For an ESX, QBCore, or Qbox FiveM server, the dependable setup is MariaDB plus a dedicated database account, oxmysql, each resource’s SQL schema, and a connection string loaded before any database-dependent resource. A plain vMenu server that does not save player, economy, inventory, or housing data may not need SQL at all.
This guide takes you from an empty machine to a tested, backed-up database and shows how to diagnose the errors that usually stop FiveM servers from connecting or saving data.
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What a FiveM database setup actually includes
FiveM does not automatically create a database for a server. Frameworks and gameplay resources use a database driver to store persistent data, while the database engine stores the tables and records. A working installation has five separate pieces:
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- Database engine: MariaDB or MySQL listens on a TCP port, normally 3306.
- Database and account: The server gets its own schema and a non-root login with access limited to that schema.
- oxmysql: This FiveM resource translates Lua queries into database operations and provides asynchronous APIs.
- Resource schemas: SQL files supplied by your framework and other resources create the tables they require.
- Configuration and startup order:
mysql_connection_stringmust be available before oxmysql, and oxmysql must start before resources that call it.
Remove any one of these and the symptoms can look similar: a resource may start but fail to save, or it may stop with an unknown-table or access-denied error.
Decide whether your server needs SQL
Framework and persistence servers
ESX, QBCore, Qbox and most role-play resource collections depend on SQL for accounts, characters, inventories, vehicles, jobs, housing, bans and other persistent state. Install the database before deploying the framework recipe, or prepare it immediately afterward and import every required schema.
Lightweight or vMenu servers
A server running only maps, vehicles, permissions and temporary session settings through vMenu may work without a database. Add SQL when a resource needs persistent player data, a web panel, logging, economy records or any other information that must survive a restart. Check each resource manifest and documentation rather than installing a database merely because the server uses FiveM.
Choose MariaDB or MySQL
The oxmysql documentation recommends MariaDB for compatibility and performance. MySQL can work, but MySQL 8 has differences in reserved keywords and default-value handling that can break older or loosely written resource schemas. When your resource collection was written and tested against MariaDB, using MariaDB removes an avoidable compatibility variable.
| Decision point | MariaDB | MySQL |
|---|---|---|
| FiveM resource compatibility | Compatibility-first choice documented for oxmysql; commonly matches existing FiveM SQL files. | Generally supported, but a resource can fail when its schema relies on behavior that differs in MySQL 8. |
| Reserved words and defaults | Usually avoids MySQL 8-specific keyword and default-value surprises. | Check schemas for reserved identifiers and strict default rules, especially after a MySQL 8 upgrade. |
| Operational support | Uses familiar SQL administration, dump and restore tools. | Uses familiar SQL administration, dump and restore tools. |
| Hosting availability | Available on most Linux distributions and many managed hosts. | Available on most Linux distributions and many managed hosts. |
Do not install XAMPP just to obtain a database. The oxmysql documentation specifically advises installing MariaDB directly. XAMPP adds a bundled stack you do not need for a FiveM database and can make service ownership, ports and upgrades harder to understand.
Choose where the database will run
| Deployment | Control | Maintenance | Network exposure | Backup responsibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Same machine as FiveM | Full control over files, versions and firewall rules. | You update MariaDB, monitor disk space and restart the service. | Can remain on localhost, avoiding an internet-facing SQL port. | You must create and copy backups away from the game machine. |
| Separate Docker or virtual machine | Repeatable deployment and easier isolation. | You maintain the container or guest OS, persistent volume and upgrades. | Requires a private network and explicit firewall rules between FiveM and SQL. | Back up the database volume or, preferably, scheduled logical dumps stored elsewhere. |
| Managed or hosted database | Less control over engine configuration and version timing. | The provider handles much of the service maintenance; you still manage users, schemas and application settings. | Usually requires TLS, allowlists or a private network because the database is remote. | Confirm what the provider backs up and keep independent exports. |
For a single server, local MariaDB on localhost is usually the simplest arrangement. A remote database is reasonable when the game server is disposable, you operate several servers, or you need a separate failure domain. Never expose port 3306 to the whole internet when a private address or allowlist will do.
