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DayZ servers explained
Every DayZ server is its own world with its own rules, and the browser does not explain any of it. Here is what official, community and private mean, why your character vanished when you switched server, and how to pick one you will stay on.
Server types
Official, community, private
Official
Run for Bohemia Interactive, vanilla settings, no mods, no admins in the world. Every official server on your platform shares one character pool, so you can move between them. Wiped only when Bohemia wipes everything. Achievements unlock here.
Community
Rented by players and groups from a hosting provider. Owners set loot, day length, player count, mods (PC only) and rules, and can kick and ban. Each community server, or group of servers, keeps its own characters. Most of DayZ’s players are here.
Private
A community server with a password or a whitelist. Friends-only, clan homes, role-play and event servers. Same tools as community, closed door.
Experimental
PC only: the next update on test before it goes stable. Separate installation, separate characters, frequent wipes, and the place to see 1.31 first.
Characters and hives
Why your character disappeared
A hive is a character database. All official servers on one platform share the public hive: log off on one Chernarus official, log on to another, same character, same gear. Community servers run private shards: your character exists only on that server or that owner’s linked servers. Joining a new community server always starts a fresh character. Your old one is still waiting where you left it.
On official servers, maps share the hive too: a character on Chernarus can log into Livonia, Sakhal or Nasdara (if you own the expansion). Where you spawn when you arrive on a map for the first time is a fresh coastal spawn for that map.
1PP and 3PP
First person and third person
3PP servers allow the over-the-shoulder camera, which lets you look over walls and around corners without exposing yourself. 1PP servers lock everyone to first person, which rewards sound, positioning and nerve. Official 1PP servers are often labelled Hardcore. Neither is harder in the loot or the weather; the difference is entirely in how fights start. The browser filters by it since 1.24.
Reading the browser
Tabs, filters and names
- Tabs: Official, Community, Private, Favorites and (PC) LAN. Recent shows where you have been.
- Filters: map (Chernarus, Livonia, Sakhal, Nasdara, community maps on PC), first or third person, password, whitelist, mods, free slots, ping and name.
- Ping: under 60 ms is comfortable; over 150 ms and you will lose close fights. Many servers kick above a ping limit.
- Names: owners pack the rules into the name. Common tags: 1PP, 3PP, PvE, PvP, Vanilla or Vanilla+ (unmodded or lightly modded), Boosted (more loot), Trader (modded shops, PC), RP (role-play), No KoS, Wipe dates, and the server time or day-night ratio, such as 4h day / 1h night.
- Player count: official servers hold 60; community owners set anything from 10 to 127. A full server is a busy one, which is good for fights and bad for loot.
Restarts, wipes, queues
The server’s own clock
| Thing | What it is | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Restart | The server reboots on a schedule, usually every 4 to 6 hours, with warnings in chat | Loot respawns, vehicles reset position if stuck, everyone is kicked. Log out somewhere safe before it hits |
| Persistence | Bases, tents, barrels and buried stashes saved between restarts | Items despawn after a lifetime unless someone interacts with them; see why bases vanish |
| Wipe | Every character and base deleted | Official: with big updates (1.29, 1.30). Community: on the owner’s schedule, often monthly |
| Queue | A full server puts you in a line | Popular community servers queue at evenings; some sell priority slots |
| Day and night | Server time runs faster or slower than real time | Owners set the ratio; official runs an accelerated cycle so you see both |
Modded and console
What changes off the vanilla path
PC modded servers load Workshop mods when you join: traders, new guns, vehicles, community maps, base-building overhauls and whole game modes. The launcher downloads everything the server lists. Expect different loot, different rules, and no Steam achievements. Console servers cannot load mods; owners change settings only (loot amounts, day length, player count, 1PP or 3PP, item lifetimes), which is why a boosted console server still looks like DayZ. Renting one, on any platform, is covered in server hosting.
Picking one
Our advice
- Start on official. You learn the real game and your character travels between servers and maps.
- Then find a community vanilla server with 40 or more players at your evening hour and a stated wipe schedule. That is where you build a base and meet the same people twice.
- Check the ping, the rules and the last wipe date before you settle. A base on a server that wipes in three days is a waste of nails.
- Favourite it. The browser forgets; you should not.
What the game is like on each platform, and the mod question, is on console vs PC.
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the difference between official and community DayZ servers?
Official servers are vanilla, unmodded, run for Bohemia, and share one character across all official servers on your platform. Community servers are rented by players, set their own rules and loot, can run mods on PC, and keep their own characters.
Why did my DayZ character disappear when I changed server?
Community servers use private character databases. Your character still exists on the server you left; the new one started you fresh. Only official servers share characters.
What does 1PP mean in DayZ?
First-person only: the third-person camera is disabled. 3PP allows third person. Official 1PP servers are often called Hardcore.
How often do DayZ servers restart?
Most restart every 4 to 6 hours. Loot respawns at restart and everyone is disconnected, so log out somewhere safe before the warning.
Can you mod DayZ on console servers?
No. Console server owners can only change settings such as loot, day length and player count. Mods are PC (Steam) only.
How many players are on a DayZ server?
Official servers hold 60. Community servers are set by the owner, from a handful up to 127.
Keep going
More guides and tools
Checked 1 November 2026 against DayZ 1.30 (PC 1.30.164200, console 1.87). Browser tabs and filters from the current launcher; restart and population figures are typical values, not rules. Our advice is ours.