Deployment Methods - Nexus Mods Wiki

This content applies to Vortex 0.16.8 and above.A deployment method refers to how Vortex installs your mods so they load when the game is launched. When adding a supported game to Vortex, it will automatically choose the best deployment method for your game and system. It is not recommended that you switch the deployment method.Contents1 Hardlink Deployment (Default)1.1 Hardlink requirements1.2 Hardlink vs Virtual File System (VFS)2 Symlink Deployment2.1 Symlink requirements2.2 Games not compatible with Symlinks3 Move Deployment3.1 Move deployment requirementsHardlink Deployment (Default)To understand Hardlink deployment you must first know how File Systems work. Files are stored in two parts, the actual file data and an index containing the filename, access rights, creation/modified dates and other information.Hard Links work by creating a second entry in the index pointing to the new location but still referencing the original file data. This way there is no difference between the or...