DST Mod DevKit

What does DST Mod DevKit do?

Agent Skill: teach an AI to build Don't Starve Together (DST) mods from scratch - layered references, crash playbook, headless self-testing.

Overview

This skill provides an AI agent with everything needed to create Don't Starve Together mods from scratch. It uses a three-pronged approach:

• Layered References: Step-by-step guides from fundamentals to advanced modding.
• Crash Playbook: Systematic error handling and fix strategies.
• Headless Self-Testing: Automatically test mods without launching the full game.

Supported Platforms

• Claude Code
• Cursor
• Codex
• Other AI agents with custom skill support

How to Use

1. Load this skill into your AI agent.
2. Describe the mod you want to build (e.g., "Add a new character that eats more").
3. The AI will generate the mod code, test it headlessly, and apply fixes from the crash playbook if needed.

Layered References

The references are organized by experience level:

Level 1: Essentials

• DST Lua API basics
• Modinfo.lua and modmain.lua structure
• Simple item/character creation

Level 2: Intermediate

• Custom components, prefabs, and widgets
• Networking and server-side logic
• UI modding basics

Level 3: Advanced

• Performance optimization
• Multiplayer synchronization
• Save/load system integration

Crash Playbook

When a mod crashes, follow this playbook:

1. Check the log: Look for scripts/debug_log.txt in your DST documents folder.
2. Common causes:
   • Missing component references
   • Nil errors on game objects
   • Incorrect prefab registration
3. Fix pattern: Identified error → Look up in layered references → Apply fix → Re-test.

Headless Self-Testing

Mods can be tested without launching the full game using headless mode:

dedi_server_start_precompiled.sh -only_start_server -no_steam_client

This runs the server headlessly and validates mod loading, server initialization, and basic gameplay loops.

Example Workflow

1. Prompt: "Create a mod that adds a new weapon."
2. AI creates: modmain.lua with item registration, recipes, and components.
3. AI tests: Launches headless server, checks for errors.
4. AI fixes: Applies crash playbook if test fails.
5. Result: A working, self-validated DST mod.

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For more details, see the source repository at: zhuchengguang317-eng/dst-mod-devkit