txAdmin setup and recipes: deploy a FiveM server step by step
How to set up txAdmin for the first time, link your Cfx.re account, pick a recipe (ESX Legacy, QBCore, QBox or custom), enter database details and what the deploy does.
You downloaded the FiveM server artifacts, started them, and now txAdmin is asking for a PIN, an account and a template. This guide walks you through the first start, linking your Cfx.re account, choosing a recipe and what happens during the deploy.
First start and the PIN
On Windows, run FXServer.exe. On Linux, start the run.sh from the artifacts. The first start prints a txAdmin URL and a one-time PIN in the console. Open the URL in your browser and enter the PIN. Only the person who can read the server console can do this, which is the point.
The PIN only works once. If you lose it, stop the server and start it again to get a new one, as long as you have not finished the account setup. If you already did and forgot your login, see txAdmin forgot password.
Link your Cfx.re account
txAdmin asks you to create a master account. You link it to your Cfx.re account, which is the same account you use on the FiveM forum and in the Cfx.re Portal. Sign in with Cfx.re when asked, then choose a backup password for the account so you can still log in if the Cfx.re login is down.
Keep that password somewhere safe. You will add other admins later from the txAdmin admin page, each with their own permissions.
Server name and deploy type
The setup wizard asks for a server name, then for the deploy type. The wording changes between txAdmin versions, but you will see choices along these lines:
- Popular recipes: ready made templates, including ESX Legacy, QBCore and QBox.
- Remote URL template: a recipe you paste from a link, for example one from a framework's own repository.
- Local template or custom recipe: your own recipe file.
- Existing server data: you already have a server data folder with a
server.cfgand want txAdmin to run it.
If this is a new server, choose a popular recipe. Frameworks update their recipes, so you get a current setup without hunting for download links.
Choosing a template
| You want | Pick |
|---|---|
| The framework most scripts are written for | ESX Legacy or QBCore |
| A newer stack built around ox_lib, ox_inventory and ox_target | QBox |
| Only the base game, to build everything yourself | A blank or custom recipe |
Not sure? Read install ESX Legacy, install QBCore and install QBox before you pick, because moving frameworks later means converting your data.
Folder and recipe parameters
After you pick a recipe, txAdmin shows the server data folder. It is where the deploy puts server.cfg and the resources folder. Keep it outside the artifacts folder, so you can update the artifacts without touching your data (see update FiveM server artifacts).
Then comes a form with the recipe's parameters. Typical fields:
- Cfx.re license key: the key your server needs to start. Generate it in the Cfx.re Portal. If you get an error about it, read the server license key error.
- Database settings: host, user, password and database name.
- Max players, server name and other options the recipe offers.
Warning: the license key is private. Do not post
server.cfgin screenshots or Discord messages without hiding it.
Database credentials during the deploy
Frameworks keep players, money, vehicles and more in a MySQL or MariaDB database. The recipe needs to log in to create its tables. You have two usual setups:
- A database server you already run (a local MariaDB, XAMPP, or one from your host). Enter its host, user and password. The user needs permission to create a database.
- The default txAdmin form values, which fit a local setup where the database runs on the same machine.
The deploy builds the connection string for you, so you do not need to write it by hand. In server.cfg you will find it as:
set mysql_connection_string "mysql://user:password@localhost/dbname?charset=utf8mb4"If the server later says it cannot connect, the fix is in oxmysql connection error.
What the recipe actually does
A recipe is a list of tasks that txAdmin runs in order. In plain terms:
- Downloads resources: the framework, its resources, oxmysql and other dependencies, usually as ZIP files from GitHub.
- Unpacks and moves them into the
resourcesfolder. - Creates the database and imports the framework's SQL file, using the credentials you entered.
- Writes
server.cfg: your server name, license key, connection string,ensurelines and permissions.
When the deploy finishes, txAdmin shows the generated server.cfg for you to review. This is the right moment to read it line by line: see server.cfg explained. You can edit it, then save and start the server.
After the deploy
Start the server from the txAdmin dashboard and watch the console. A healthy start ends with the resources listed as started and no red errors. Then connect with FiveM and check that you reach the character screen or spawn.
If a resource fails, couldn't start resource and reading a script error cover what the messages mean. For your own admin rights in game, see ACE permissions.
Tip: take a copy of the server data folder and an export of the database right after a clean deploy. If you break something while experimenting, you can return to a known good state. The backup guide shows how.
Checklist
| Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|
| Lost the txAdmin PIN | Stop and start the server before finishing setup to get a new one |
| Cannot log in with Cfx.re | Use the backup password you set, or follow the forgot password guide |
| Deploy fails at the database step | Check host, user, password and that the user may create databases |
| Not sure which template to pick | Choose the framework your scripts support; ESX Legacy and QBCore are the most common |
| Server starts but you cannot join | Check the endpoints and port forwarding |
| Want to review what was written | Read server.cfg in the server data folder before the first start |
Quick answers
What is a txAdmin recipe?
A recipe is a small YAML file that tells txAdmin what to download, where to unpack it, which database to create and what to write into server.cfg. Deploying a recipe gives you a working server in a few minutes.
Can I deploy a recipe on a server that already has data?
Deploy into an empty folder. A recipe writes server.cfg and creates the database, so running it over an existing server can overwrite your files and tables.
Which recipe should I choose: ESX Legacy, QBCore or QBox?
Pick the framework whose scripts you plan to run. Most store scripts support ESX and QBCore, and QBox runs most QBCore scripts through its compatibility layer.
