Installing a FiveM script is mostly the same process whether you use QBCore, ESX or a standalone resource. What changes is the list of dependencies and the configuration file. This guide covers the whole flow and the errors people hit most often.
Before you start
- Read the listing or README. Note the framework (QBCore, Qbox, ESX or standalone) and every dependency: commonly oxmysql, ox_lib, an inventory and a target or notification system.
- Make sure your server runs a recent, supported FXServer artifact.
- Back up your server folder and your database first. A one-minute copy saves hours later.
Step 1: Get the files
Free scripts come as a download from GitHub or a forum thread. Paid scripts sold through Tebex are granted to your Cfx.re account when you buy. Sign in with your FiveM account at checkout so the purchase is linked to you, then download the asset from the Cfx.re Portal under your granted assets.
Step 2: Put the resource in your resources folder
Unzip the download and copy the folder into your server's resources directory. Many owners keep things tidy with bracketed category folders, for example resources/[scripts]/my-script. The folder must contain fxmanifest.lua directly. A very common mistake is an extra nested folder, which stops FiveM from finding the manifest.
Step 3: Import the database file
If the script ships a .sql file, import it into your database with HeidiSQL, phpMyAdmin or the tool your host provides. Do it before the first start so the tables already exist.
Step 4: Add it to server.cfg
Resources start in the order they appear in server.cfg. Dependencies and your framework must come first:
ensure oxmysql
ensure ox_lib
ensure qb-core # or es_extended / qbx_core
ensure my-scriptReplace the names with the ones your server uses. If the script lists an inventory or target dependency, start that before the script too.
Step 5: Configure it
Open the script's config.lua (or the file the author documents). Typical settings are:
- The framework to use, or automatic detection.
- The inventory and notification system.
- Language and locale.
- Items the script needs. For inventories that use item lists, add the items to your shared items file and the images to the inventory's image folder.
- Permissions: which jobs, groups or ACEs can use admin features.
Step 6: Restart and test
Start the resource from the txAdmin console, or run refresh followed by ensure my-script. Watch the server console for errors and press F8 in game to see client-side errors. Test the main feature with a normal player account, not only as an admin.
Common errors and fixes
- Could not find resource / manifest not found: the folder is nested one level too deep, or the name in
server.cfgdoes not match the folder name. - No such export: a dependency is missing or starts after your script. Move it above in
server.cfg. - SQL errors on start: the database file was not imported, or the table names clash with another resource.
- Items or images missing: the script's items were not added to your inventory configuration.
- Escrow or license errors: the server license key belongs to a different Cfx.re account than the one that bought the asset.
- Works for you, not for players: check the permission settings (jobs, groups, item requirements) in the config.
Framework differences in one minute
On ESX, scripts rely on es_extended and usually on ox_lib and oxmysql. On QBCore they use qb-core and its helper resources. Qbox uses qbx_core and builds on the ox libraries. Standalone scripts need none of these, which makes them the easiest to install and the most portable. Not sure which one you run? Read QBCore vs ESX vs Qbox.
Want scripts that state their compatibility up front? Every product in our FiveM script store lists its supported frameworks, and you can ask for help on our Discord if an install does not go as planned.