ESX, QBCore, Qbox or Standalone: Choosing a FiveM HUD Setup

The framework choice changes how a HUD reads player data. A HUD can render the same health bar on every server, but job labels, money accounts, needs, player-loaded events and identifiers are not universal.

The right setup begins by identifying which resource owns each value. Do not choose a HUD because a screenshot lists four framework names. Check how the integration is implemented and what happens when an optional system is missing.

What the framework provides

ESX Legacy

ESX resources commonly expose player data through the ESX shared object. Jobs, grades and accounts follow ESX conventions, and needs may come from the status system or another resource. Read the current ESX documentation for the version you run rather than copying an old event from a tutorial.

QBCore

QBCore commonly exposes player data through its core object. Money is represented by account keys, while job and metadata shape the values a HUD may display. A resource should use documented APIs and avoid assuming every server has the same metadata keys.

Qbox

Qbox provides its own core and a compatibility bridge for many QBCore-style resources. That bridge is useful, but compatibility is not a promise that every undocumented access pattern will remain valid. The Qbox project recommends using its released resources and documented exports where possible. See the Qbox project and documentation links.

Standalone

Standalone means the HUD cannot assume a framework owns job, cash, hunger, thirst or stress. It can still show client/game information such as health, armor, vehicle state, compass and speed, while optional integrations supply the rest.

Be honest about this mode. A HUD should hide unavailable modules or expose a custom integration hook instead of showing fake zeros.

Build a dependency matrix

Before installing, write down this matrix for your server:

HUD value	Owner or provider	Required?	Failure behaviour
Health/armor	FiveM/GTA client state	Usually yes	Hide or show safe default
Job/grade	ESX, QBCore or Qbox	Framework-dependent	Display fallback label
Cash/bank	Framework accounts	Framework-dependent	Hide unavailable account
Hunger/thirst	Framework or needs resource	Optional	Disable module
Stress	Framework, state bag or custom resource	Optional	Disable or use adapter
Fuel	Native or fuel resource	Optional	Use documented fallback
Voice/radio	pma-voice, SaltyChat or other provider	Optional	Hide provider-only state

This turns “compatibility” into something you can test.

Install in the correct order

Start the framework and its dependencies first. Then start inventory, voice, fuel or database resources required by the HUD. Finally start the HUD. A typical shape is:

ensure ox_lib
ensure oxmysql
ensure your_framework
ensure your_inventory
ensure your_voice
ensure zloma_hud

The exact names depend on your stack. Check the product documentation and server console rather than copying a generic list. Cfx.re's txAdmin setup guide is the right starting point for a new server and recipe-based deployment. Open the official txAdmin setup guide.

Test player loading before testing the UI

If the HUD is empty, first check whether the framework player data exists. A useful debugging sequence is:

1. confirm the framework resource is started;
2. confirm the player-loaded event fires;
3. print only safe, non-sensitive keys while debugging;
4. verify the HUD detected the intended framework;
5. test optional providers one by one;
6. restart the resource and repeat the test.

Do not fix an empty job label by adding a second database query inside a fast loop. Find which resource owns the job and subscribe to the correct update path.

What to look for in a multi-framework HUD

• explicit framework detection or a clear manual setting;
• guarded exports when a framework is not running;
• separate adapters for ESX, QBCore and Qbox data shapes;
• optional needs, inventory, fuel and voice integrations;
• standalone fallbacks;
• configurable module visibility;
• documentation that names supported versions and dependencies;
• server-side validation for sensitive actions.

Zloma HUD supports ESX, QBCore, Qbox and standalone modes with optional integrations for ox_lib, oxmysql, voice, fuel and inventory-related systems. The Zloma product catalogue contains the current requirements and should be checked before deployment.

Final takeaway

Framework compatibility is an implementation detail, not a screenshot label. Identify the owner of each value, install dependencies in order, test player loading first, and disable modules that your server does not provide.