Create a MySQL database for your server

Some plugins would rather store their data in a MySQL database than in loose files, LuckPerms for permissions being a well-known example. You create the database yourself in the game panel under Databases, then enter its login details in your plugin.

What do you need a database for?

A database helps when a plugin keeps a lot of data, or when several servers need to share the same data, such as permissions across a network. Many frameworks for FiveM servers use one too. If your plugin doesn’t ask for a database, you can skip this.

How do you create a database?

1. Open your server in the game panel and go to Databases, under the Storage heading.
2. Click New Database.
3. Enter a short name under Database Name, for example luckperms: at least 3 characters, using letters, numbers, dashes or underscores.
4. Leave Connections From empty, so your server can connect from anywhere.
5. Click Create Database.

At the bottom of the page you can see how many databases your plan includes, for example 1 of 2 databases allocated.

Where do you find the login details?

Click the eye icon (View Details) next to your database. You’ll see:

• Endpoint: the address and port of the database server;
• Username and Password: the login details;
• JDBC Connection String: everything on one line, for plugins that ask for it.

The game panel adds a prefix to your name, for example s123_luckperms. Always use the full name exactly as it appears next to your database.

How do you connect the database to a plugin?

An example with LuckPerms, in plugins/LuckPerms/config.yml:

1. Stop your server.
2. Set storage-method to mysql.
3. Under data, put the Endpoint in address, the full database name in database, and your login details in username and password.
4. Start your server and check in the console that the plugin connects.

Other plugins work the same way; only the setting names differ.

How do you back up your database?

Backups under Backups only contain your server’s files, not your database. So click phpMyAdmin at the top of the Databases page, log in with the Username and Password from View Details and use Export to save a copy on your own computer. Your server files are covered in Create and restore a backup.

What are the common mistakes?

• Leaving localhost in place. LuckPerms uses localhost by default, but your database lives on a separate database server. Enter the Endpoint.
• Using the short name. Without the prefix, your plugin won’t find the database.
• Filling in Connections From. Leave it empty unless you know exactly which IP address connects.