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Prepare the machine and credentials
- Reserve enough disk space for the database, binary logs if enabled, and several compressed dumps.
- Record the server’s database host and port. The default local port is 3306, but an existing service may use another port.
- Choose a database name, such as
fivem, and a long unique password for the FiveM account. - Keep the password out of public repositories, screenshots and paste sites. Restrict access to the configuration file that contains it.
- Use a dedicated account for the running server. Do not put the MariaDB root password in
server.cfg.
Install MariaDB
Windows
- Download the MariaDB installer from the official MariaDB project and run it on the machine that will host SQL.
- Keep the default TCP port 3306 unless another service already occupies it. If you choose a different port, record it for the connection string and firewall.
- Set a strong administrative password during installation and install MariaDB as a Windows service so it starts with the machine.
- After installation, verify that the MariaDB service is running before you configure FiveM.
Linux
- Install the MariaDB server and client packages from your distribution’s repository.
- Start and enable the MariaDB service using your distribution’s service manager.
- Run the supplied secure-installation routine. Remove anonymous users, disallow remote root login, remove the test database and reload privilege tables when prompted.
- Check that the service is listening on the intended interface and port. If FiveM and MariaDB share a host, binding SQL to localhost reduces exposure.
Package names and service commands vary by distribution, so use the commands documented for your Linux release. The important results are the same: MariaDB is running, the port is known, and root is reserved for administration rather than application queries.
Create a database and least-privilege account
Log in to MariaDB as an administrator and create an empty database using a UTF-8 collation. The following example uses the database name fivem, account fivem and a placeholder password; replace the password with your own secret.
CREATE DATABASE fivem CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;
CREATE USER 'fivem'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'YOUR_LONG_RANDOM_PASSWORD';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON fivem.* TO 'fivem'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;The grant is broad inside one database but does not give the account access to other databases or administrative functions. If FiveM connects from another host, create the account for the specific private source address instead of using a wildcard host, then allow that address through the database and network firewalls. A remote account also needs the correct host name in its grant; a password alone cannot overcome a host mismatch.
Test the new credentials before touching FiveM:
mariadb -u fivem -p -h 127.0.0.1 -P 3306 fivemAt the MariaDB prompt, run SELECT 1;. A successful result proves that the account, password, host, port and database name agree. It does not prove that a framework’s tables have been imported yet.
Use a txAdmin recipe when it fits
txAdmin framework recipes can create a database and import framework SQL during deployment. This is convenient for a new ESX, QBCore or Qbox server because the recipe can place resources and schema steps in one workflow. Read the recipe’s database prompts carefully, confirm the selected database name, and inspect the resulting server.cfg. If you already have a database, do not let a recipe silently create a second one or overwrite an existing schema.
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Install oxmysql in the resources directory
- Download the current oxmysql release from its official project source.
- Place the resource folder in the server’s resources directory. Keep the folder name expected by the resource, normally
oxmysql. - Do not rename the folder unless you also update every reference to it.
- Add the connection string before the resource is started, then ensure oxmysql before your framework and gameplay resources.
oxmysql is built on node-mysql2 and provides asynchronous APIs, compatibility syntax, and both URI and semicolon-separated connection strings. Its documentation is the authority for release-specific options; the configuration patterns below are the two forms supported in the supplied setup guidance.
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Set mysql_connection_string in server.cfg
The convar must appear before ensure oxmysql. A URI connection string is compact and makes the character set explicit:
set mysql_connection_string "mysql://fivem:YOUR_PASSWORD@localhost:3306/fivem?charset=utf8mb4"
ensure oxmysqlThe semicolon form is also supported:
set mysql_connection_string "user=fivem;password=YOUR_PASSWORD;host=localhost;port=3306;database=fivem"
ensure oxmysqlUse the host that matches your deployment. localhost may resolve through a local socket or local networking behavior, while 127.0.0.1 explicitly selects IPv4 TCP; either is fine when MariaDB is local, but the account’s host grant must match how the server connects. For a remote database, use its private address or hostname and the configured port.
