downloads the DayZ server and Workshop mods for you — no SteamCMD, no logging in.

Can I run several servers on one machine?

Yes. Run as many as your hardware can handle. Ports are assigned automatically so the servers don't get in each other's way.

What happens when a mod or the game gets an update?

SimpleDZ notices the new version, downloads it once and starts a countdown on the servers that use it. Players get warnings in chat, then the server is locked, players are kicked with a message, and the server restarts with the update. Servers that don't use the updated mod keep running.

Are my mission files safe?

Yes. By default game updates don't touch your mission files. If you choose to update them, SimpleDZ makes a backup first. Your own files — server config, ban list, whitelist and so on — are never overwritten.

Can I use SimpleDZ with my game-server hosting provider?

Only if you get full access to the system (like a VPS or dedicated server). SimpleDZ isn't a web panel — it's a caretaker that runs next to your server: it watches the process, brings it back after a crash, swaps files during updates and makes backups. Hosting panels lock exactly that down.

And honestly, if you run a server seriously, your own machine pays off:

Lower cost per server. Hosting charges per slot and per server. On your own machine you run as many servers as the hardware allows — SimpleDZ keeps their ports apart.
Performance. DayZ wants a strong CPU and plenty of RAM. On a dedicated server you don't share them with someone else's servers.
One machine for everything. Your website, Discord bot or a database for your mods can live right next to the game server.
Full control. Your files, logs and backups stay with you, and you're not limited to what a panel lets you change.

Support for hosting providers may come one day, but for now we focus on giving you full control.

Windows or Linux?

Both. It's the same app with the same features.

How much does it cost?

The closed beta is free for testers. After launch SimpleDZ will be modular — you pay only for the features you use. See Early Access.

What happens to my tester spot if I stop using SimpleDZ?

Spots are limited. A spot that stays inactive for a long time may be passed on to someone else.

Troubleshooting

Players can't connect to my server

Make sure the server's game port and Steam query port (see the server settings) are open in your firewall and forwarded in your router, over UDP.
On a VPS, also check the provider's firewall or security group.
Give the server a minute after start — it has to load the world before it accepts players.

The server doesn't start after a mod update

Open the server's log in the app. If a mod couldn't be downloaded, SimpleDZ can hold the start so players don't join an outdated server — you'll find this option in the server settings. Once the download succeeds, the server starts normally.

SimpleDZ doesn't start with the system on Linux

SimpleDZ uses the standard XDG autostart. Some window managers (for example Hyprland) don't run it by default. Add exec-once = dex -a to your Hyprland config, or start your session with uwsm.

I didn't get the confirmation e-mail

Check your spam folder, then send it again. Still nothing? Contact us.