How to set up a FiveM server on Linux

Most production FiveM servers run on Linux. It's cheaper, faster, and once you learn the five-command workflow you'll never go back to a Windows server eating RAM in the background. This lesson takes you from an empty Ubuntu VPS to a joinable server in under an hour.

You'll build: A working FiveM server on a Linux VPS - artifacts, server.cfg, resources, and a screen session to keep it online.
Time: ~45 minutes
You need: A Linux VPS with Ubuntu (root access), SSH client, a Cfx.re account, and a license key from portal.cfx.re.
You'll learn: Why Linux for production, the artifacts vs data split, server.cfg line by line, screen to keep the server alive, and the resource-install workflow.

BEFORE YOU START

Build it

Update the server

All system packages are current.

Before installing anything, update Ubuntu:

code

apt update && apt upgrade -y
apt install wget git screen -y

This downloads the latest package lists and upgrades everything. It prevents "package not found" errors later.

Create the folder structure

Two clean folders: one for binaries, one for your data.

How to set up a FiveM server on Linux

Build it

Update the server

Create the folder structure

Download and extract the artifacts

Get the server data

Write your server.cfg

Start the server

Keep the server alive with screen

Keep reading the full lesson