ESX, QBCore or Qbox? Choosing and installing a FiveM framework

A roleplay server is built on a framework: it handles characters, money, jobs, inventory and cars. We'll compare the three most widely used ones (ESX Legacy, QBCore and Qbox), help you choose, and walk you through installing one with a txAdmin recipe, including setting up admins.

What a framework is#

A framework is a set of resources that gives the server the basic “RP game”: character creation, cash and bank money, jobs and grades, inventory, vehicle ownership and saving to the database. Other scripts (jobs, shops, phone, garages) then build on the framework's functions.

What this means in practice:

• A script is written for a specific framework. A script for ESX won't run on QBCore without changes, and vice versa. So always look for the version of a script made for your framework.
• Switching frameworks on a running server is hard. Moving to another one means a new database and replacing your scripts. So choose carefully right at the start.
• A framework needs a database and the oxmysql resource.

A server without a framework (freeroam, drift, racing) can run on the basic txAdmin recipe (FiveM Basic Server).

Basic terms#

If you understand this, it's easier to find problems: when money or a car “disappears”, it's a database record you can look up and fix (for example in HeidiSQL).

Comparison#

How to choose#

• Want the most ready-made scripts and guides? ESX Legacy. It's the most widespread, and you'll find scripts for it for almost anything.
• Want a modern base and QBCore scripts? Qbox. It uses the ox_lib, ox_inventory and ox_target libraries, has stricter code and runs most QBCore scripts through its bridge without changes.
• Have specific paid scripts for QBCore? QBCore, or Qbox (check with the script author that it works on Qbox).
• Building a server with your own scripts from scratch? Pick the one whose documentation suits you best. Knowing your framework well matters more than which one you choose.

The safest approach: deploy the framework as a trial, try it out in the game and only then buy scripts.

Before installing#

1. Create an empty database in the Database tab (for example fivem, Allowed connections from %). Keep the Database name, User, Host and Password details open.
2. Have your license key ready (it starts with cfxk_).
3. Make a backup if you already have something on the server (Backups tab, guide) and export the database (guide). A new deployment is saved to a new folder, but a recipe with Delete Database turned on would delete the database.
4. Check the artifacts. Frameworks require a current server version. Update an old server following Updating artifacts.

Installing with a txAdmin recipe#

The procedure is the same for all three frameworks; only the recipe and a few settings after installation differ. If you've already deployed another server in txAdmin, start a new wizard in Settings › FXServer with the Reset button next to the Server Data Folder field. txAdmin returns to the Setup page and doesn't delete the existing files.

1. On the txAdmin Setup page, enter a Server Name and click Next.
2. For Deployment Type, choose Popular Recipes.
3. Choose the recipe according to the tab below.
4. Keep the suggested data folder, click Save and then Go to Recipe Deployer.
5. In Step 1: Review Recipe, click Next.
6. In Step 2: Input Parameters, fill in the Server Registration Key, and after clicking Show/Hide Database options (advanced) also the database: Database Host (the IP from the Host field), Database Port (the port from the Host field), Database Username, Database Password, Database Name. The Delete Database switch is on by default; make sure it's set to Off. Every field is explained in detail in the txAdmin guide.
7. Click Run Recipe and wait for it to finish. Large recipes take several minutes.
8. In Step 4: Configure server.cfg, check that endpoint_add_tcp and endpoint_add_udp have the port from the Connection address line in the Network tab (the recipe may write the default 30120). Then adjust the settings according to the tab below and click Save & Run Server.

First steps after installing: admin permissions#

An admin in txAdmin and an admin in the framework are two different things. During deployment, txAdmin adds the main admin to the group.admin group in server.cfg (the line add_principal identifier.fivem:<FIVEM_ID> group.admin). The frameworks build on this as follows:

setgroup <PLAYER_ID> admin

add_principal identifier.license:<PLAYER_LICENSE> qbcore.god

add_principal identifier.license:<PLAYER_LICENSE> group.admin

Restart the server after editing server.cfg or permissions.cfg.

On Qbox, the core admin commands (for example /addpermission, /setjob, /car) first require you to enter /optin. You can turn this off with the requireOptIn = false option in qbx_core/config/server.lua.

What to set first#

Each framework has a main configuration file with the economy, spawn and characters. Edit it while the server is stopped, or restart the server in txAdmin after editing. You'll find the files in the deployment folder under resources.

