FiveM scripting is the most in-demand skill in the GTA V modding community. If you can write Lua scripts for FiveM, you can build custom features, sell resources, or just make your own server unique.
FiveM Architecture
FiveM scripts run in two environments:
Client-side (runs on each player's computer):
- Controls UI, visual effects, local vehicle behavior
- Can access GTA V native functions for the player's game
- Files named
client.luaor registered as client scripts
Server-side (runs on the server):
- Handles data, validation, and logic
- Communicates with the database
- Files named
server.luaor registered as server scripts
They communicate via events - messages sent between client and server.
Your First Resource
Create a folder in your server's resources directory:
resources/[custom]/my-first-script/
fxmanifest.lua
client.lua
server.lua
fxmanifest.lua
Every resource needs a manifest:
fx_version 'cerulean'
game 'gta5'
author 'YourName'
description 'My first FiveM script'
version '1.0.0'
client_script 'client.lua'
server_script 'server.lua'
client.lua - Hello World
-- Runs when the resource starts
CreateThread(function()
while true do
Wait(0)
-- Draw text on screen
SetTextFont(0)
SetTextScale(0.5, 0.5)
SetTextColour(255, 255, 255, 255)
SetTextEntry("STRING")
AddTextComponentString("Hello from my first script!")
DrawText(0.5, 0.01)
end
end)
This draws text on the player's screen every frame. Not very useful, but it proves your script is running.
Understanding Threads
FiveM uses cooperative multitasking with CreateThread and Wait:
CreateThread(function()
while true do
Wait(0) -- Run every frame (0ms delay)
-- Heavy processing, careful with this
end
end)
CreateThread(function()
while true do
Wait(1000) -- Run every second
-- Light checks, timers, etc.
end
end)
Important: Wait(0) runs every frame (60+ times per second). Use it only when you need frame-by-frame updates (drawing, input). For everything else, use longer wait times to save CPU.
Events: Client-Server Communication
Server to Client
-- server.lua
RegisterCommand('heal', function(source)
TriggerClientEvent('myScript:heal', source)
end)
-- client.lua
RegisterNetEvent('myScript:heal')
AddEventHandler('myScript:heal', function()
local ped = PlayerPedId()
SetEntityHealth(ped, GetEntityMaxHealth(ped))
end)
Client to Server
-- client.lua
RegisterCommand('report', function(source, args)
local message = table.concat(args, ' ')
TriggerServerEvent('myScript:report', message)
end)
-- server.lua
RegisterNetEvent('myScript:report')
AddEventHandler('myScript:report', function(message)
local source = source
print('Report from ' .. GetPlayerName(source) .. ': ' .. message)
end)
Native Functions
GTA V has thousands of native functions that FiveM exposes. Common ones:
| Function | Purpose |
|----------|---------|
| PlayerPedId() | Get current player entity |
| GetEntityCoords(ped) | Get position |
| SetEntityCoords(ped, x, y, z) | Teleport |
| GetVehiclePedIsIn(ped) | Get current vehicle |
| CreateVehicle(model, x, y, z, h) | Spawn vehicle |
| GiveWeaponToPed(ped, hash, ammo) | Give weapon |
Full reference: FiveM Native Reference
Best Practices
Always validate on the server. Never trust client data. If a client event says "give me $1,000,000," the server should verify the player earned it.
Use Wait() appropriately. Scripts with Wait(0) everywhere tank client and server performance.
Namespace your events. Use prefixes like myScript:eventName to avoid conflicts with other resources.
Test your scripts on a local FiveM server before deploying to production. When you're ready for players, Space-Node FiveM hosting runs custom scripts smoothly on NVMe SSD with the Ryzen 9 7950X3D.
