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Coming From FiveM (GTA)

Welcome FiveM developers! 👋

Discover why developing in HELIX is a game-changer — and how it improves on what you're used to in FiveM. Let's explore the key differences.

Quick Links:

  • :fontawesome-solid-people-line: Built By Modders, For Modders
    HELIX isn’t just a game — it’s a developer-first platform. Every tool, workflow, and system is designed with modders in mind, removing the friction and overhead you’ve likely encountered before.

    Spend less time fighting limitations, and more time building what you love.

  • :material-unreal: Unreal Engine 5
    FiveM relies on GTA V’s legacy engine. HELIX is built natively on Unreal Engine 5, unlocking access to next-gen rendering, world-building, and performance features — from Nanite and Lumen to Chaos physics and MetaSounds.

    This means greater creative freedom and a significantly more modern toolset.

  • :material-api: API Improvements
    HELIX’s scripting layer offers a structured, class-based API — familiar to Lua developers, but far more maintainable. It’s built for clarity, modularity, and future growth.

    Expect cleaner code, simpler event handling, and a scalable foundation for large or team-driven projects.

Structure and Modularity​

The overall structure of code in HELIX will feel familiar to FiveM developers — but there are some key differences worth noting:

  • Manifest Files: FiveM uses fxmanifest.lua to define resource metadata. In HELIX, this is handled by a package.json file, following a more standardized and flexible format.

  • Resource Folders: Like FiveM, HELIX organizes scripts into folders. However, the folder structure is entirely customizable and defined in package.json, giving you more control over how your packages are structured.

  • Server Configuration: Instead of server.cfg, HELIX uses a Config.json file for server metadata and resource loading. The concept is similar but aligns with a modern JSON-based configuration approach.

Object and Class Handling​

HELIX uses a class-based architecture for most of its core systems, offering a more structured and object-oriented approach to development. This design makes your code more organized, modular, and easier to maintain.

Below are some direct comparisons between how things are done in FiveM versus HELIX:

UI​

ExamplesFiveMHELIX
NUI FocusSetNuiFocus(enable_input, enable_mouse)Input.SetInputEnabled(enable_input)
Input.SetMouseEnabled(enable_mouse)
NUI MessageSendNUIMessage({action = "togglePhone", data = not isOpen })main_hud = WebUI("Phone", "file://ui/index.html")
main_hud:CallEvent("togglePhone", not isOpen)
NUI Eventwindow.addEventListener('message', function(event) { if (event.data.action === "togglePhone") {Events.Subscribe("togglePhone", function(bool) {

Player​

ExamplesFiveMHELIX
Player KickDropPlayer(src, reason)my_player:Kick(reason)
Player NameGetPlayerName(src)my_player:GetAccountName()
Player Pedlocal ped = PlayerPedID()local player = Client.GetLocalPlayer()
local ped = player:GetControlledCharacter()

Character (ped)​

ExamplesFiveMHELIX
AnimationTaskPlayAnim()ped:PlayAnimation()
Set CoordsSetEntityCoords(ped, coords)ped:SetLocation(coords)
Get CoordsGetEntityCoords(ped)ped:GetLocation()
Set HeadingSetEntityHeading(ped, rotation)ped:SetRotation(0.0, rotation, 0.0)
Set ModelSetPlayerModel(ped, model)ped:SetMesh(skeletal_mesh_asset)
Freeze EntityFreezeEntityPosition(ped, bool)ped:SetInputEnabled(bool)
Input.SetInputEnabled(bool)
Get VehicleGetVehiclePedIsIn(ped)ped:GetVehicle()

Vehicle​

ExamplesFiveMHELIX
Spawnlocal my_veh = CreateVehicle(hash, x, y, z)local my_veh = HSimpleVehicle(location, rotation, blueprint_asset)
Door InteractionSetVehicleDoorShut / SetVehicleDoorOpenmy_veh:SetDoorState(Doorindex, NewState, Curvetype)
Get SpeedGetEntitySpeed(entity)my_veh::GetVehicleSpeed()

Utilities​

ExamplesFiveMHELIX
TimeoutSetTimeout(milliseconds, callback)Timer.SetTimeout(callback, milliseconds)
Vectorvector3(X, Y, Z)Vector(X, Y, Z)
HeadingintRotator(0.0, int, 0.0) (Rotator Yaw = Heading)
Entity DeleteDeleteEntity(entity)actor:Destroy()

Next Steps​

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