MCP server

DayZ Labs ships with a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server. It lets an AI agent — for example Claude — drive the launcher for you: check status, start and stop the server, read and diagnose logs, build and preflight mods, edit the Central Economy, download Workshop items, and run git operations.

This is a power-user feature. You do not need it to use DayZ Labs day to day — the tray app already does everything through clicks. But if you work with an AI assistant, pointing it at the MCP server lets it do those same things on your behalf.

What you need

You don’t build anything. When you install DayZ Labs, the MCP server is installed alongside it. The MCP entry in the app’s left navigation shows its details and confirms it’s present.

The bundled server executable lives at:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\DayZLabs\current\mcp\dzl-mcp.exe

That’s the path you give your MCP client.

Point your AI agent at it

Add the server to your MCP client’s config. For most clients (including Claude) that means a small JSON entry. Use the full path to the bundled exe:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "dzl": {
      "command": "%LOCALAPPDATA%\\DayZLabs\\current\\mcp\\dzl-mcp.exe"
    }
  }
}

That’s it — no dotnet, no build step. The server reads the same config the tray app uses, so the agent sees your real mods, presets, servers, and paths.

By default it operates on your config at:

%LOCALAPPDATA%\dzl\config.json

If you keep more than one config and want the agent to use a specific one, set the DZL_CONFIG environment variable to that file’s absolute path in the same JSON entry under an "env" block.

Note

The server talks to your client over stdio, and stdout carries the protocol. The server’s own logging goes to stderr, so don’t pipe its stdout anywhere but the MCP client.

What the agent can do

Once connected, the agent has these tools. They map one-to-one onto the same actions you’d take in the tray app.

Lifecycle and status

Tool	What it does
status	Running state, mode, port, active profile, paths (dayz_path, dayz_server_path, …), enabled mods, newest log files.
start	Start the server (and optionally the client). mode = debug | normal.
stop	Stop the server (and optionally the client).
restart	Restart the server. mode = debug | normal.

Mods and presets

Tool	What it does
list_mods	The enabled mods (path + side) of the active profile.
list_presets	List profiles/presets; the active one is flagged.
set_preset	Switch the active profile by name.
list_mod_projects	Mod source projects under your Projects root with their P: link state.
new_mod / import_mod / link_mod	Scaffold / import / link a mod source project.

Logs and diagnosis

Tool	What it does
logs	Last N lines of a log: script | rpt | adm | client.
diagnose_logs	Scan a log tail for known failure signatures (verification kicks, build-tool symptoms) → cause/fix entries.

Build and DayZ Tools

Tool	What it does
preflight	Validate a mod before building (config sanity, references, baked paths, path hygiene, ODOL, script traps).
build_mod	Build a mod into a PBO and add @<Mod> to the active server’s run-list.
generate_key	Create your signing key pair (one key signs all your mods).
pack_pbo	Pack a source folder into a PBO (Addon Builder).
unbinarize	Unbinarize a config.bin to .cpp (CfgConvert / DeRap).
convert_paa	Batch convert PNG/TGA to PAA in a folder (ImageToPAA).
list_tools / open_tool	Discover / launch DayZ Tools GUIs.
work_drive_action	Check / mount / unmount the P: work drive.

Central Economy

Tool	What it does
types_list	List types from the active mission’s CE files (filter by name / origin / file).
types_lint	Lint the active mission’s CE against cfglimitsdefinition and structural rules.
types_set	Set/insert a type (only given fields change; versioned backup first).
types_remove	Remove a type (versioned backup first).
types_backups / types_restore	List / restore versioned types.xml backups.

Server instances

Tool	What it does
new_server	Scaffold a new server instance and save it as a preset.
list_servers	List scaffolded server instances.
use_server	Activate a server instance by name.

Steam Workshop

Tool	What it does
workshop_search	Search the Workshop (needs a Steam Web API key).
workshop_add	Download an item via steamcmd (opens a console for Steam login/Guard).
workshop_update	Re-download item(s) to update them.

git / GitHub

Tool	What it does
repo_status	Git status of a mod project.
git_changes / git_log / git_diff	Changed files / recent commits / work-tree diff.
git_commit	Stage and commit a mod’s changes.
git_branches / git_checkout / git_create_branch	List / check out / create branches.
git_push / git_pull	Push / pull the current branch (needs a remote).
create_repo	Init git + create & push a GitHub repo for the mod.
release	Cut a GitHub release at HEAD (creates + pushes the tag).

Good to know

• workshop_add opens the steamcmd console for an interactive login plus Steam Guard the first time — you’ll need to complete sign-in yourself.
• Central Economy writes always snapshot the file first, so an agent can’t lose your work. Use types_backups / types_restore to roll back.
• If the tray app is open with its optional automation server turned on (it hosts a named pipe, dzl-ipc-v1), the agent’s actions route through that running app so it stays the single source of truth — what the agent does, you see live in the tray. This is off by default; turn it on in the app only if you want the agent and the tray to share one live session.