Connection-string delimiters have special meaning. Avoid putting these characters directly in a password unless you understand and correctly escape the selected format: ;, ,, /, ?, :, @, &, =, +, $ and #. A password containing one of them can make a valid account appear to have the wrong password or host. Generate a secret that is easy to encode safely, or apply the correct URI encoding for the URI form.
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Keep server.cfg readable only by the server operator and exclude it from public Git repositories. If you split secrets into a protected configuration file, ensure the main configuration executes that file before oxmysql.
Import every framework and resource schema
Creating an empty database is not enough. Frameworks and resources normally ship an installation .sql file containing their tables, indexes and seed data. Import the framework schema first, then import the SQL file for each resource that documents one.
Import with a graphical client
- Open a client such as HeidiSQL and connect with the dedicated account or an administrator account that has permission to create tables.
- Select the target
fivemdatabase in the left-hand tree. Selecting the wrong schema is a common cause of an apparently successful import followed byER_NO_SUCH_TABLE. - Open the framework or resource’s install SQL file and execute it.
- Refresh the database tree and verify that the expected tables exist. Look for the exact table names referenced by the resource.
- Repeat for every resource that supplies a schema, preserving the order documented by that resource.
Import from a shell
For a file named framework.sql, an administrator can use a command like:
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mariadb -u fivem -p -h 127.0.0.1 -P 3306 fivem < framework.sqlOn a production server, review a SQL file before executing it. It may create users, drop tables, insert default rows or assume a particular engine version. Never run an untrusted SQL file with root credentials.
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Resources that use oxmysql should load its Lua library and declare the dependency in their manifest when required by their code:
server_script '@oxmysql/lib/MySQL.lua'
dependency 'oxmysql'Use placeholders for values rather than concatenating player input. The following examples run asynchronously and return one row or the inserted identifier:
local row = MySQL.single.await('SELECT money FROM my_accounts WHERE identifier = ?', { identifier })
local id = MySQL.insert.await('INSERT INTO my_accounts (identifier, money) VALUES (?, ?)', { identifier, 500 })Parameterized queries protect the SQL syntax from values supplied by a player. They do not validate game logic, permissions or the type of a value, so the server must still check that a player may perform the requested action and that numbers fall within expected ranges.
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Clients should call a server event or callback. The server obtains the player’s identity, validates the request and performs the query. Do not send database credentials or unrestricted SQL to a client. A client-provided identifier, account name or amount is an input to validate, not an authority to trust.
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A minimal ordering pattern is:
set mysql_connection_string "mysql://fivem:YOUR_PASSWORD@localhost:3306/fivem?charset=utf8mb4"
ensure oxmysql
ensure your_framework
ensure your_gameplay_resourcePlace the convar before oxmysql, and oxmysql before every resource that imports its library or executes a query at startup. If a framework starts first, it may attempt a query while the driver is still unavailable. If the driver starts but the schema was not imported, the connection succeeds while table queries fail.
Restart the server and read the console from the first oxmysql message onward. A healthy startup should show a successful database connection followed by framework resources starting without repeated query errors. Test an actual save operation, reconnect, and confirm that the value persists; a connection message alone does not prove that writes work.
Back up before opening the server
A database on the same disk as the game server is not a backup if that disk fails. Schedule logical dumps, retain multiple days, and copy archives to another machine or object storage. The MariaDB and MySQL dump tools support a consistent transaction snapshot for transactional tables:
mariadb-dump --single-transaction -u fivem -p -h 127.0.0.1 -P 3306 fivem > /backup/fivem-YYYY-MM-DD.sqlmysqldump can be used where that is the installed client. Protect dump files because they contain player and server data. A practical schedule keeps daily files for several days, copies them off the FiveM host, and periodically tests a restore into a separate database. A backup that has never been restored is only an assumption.
