Project Zomboid mod load order, explained

What load order actually is

Load order is the order of the values in your Mods= line. Project Zomboid enables mods left to right. Two things depend on that order:

• Dependencies: a mod that relies on a framework or library must load after it.
• Overrides: when two mods change the same file, the one later in the list wins.

WorkshopItems order does not matter

A common misconception is that Mods= and WorkshopItems= must line up one-to-one, in the same order. They do not. WorkshopItems= is only a download list; its order has no effect. Only the Mods= order is load order. (And because one Workshop item can ship several mod IDs, the two lists are not even the same length. See adding Workshop mods for why.)

A rule of thumb

Order your Mods= line roughly like this:

1. Libraries and frameworks first (the mods other mods list as requirements).
2. Content mods next (weapons, vehicles, professions, and so on).
3. Patches, tweaks, and overrides last, so their changes win.

You do not have to work this out by hand. A dependency-aware tool can read each mod's declared requirements and suggest a framework-first order for you in one step.

Maps are ordered separately

Map load order is its own thing, on the Map= line. The rule is: custom maps first, the vanilla base map last. The base map, Muldraugh, KY, should sit at the end so custom maps can layer on top of it:

Map=MyCustomTown;Riverside, KY;Muldraugh, KY

Note that map names can contain commas (Muldraugh, KY), so the Map= line separates entries with semicolons only.

Getting it right automatically

pzmod suggests a framework-first load order for your mods and moves vanilla base maps to the end of the Map= line for you. You preview the suggestion, then apply it, and a validation pass confirms nothing is out of order before you boot.