Roblox Luau Scripting

Script a Roblox experience in Luau: services, Instances, events, the server/client split, and secure cross-boundary communication. Targets the current Roblox engine and Studio.

When to use

• Use when writing Roblox scripts: getting services, creating/parenting instances, connecting events, deciding server vs client, or wiring RemoteEvent/ RemoteFunction communication.
• Use when the project has Script/LocalScript/ModuleScript objects, .rbxl(x) places, or a Rojo *.project.json, and code calls game:GetService(...).

When not to use: persisting data across sessions → roblox-datastores. Remote protocol architecture, exploit hardening, rate limits, high-frequency replication, and multi-client abuse testing → roblox-networking. Generic Lua questions unrelated to the Roblox API. Engine-agnostic input/save architecture → input-systems / save-systems.

Core workflow

1. Get services with game:GetService("Name"). Common ones: Players, Workspace, ReplicatedStorage (shared client+server), ServerScriptService (server-only code), ServerStorage, RunService, UserInputService (client).
2. Know where code runs. A Script runs on the server; a LocalScript runs on a client (in StarterPlayerScripts, StarterGui, or the player's character). A Script whose RunContext is Client also runs on clients, from ReplicatedStorage; check RunContext before deciding where a Script runs. A ModuleScript is shared code you require.
3. Create instances deliberately. local p = Instance.new("Part"), set its properties, then set p.Parent last (parenting triggers replication).
4. React with events. :Connect to signals like Players.PlayerAdded, part.Touched, or RunService.Heartbeat. Disconnect when done to avoid leaks.
5. Cross the client/server boundary with Remotes — and never trust the client. Clients request via RemoteEvent:FireServer(...); the server validates and applies. The server is authoritative for all game state.
6. Test in Studio with Test / Test Here / Server & Clients; use the Output window and the Client/Server toggle to confirm where code ran.
7. Run static checks before Studio when the project already has the tools. Put std = "roblox" in the root selene.toml, then run selene .. For a Rojo project, write the sourcemap once with rojo sourcemap default.project.json --output sourcemap.json, then run luau-lsp analyze --sourcemap=sourcemap.json src, passing the Roblox type definitions with --definitions (luau-lsp analyze --help lists the flags). Studio Script Sync projects may not have a sourcemap.

Patterns

1. Server Script: react to players joining (leaderstats)

-- ServerScriptService/Leaderboard.server.luau  (a Script = runs on the server)
local Players = game:GetService("Players")

local function onPlayerAdded(player: Player)
    local stats = Instance.new("Folder")
    stats.Name = "leaderstats"          -- this name makes it show on the leaderboard

    local coins = Instance.new("IntValue")
    coins.Name = "Coins"
    coins.Value = 0
    coins.Parent = stats

    stats.Parent = player               -- parent LAST
end

Players.PlayerAdded:Connect(onPlayerAdded)

2. Create and configure an instance

local Workspace = game:GetService("Workspace")

local part = Instance.new("Part")
part.Size = Vector3.new(4, 1, 4)
part.Position = Vector3.new(0, 10, 0)
part.Anchored = true                    -- won't fall under gravity
part.BrickColor = BrickColor.new("Bright blue")
part.Parent = Workspace                 -- set Parent last so it replicates once, fully

3. Connect an event (and disconnect to avoid leaks)

local debounce = false
local connection
connection = part.Touched:Connect(function(hit: BasePart)
    local character = hit.Parent
    local humanoid = character and character:FindFirstChildOfClass("Humanoid")
    if not humanoid or debounce then return end
    debounce = true
    humanoid.Health -= 10
    task.wait(1)                        -- task.wait, NOT the deprecated wait()
    debounce = false
end)

-- Later, when the part is removed or the round ends:
-- connection:Disconnect()