Local, Docker and hosted setups: choose by risk
Local installation minimizes network complexity and is the easiest starting point. Docker or a virtual machine makes replacement and version pinning easier, but the database must use a persistent volume; deleting a container without its volume deletes the data. A hosted database reduces service maintenance on the game machine, yet introduces network latency, firewall rules, credentials stored outside the host and a dependency on the provider. In all three cases, scheduled off-machine dumps remain your responsibility unless you have verified an independent provider backup and restore process.
Troubleshoot connection and schema errors
| Console error or symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
ECONNREFUSED 127.0.0.1:3306 |
MariaDB is stopped, the host is wrong, or MariaDB listens on another port. | Start the service, confirm its listening port, then make the host and port in mysql_connection_string match. Check a local firewall if the service is running. |
ER_ACCESS_DENIED_ERROR |
Wrong username or password, a host mismatch in the account grant, or insufficient privileges. | Log in with the same host, port and credentials from a MariaDB client. Inspect the account’s grants and recreate or alter the account for the actual source host. Confirm the password was not split by a connection-string delimiter. |
ER_BAD_DB_ERROR or unknown database |
The database was never created or its name differs from the connection string. | Run SHOW DATABASES; as an administrator, create the intended database if absent, and make the configured name identical, including capitalization where the operating system makes it significant. |
ER_NO_SUCH_TABLE |
The framework or resource SQL file was not imported into the selected database. | Find the resource’s install SQL, select the configured database, execute it, refresh the table list and restart the resource. |
| Names or emoji appear garbled | The connection or tables use a character set that cannot represent the data. | Use utf8mb4 for the database and tables, and add ?charset=utf8mb4 to the URI connection string. Review existing table collations before converting data. |
| Framework starts but saves fail | oxmysql started after the framework, the account lacks write privileges, or the query is failing on a missing column/table. | Move ensure oxmysql above the framework, test an insert using the dedicated account, and read the first SQL error rather than only the final save warning. |
| Queries work manually but not in FiveM | FiveM is reading a different configuration file, using a different resource folder name, or connecting with a different host string. | Print or inspect the active startup configuration, verify the exact resource name and dependency, and compare the server’s connection details with the successful command-line test. |
| Only one resource fails after an update | That resource’s schema was not upgraded, or a new version expects a column or index that is absent. | Read the resource’s migration notes, back up first, and apply its update SQL to the same database. Do not drop production tables to silence an error. |
Production checks before inviting players
- Least privilege: The runtime account is not root and cannot administer unrelated databases.
- Correct encoding: New databases and the connection use
utf8mb4. - Startup order: The convar precedes oxmysql, and oxmysql precedes every dependent resource.
- Schema completeness: Every framework and resource SQL file has been imported into the configured database.
- Write test: Create or change a test record, restart the server, reconnect and verify persistence.
- Network controls: A remote database accepts connections only from the FiveM host or private network.
- Secret handling: Passwords are absent from public repositories and readable only by operators.
- Recovery: A recent dump exists off the game host and a restore has been tested.
- Maintenance: Monitor disk usage, database logs and failed queries, and schedule engine and resource updates during a maintenance window.
Final setup checklist
- Install MariaDB directly rather than adding an unnecessary bundled stack.
- Create the
fivemdatabase withutf8mb4and a dedicated account. - Install oxmysql in the resources directory.
- Set
mysql_connection_stringbeforeensure oxmysql. - Ensure oxmysql before the framework and gameplay resources.
- Import the framework schema and every resource-specific SQL file.
- Use server-side, parameterized queries and validate all client input.
- Perform a real save-and-restart test.
- Schedule off-machine dumps and test restoring one.
That sequence gives a framework-based FiveM server a compatible database engine, a controlled account, the correct driver, complete schemas and a recoverable data store. If your server is only a non-persistent vMenu installation, you can stop after confirming that none of its resources require SQL.
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