---
name: "Addons"
type: topic
source: https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Addons
revid: 364737
updated: 2024-06-03T07:37:04Z
---

# Addons

**Addons** are content additions to the game engine.
**Addons** can take many forms such as **weapons**, **buildings**, **vehicles** to name a few, are developed and released by members of the Bohemia Interactive community or by Bohemia Interactive themselves.

An **addon** is an archive ([pbo](../topics/PBO_File_Format.md)) of files that the game loads at startup.
Generally when most people think of addons, they immediately think of a new unit, or a new terrain, but in some cases an addon can contain only a `config.cpp` file and a few scripts, or some images.

### Installation

There comes a time when you've downloaded so many addons from the Internet and plunked them in your `~\addons` folder, that eventually, can cause a clash between one addon and another.
What Bohemia Interactive has done is introducing [mod](../topics/Arma~3A_Mod_Folders.md) folders to separate addons into different folders. The **mod folders** is the method that should be used when testing out new addons.

Always review the included ReadMe file for further information about the installation of an addon.

#### Arma 3

- **Addons**\
  must be installed into a custom [modfolder](../topics/Arma~3A_Mod_Folders.md). It is not recommended to place addons into the original Addons folder. Mods can also be installed from the [Steam](../topics/Steam.md) Workshop.

##### Steam Workshop

Arma 3 has introduced a new way of publishing, browsing and installing mods: [Steam Workshop](http://steamcommunity.com/workshop/browse?appid=107410).
There are two main parts to using Workshop: [Publisher](../topics/Publisher.md) to publish addons into Steam Cloud and [Arma 3: Launcher](../topics/Launcher.md) to download and/or update mods and launch the game with a selected set.

A typical use for **mods** case is:

- Creator publishes file to Steam Workshop using [Publisher](../topics/Publisher.md). He adds a tag *mod* to the published file.
- User browses Steam Workshop and subscribes to content he likes.
- [Arma 3: Launcher](../topics/Launcher.md) downloads and updates the subscribed mods (it only shows files with a steam tag *mod*).
- User can select which mods to load into the game.

A typical use for **scenarios** is:

- Creator publishes a scenario from in-game editor. Editor auto-adds the tag *scenarios*.
- User browses Steam Workshop and subscribes to content he likes.
- Steam downloads and updates the subscribed scenarios. They are accessible in-game from Play/Scenarios/Steam subscribed content (only content with a tag *scenario* is displayed here).

#### Arma 2

- **Addons**\
  must be installed into a custom [modfolder](../topics/Arma~3A_Mod_Folders.md). It is not recommended to place addons into the original Addons folder.

#### Armed Assault

- **Addons**\
  must be installed to *"Addons"* or *"ArmA\Addons"* or into a custom [modfolder](../topics/Arma~3A_Mod_Folders.md). It is not recommended to place addons into the original Addons folder.

#### Operation Flashpoint

- **Addons**\
  must be installed to *"...directory\Operation Flashpoint\Addons"* or *"...directory\Operation Flashpoint\Res\Addons"* or into a custom [modfolder](../topics/Arma~3A_Mod_Folders.md).
- **Custom Animations**\
  must be installed to *"...directory\Operation Flashpoint\dta\\"* (overwrite existing Anim.pbo) or *"...directory\Operation Flashpoint\Res\dta\\"* (overwrite existing Anim.pbo) or into a custom modfolder (*"...directory\Operation Flashpoint\modfolder\dta\\"*).\
  The original Anim.pbo can be restored from the Resistance CD.
- **Custom Campaigns**\
  must be installed to *"...directory\Operation Flashpoint\Campaigns\\"* or *"...directory\Operation Flashpoint\Res\Campaigns\\"* or into a custom modfolder (*"...directory\Operation Flashpoint\modfolder\Campaigns\\"*).\
  This only works with campaigns. Single missions have to be installed to *"...directory\Operation Flashpoint\Missions\\"*.
- **Mods**\
  mostly come with an installer and create their own modfolder.
- **Custom Skies**\
  mostly come with an installer and create their own modfolder.

### Creation

See the Bohemia Interactive games's categories below for more information.

- Operation Flashpoint: Editing
- ArmA: Armed Assault: Addon Editing
- Arma 2: Editing
- Arma 3: Editing

<sub>Source: [BI Community Wiki — Addons](https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Addons) (revision 364737).</sub>