Money and items are stored in the database. Changing the starting values only affects newly created characters; existing ones stay as they are.

Compatible scripts#

• Download the version for your framework. Many authors offer one script for several frameworks with an option in config.lua (for example Config.Framework = 'esx', 'qb' or 'qbx').
• The ox libraries (ox_lib, ox_inventory, ox_target) work with both ESX and Qbox. Before installing a second inventory, be clear about which one you use. Two inventories at once don't work.
• QBCore scripts on Qbox run through the bridge if they use qb-core in the documented way. Scripts that access QBCore database tables directly don't work.
• Conflicts: two scripts with the same function (two HUDs, two garages, two phones) usually get in each other's way. Turn off the original one (comment out its ensure or move it out of the category).

Installing individual scripts is covered in FiveM resources.

Manual installation (advanced)#

A recipe automatically does what you'd otherwise do by hand:

1. Downloads the framework core and its dependencies (oxmysql, ox_lib …) in specific versions.
2. Imports the framework's SQL file into the database.
3. Prepares server.cfg with the right ensure order, ACE permissions and the connection string.

Choose manual installation only when you want every version under your control. Follow the framework's official documentation and keep the order: oxmysql › libraries › core › scripts. On a StormHost server, the recipe is much faster; uploading hundreds of files by hand through the Files tab is tedious (support can set up SFTP for large files).

Updating the framework#

1. Back up the files (Backups tab) and export the database (HeidiSQL, guide).
2. Read the release notes (changelog) on the framework's GitHub. Look mainly for database changes (.sql migration files) and configuration changes.
3. Stop the server.
4. Replace the folders of the updated resources with the new ones. Download your config.lua files beforehand and compare them with the new ones after the update (new options may be missing).
5. Run the migration SQL if the release includes it.
6. Start the server and watch the console. Then check your character, money and inventory in the game.

Don't update only the core without the other parts of the framework. The versions of es_extended and the [esx_addons] scripts (or qb-core and qb-*) should go together.

Verification#

• The console (or Live Console in txAdmin) shows Database server connection established!, and the framework core loads without red errors.
• After connecting in the game, character creation or selection appears.
• The /group command (ESX) or opening the /admin menu (QBCore, Qbox) confirms you have admin permissions.

Troubleshooting#

Look up messages you can't find here in Common FiveM server errors.

Task Failed: Response code 403 (rate limit exceeded)#

The recipe downloads dozens of repositories from GitHub, and GitHub has temporarily limited the number of requests. Wait about an hour and run the deployment again.

The deployment fails with a database error#

The details don't match the Database tab (the host from the Host field, not localhost; the database name exactly as in the list). Typical messages and how to fix them are in Database for FiveM.

ESX = nil (or attempt to index a nil value (global 'ESX'))#

The script has no access to ESX: either it starts before es_extended, or it uses the old way of loading ESX. Put its ensure below es_extended and update both es_extended and the script to the current version.

No such export GetCoreObject in resource qbx_core#

A QBCore script is calling the Qbox core directly. On Qbox, it should call exports['qb-core']:GetCoreObject() (through the bridge). Check that the bridge is on (setr qbx:enableBridge "true"), and fix the script or download the Qbox version.

Native … is not supported#

The framework or a script uses a function your server version doesn't know yet. Update the artifacts to the latest version (guide).

A player is stuck on the loading screen#

• Most often an error in the multicharacter script or the database. Look at the server console and the client console (F8).
• Qbox with a custom multicharacter: set setr loadscreen:externalShutdown false.
• QBCore after the first deployment: wait for the resource build (yarn) to finish.

ESX Multicharacter couldn't connect to the database#

The database connection doesn't work. Check set mysql_connection_string in server.cfg and the Database server connection established! line in the console.

Admin commands don't work#

• QBCore and Qbox: the add_principal … line with the correct identifier is missing, or you added it and didn't restart the server.
• ESX: the player doesn't have the admin group. Check with /group and set it with setgroup.

Further reading#

• ESX Legacy: documentation (opens in a new window)
• QBCore: documentation (opens in a new window)
• Qbox: documentation (opens in a new window)
• FiveM: Frameworks (opens in a new window)
• List of txAdmin recipes (Popular Recipes) (opens in a new window)