4. Client → server with a RemoteEvent (validate on the server!)

-- ReplicatedStorage: create a RemoteEvent named "BuyItem" (in Studio or via code).
-- CLIENT (LocalScript): request a purchase. The client can lie — this is only a request.
local ReplicatedStorage = game:GetService("ReplicatedStorage")
local buyItem = ReplicatedStorage:WaitForChild("BuyItem")  -- wait: may not have replicated yet
buyButton.MouseButton1Click:Connect(function()
    buyItem:FireServer("sword")        -- send the item id only; never the price/result
end)

-- SERVER (Script): the ONLY place the transaction is decided.
local ReplicatedStorage = game:GetService("ReplicatedStorage")
local buyItem = ReplicatedStorage:WaitForChild("BuyItem")
local PRICES = { sword = 100, shield = 75 }

buyItem.OnServerEvent:Connect(function(player: Player, itemId)
    -- TRUST NOTHING from the client. Validate types and values.
    if type(itemId) ~= "string" then return end
    local price = PRICES[itemId]
    if not price then return end                         -- unknown item
    local coins = player.leaderstats.Coins
    if coins.Value < price then return end               -- can't afford
    coins.Value -= price                                 -- server applies the change
    grantItem(player, itemId)
end)

5. A per-frame loop with RunService

local RunService = game:GetService("RunService")
-- Heartbeat fires every frame AFTER physics; dt is seconds since the last step.
RunService.Heartbeat:Connect(function(dt)
    spinner.CFrame *= CFrame.Angles(0, math.rad(90) * dt, 0)  -- 90deg/sec, frame-independent
end)

6. Shared code in a ModuleScript

-- ReplicatedStorage/GameConfig (a ModuleScript) — usable by server and client.
local GameConfig = {}
GameConfig.MaxHealth = 100
function GameConfig.damageFor(weapon: string): number
    return ({ sword = 25, bow = 15 })[weapon] or 0
end
return GameConfig

local GameConfig = require(game:GetService("ReplicatedStorage"):WaitForChild("GameConfig"))
print(GameConfig.MaxHealth)

Pitfalls

• Trusting the client is an exploit → clients can send any arguments to a RemoteEvent/RemoteFunction. Validate every argument's type and range on the server and keep the server authoritative over health, currency, and inventory.
• LocalScript doesn't run where you put it → LocalScripts run in StarterPlayerScripts, StarterCharacterScripts, StarterGui, or tools — not in Workspace or ServerScriptService. Server Scripts belong in ServerScriptService/Workspace. A Script with RunContext = Client placed in a Starter* container runs twice (original and copy); keep those in ReplicatedStorage.
• Deprecated globals → use task.wait/task.spawn/task.delay, not the old wait()/spawn()/delay() (worse scheduling and throttling).
• Parenting first, then setting properties → set properties first and Parent last so the instance replicates once in its final state.
• nil on the client right after join → objects stream/replicate over time; use parent:WaitForChild("Name") instead of indexing directly on the client.
• Connections never disconnected → long-lived :Connect handlers leak and can fire on destroyed objects; store the connection and :Disconnect() (or use Instance:GetAttributeChangedSignal/:Once where appropriate).
• Using a RemoteFunction where a RemoteEvent fits → RemoteFunction blocks waiting for a return and a malicious/slow client can stall the server; prefer one-way RemoteEvents unless you genuinely need a reply.
• Assuming the old type checker -> Luau's New Type Solver reached general release (out of Studio Beta) in Nov 2025. nocheck/non-strict places get it automatically; strict-mode places opt in with the UseNewLuauTypeSolver workspace property, and LuauTypeCheckMode sets a place's default checking mode. It runs only at edit time (no runtime cost), so triage type warnings against the solver the place actually has enabled, not older behavior.

References

• For the full client/server model (replication, RemoteFunction vs RemoteEvent, :WaitForChild timing, BindableEvent for same-context messaging, attributes, CollectionService tags, and :Once/connection cleanup), read references/client-server.md.

Related skills

• roblox-datastores — persist player data across sessions (server-only).
• roblox-networking — production remote contracts, server validation, rate limits, replication, streaming, prediction, and multi-client testing.
• save-systems — engine-agnostic persistence concepts.
• game-ai / input-systems — portable AI and input patterns to implement in Luau.