Create a FiveM Server: License, txAdmin and Resources

A FiveM server brings a GTA V roleplay community to life, with your own rules, scripts and vehicles. Before inviting your players, three things need to be in place: a valid license key, an administration tool and a well-managed list of resources.

• A FiveM server needs a free license key, created on the Cfx.re portal.
• txAdmin, which ships with FiveM, handles recipes, scheduled restarts and moderation.
• Each resource goes into resources, then is declared with ensure in server.cfg.
• Add scripts one by one and read the console after each restart.

What you need before you start

FiveM is the Cfx.re multiplayer platform for GTA V. Every player must own the game on PC, and the server needs a license key. This key is free: you create it with your account on the Cfx.re portal. Also plan for a MySQL or MariaDB database if you intend to use a roleplay framework.

• A Cfx.re account to create the server license key.
• GTA V on PC for every player.
• A MySQL or MariaDB database for ESX, QBCore or Qbox.
• A server name, a description and clear rules.

Create and enter the license key

On the Cfx.re portal, create a key for your server and link it to its address if the form asks for it. In the panel, enter the key in the startup parameters (sv_licenseKey) before the first launch: without it, the server will not start. The guide to set up a license key or token covers each step in detail.

• Copy the entire key, without spaces or quotation marks.
• Restart, then read the console: a token error means the key is invalid or linked to another address.
• Never publish the key in a screenshot or a public repository.

txAdmin, the administration interface

txAdmin ships with FiveM. This web interface lets you install a server recipe (a ready-to-use base with its framework), schedule restarts, track connected players and manage bans. It complements the console, file manager and startup parameters of the ACLClouds panel without replacing them.

• Recipes: a starter installation with ESX, QBCore or an empty server.
• Scheduled restarts, with warnings sent to players.
• Moderation: warnings, kicks and bans from your browser.
• Admin management, with permissions for each team member.

Add resources without breaking the server

A resource is a folder containing a manifest (fxmanifest.lua) and its Lua, JavaScript or C# scripts. Upload it to the resources folder with the file manager, then declare it in server.cfg with an ensure line. Order matters: a resource must start after the ones it depends on, starting with the framework and the database connection.

• One resource at a time, with a restart and a console check after each addition.
• Scripts from known sources, compatible with your framework version.
• A copy of server.cfg before every major change.

Keep the server stable

Most failures come from an incompatible script, a missing dependency or an unreachable database. The panel console shows these errors at startup: read the first one, not the last. Back up your files and database, and keep a copy off the server, as recommended by the 3-2-1 backup rule. As players and scripts multiply, compare the FiveM plans and move to a plan with more RAM and vCPU.

• Read the first console error after a failed startup.
• Back up files and the database before every update.
• Switch plans when memory or CPU maxes out at peak hours.
• Anti-DDoS protection included on every ACLClouds game server.