Developer Path20 minutesBeginner

Lua Starter Template

The standard FiveM resource structure explained with a complete working template. Start every script with this foundation.

Prerequisites

✓VS Code installed with Lua extension
✓A local or remote FiveM server running
✓Basic understanding of any programming language

1.Resource Folder Structure

Every FiveM resource follows the same structure. The manifest file tells FiveM what to load and how.

Directory Structure

my-script/
├── fxmanifest.lua       # Resource manifest (required)
├── client/
│   └── main.lua         # Client-side code (runs on player's PC)
├── server/
│   └── main.lua         # Server-side code (runs on server)
├── shared/
│   └── config.lua       # Shared configuration
└── html/                    # NUI files (optional, for UI)
    ├── index.html
    ├── style.css
    └── script.js

2.fxmanifest.lua

The manifest is the first file FiveM reads. It tells the server what files to load, in what order, and what features your resource uses.

fxmanifest.lua

fx_version 'cerulean'
game 'gta5'

name 'my-script'
description 'A template FiveM resource'
author 'Your Name'
version '1.0.0'

shared_scripts {
    'shared/*.lua',
}

client_scripts {
    'client/*.lua',
}

server_scripts {
    'server/*.lua',
}

-- Uncomment if using NUI:
-- ui_page 'html/index.html'
-- files { 'html/index.html', 'html/style.css', 'html/script.js' }

The lua54 'yes' flag is deprecated as of June 2025 — all FiveM scripts now run Lua 5.4 by default, so you no longer need to set it.

3.Client Script Template

client/main.lua

-- Client-side code runs on each player's machine
-- Use for: rendering UI, handling input, visual effects, animations

local Config = Config or {}

-- Example: Register a command
RegisterCommand('hello', function()
    -- Show notification to player
    SetNotificationTextEntry('STRING')
    AddTextComponentString('Hello from my first script!')
    DrawNotification(false, false)
end, false)

-- Example: Listen for a server event
RegisterNetEvent('my-script:client:notify', function(message)
    SetNotificationTextEntry('STRING')
    AddTextComponentString(message)
    DrawNotification(false, false)
end)

print('[my-script] Client loaded successfully')

4.Server Script Template

server/main.lua

-- Server-side code runs once on the server
-- Use for: database operations, validation, cross-player logic

local Config = Config or {}

-- Example: Server command with player validation
RegisterCommand('announce', function(source, args)
    -- source = 0 means console, otherwise it's a player ID
    if source > 0 then
        -- Check if player has permission
        if not IsPlayerAceAllowed(source, 'command.announce') then
            TriggerClientEvent('my-script:client:notify', source, 'No permission')
            return
        end
    end

    local message = table.concat(args, ' ')
    -- Send to ALL players
    TriggerClientEvent('my-script:client:notify', -1, message)
    print(('[my-script] Announcement: %s'):format(message))
end, false)

print('[my-script] Server loaded successfully')

5.Shared Config Template

shared/config.lua

Config = {}

Config.Debug = false          -- Enable debug prints
Config.CommandPrefix = 'my'   -- Prefix for commands

-- Add your configurable values here
-- These are accessible from both client and server scripts

Put ALL configurable values in shared/config.lua. Users of your script should never need to edit client or server files.

6.Event System

FiveM uses events for client-server communication. Understanding events is the most important concept in FiveM development.

TriggerEvent(name, ...) — trigger a local event (same side only)
TriggerServerEvent(name, ...) — client sends to server
TriggerClientEvent(name, playerId, ...) — server sends to specific client
TriggerClientEvent(name, -1, ...) — server sends to ALL clients
RegisterNetEvent(name, handler) — listen for network events

Always use RegisterNetEvent for events that cross the network. Never trust client-sent data on the server — validate everything.

Template Ready

You now have a working FiveM resource template. Copy this structure for every new script you build. Next, follow the First Script Walkthrough to build something useful.

Next: Build Your First Script

Related Resources

First Script Walkthrough

Dev Environment Setup