FiveM and RedM: Custom Multiplayer Server Frameworks for GTA V and RDR2

What FiveM and RedM Do and Who They Are For

Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2 have active modding communities, but neither game's default multiplayer infrastructure allows players to host custom servers with their own rules, economies, or game modes. FiveM is a modification framework that fills this gap for GTA V Legacy on PC, and RedM does the same for RDR2 on PC.

The README describes FiveM as dual-purpose: it supports both single-player and multiplayer modifications. In multiplayer mode, FiveM allows the creator community to host and operate large-scale community servers. Creators write game modes and content in a variety of scripting languages, and players download the FiveM launcher to join those servers directly. Server operators use FXServer, the server-side component included in this repository. The target user is a game server creator, a scripter building custom game modes, or a developer contributing to the framework itself.

How FiveM, FXServer, and the Creator Ecosystem Connect

The citizenfx/fivem repository contains the source code for three components: FiveM, RedM, and FXServer. FXServer is the shared server component used by both games. It handles player connections, resource loading, and script execution for custom game modes. The repository structure includes a code/ directory for the framework source, a data/ directory, a docs/ directory with contribution guides, and a vendor/ directory for third-party dependencies.

The README links to several connected services: portal.cfx.re for the Cfx portal, forum.cfx.re for community discussion, marketplace.cfx.re for creator content, and docs.fivem.net for documentation. The documentation site contains the information for creating scripts, configuring FXServer, and understanding the resource system. The repository itself is the source code of the framework, not the documentation.

The primary programming language in the repository is C++. The fxd.cmd and fxd.ps1 files in the root are scripts that assist with building or running the framework on Windows.

Downloading FiveM and Running Your First Custom Server

To play on FiveM community servers, download the launcher from the FiveM website at fivem.net. To play on RedM community servers, download from redm.net. The launcher handles connecting to community servers separate from the base game's official multiplayer.

To host a server, the README directs operators to the server-hosting pages: fivem.net/server-hosting for FiveM servers and redm.net/server-hosting for RedM servers. These pages contain the setup instructions and artifact downloads for running FXServer. Server artifacts are the official server builds and are distributed separately from the GitHub repository source code. Running a server requires a valid server license obtained through the Cfx portal at portal.cfx.re.

For development against the framework, the contribution guide is in the docs/ directory of the repository. Building from source follows the instructions there rather than the server-hosting path used by operators.

Scripting, Custom Game Modes, and the Community Layer

FiveM and RedM allow server operators to load resources: packages of server-side and client-side scripts that define what a server does. The README describes this as creators building their own game modes and content in a variety of scripting languages, giving players fully customized experiences. The framework supports custom economies, roleplay servers, race servers, and other formats that the base games do not provide.

The marketplace at marketplace.cfx.re is the official distribution point for community-created scripts and assets. The forum at forum.cfx.re is the primary support and discussion channel. Discord is available through discord.gg/fivem. The README does not document which scripting languages are supported beyond describing them as a variety; the full list is in the documentation at docs.fivem.net.

The SECURITY.md file in the repository indicates the project has a defined security reporting process, which matters for a project that runs as a game server exposed to the internet.

Limitations: Platform, Scope, and What Is Not Covered

FiveM and RedM work only with the PC versions of their respective games. Console versions of GTA V and RDR2 are not supported. The README specifies the GTA V target as GTA V Legacy, distinguishing it from any later re-release that Rockstar may classify differently.

FiveM is not a tool for modifying GTA Online, the official Rockstar multiplayer service. Using FiveM alongside GTA Online is outside its intended scope and the license terms at fivem.net/terms govern acceptable use. FiveM connects players to community-hosted servers, not to the official Rockstar-operated servers.

Building FiveM from source is intended for contributors, not for operators. Operators use pre-built artifacts from the distribution pages. The repository's docs/ directory contains the build instructions for contributors. The README does not describe build steps at the top level, reflecting that source compilation is not the typical deployment path.

FiveM vs. Running a Vanilla GTA V Dedicated Server

Rockstar Games does not provide an official dedicated server for GTA V or RDR2 that allows operators to run fully customized game modes. The official GTA Online service is entirely Rockstar-managed, leaving no operator-controlled server option in the base game. FiveM fills this gap by providing FXServer as the host-controlled server infrastructure, with a scripting API that lets creators define rules, inventories, jobs, and interactions that do not exist in the official game.

The comparison is therefore not between FiveM and a built-in official alternative but between FiveM and other third-party multiplayer frameworks. The alternative most commonly discussed in the community is an older version of the same ecosystem (SA-MP was a predecessor for GTA: San Andreas; FiveM is the current standard for GTA V). For RDR2, RedM within the same Cfx framework is the established option. There is no widely adopted separate framework for RDR2 custom servers outside the Cfx ecosystem.

License, Maintenance Status, and Third-Party Notices

The last push to the repository was on 2026-09-07. The repository has no GitHub releases; server artifacts are distributed through the fivem.net server-hosting page rather than through GitHub's release system.

The license is governed by the Rockstar Games Creator Platform License Agreement, available at fivem.net/terms. The README notes that specific files are licensed under the GNU Library General Public License (LGPL). Third-party components and their licenses are listed in THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md in the repository root. The license situation is not a standard open-source license: the Creator Platform License Agreement contains terms about commercial use, monetization on servers, and other conditions specific to operating in the GTA V creator ecosystem. Review it before building any commercial product on this framework.

Editorial conclusion

FiveM is the right tool for creators and server operators who want to host custom multiplayer experiences for GTA V Legacy on PC, using scripting languages to define their own game modes and economies. RedM serves the same role for Red Dead Redemption 2. Neither is appropriate for modifying console versions of the games or for modifying the official Rockstar multiplayer (GTA Online or the RDR2 online modes). Before running a server or contributing to the codebase, read the Rockstar Games Creator Platform License Agreement at fivem.net/terms and the docs/ directory in the repository, since the license governs both players and server operators and contains conditions that differ from standard open-source terms.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources

1. citizenfx/fivem on GitHub
2. Issues
3. Project website
4. README