The kiln command

One command for a mod's whole life: create, build, cook, deploy, run, reload, test, debug, lint, pack and read logs.

Works today 2 min read Updated November 4, 2026

kiln is for mod authors, on Linux and Windows. (kilnctl runs servers.) It drives Kiln.Sdk, so kiln deploy and dotnet build -t:KilnDeploy do the same thing.

kiln new items MyItems --server <server>
cd MyItems
kiln build && kiln deploy --reload    # build, copy into the server, hot reload
kiln test                             # the mod's tests, in the running server
kiln logs --mod my-items -f
kiln pack                             # my-items-0.1.0.zip, never with cooked game files

Command	Does
`kiln new --list`	the templates and their options
`kiln new <template> <Name> [--server S] [--feed F] [--set opt=value]`	a project from a template
`kiln build [-c CONFIG] [--no-cook] [-- args]`	cooks if needed, then builds; C# or native
`kiln cook [--check] [--game DIR]`	every `cook.json`: models, Impact, sounds. `--check` exits 1 when a cook is needed
`kiln deploy [--server S] [-r\|--reload]`	copies into the server; hot reloads
`kiln pack [-o DIR]`	`<id>-<version>.zip`
`kiln run [--server S] [--stop\|--restart\|--status] [--wait SECONDS]`	starts a server and follows its log until it’s up
`kiln reload [ID]`	hot reload
`kiln test [ID] [FILTER] [--exact NAME]`	runs tests, prints the report
`kiln debug [--dap]`	a debugger on a running local server
`kiln logs [-f] [--mod ID] [--level D\|I\|W\|E] [-n N]`	kiln.log, filtered
`kiln lint [PATH…]`	the linter
`kiln catalog status\|build\|path\|search`	the catalog

Native mods load once per start: follow kiln deploy with kiln run --restart.

Which project, which server

Commands act on the current folder, or take a .csproj or mod folder. --server takes a folder or a server’s name, then falls back to $KILN_SERVER and the project’s KilnServer. kiln run starts servers the launcher or kilnctl knows.

The feed: --feed or $KILN_FEED. The game: --game, $KILN_GAME, or your Steam install.

For scripts and agents

--json on any command prints one JSON document, with tool output on stderr. Errors look like {"ok": false, "error": {"code", "message"}}. Exit codes: 0 ok, 1 failure, 2 usage.

kiln test my-mod Imc_ --json | jq '.failed'
kiln catalog search "bronze sword" --section items
echo '{"format": 1, "items": {"Nope": {}}}' | \
  kiln lint --json --stdin --stdin-path content/x.json

Test filters match part of a test’s name, case-insensitive, with no spaces. --exact keeps one result.