If you're trying to build a social game, getting a solid roblox friend system script running is usually at the top of the to-do list. While Roblox has its own built-in friend system that follows users across the whole platform, there are plenty of reasons why you might want something custom. Maybe you want an "in-game only" buddy list, or perhaps you're building a clan system where players need to form specific alliances that don't clutter up their actual Roblox followers. Whatever the case, building one isn't as scary as it sounds, but it does require a bit of planning around how you handle data.
Why you might need a custom solution
Let's be honest, the standard Roblox friend list is fine for most things, but it's a bit limited when you want to create deep social mechanics. When you write your own roblox friend system script, you get total control over the player experience. You can decide exactly how many friends a person can have, what kind of perks they get for playing together (like XP boosts), and how the notifications look on the screen.
Most successful simulators and RPGs use some form of custom social management. It keeps players engaged within your specific game world. Plus, it allows you to bypass that awkward moment where a player wants to add someone they met in your game but doesn't necessarily want them seeing what they're doing on the rest of the site. It's about creating a "walled garden" that feels cozy and relevant to your gameplay loop.
Getting the foundations right
Before you even touch a script editor, you have to think about the backend. A roblox friend system script relies heavily on two things: RemoteEvents and DataStores. Since the client (the player's computer) shouldn't be allowed to just tell the server "Hey, I'm now friends with this guy," you have to handle all the logic on the server.
You'll want a folder in ReplicatedStorage to hold your events. Name them something obvious like FriendRequestEvent or UpdateFriendList. On the server side, you'll need a script that listens for these events and checks if the requests are valid. For instance, you don't want someone sending fifty requests a second to the same person. That's a quick way to crash your script or annoy your players into quitting.
Coding the request logic
The meat of your roblox friend system script happens when one player clicks that "Add Friend" button. Your local script fires a RemoteEvent to the server, passing along the UserId of the person they want to befriend.
On the server, you need to perform a few "sanity checks." Is the player already friends with this person? Do they have a pending request already? Is the target player actually in the server? Once those checks pass, you store that request in a table. Usually, I like to keep a temporary table for "Pending Requests" that clears out when a player leaves, but if you want requests to persist even when players are offline, you're going to be leaning heavily on your DataStore logic.
```lua -- A simple snippet of what the server-side logic might look like FriendRequestEvent.OnServerEvent:Connect(function(player, targetUserId) if player.UserId == targetUserId then return end -- Can't friend yourself!
-- Logic to check if they are already friends goes here -- Logic to send a notification to the target player end) ```
It looks simple on the surface, but the "edge cases" are what get you. What happens if the target player leaves right as the request is sent? You've got to make sure your script doesn't throw an error and stop working for everyone else.
Saving data for the long haul
If you want the friends to stay friends the next time they join, you have to save that data. This is where DataStoreService comes in. Most developers store a table of UserIds under the player's key.
When a player joins, your roblox friend system script should fetch their "Friends" table. You then loop through that table and check if any of those friends are currently in the same server. If they are, you can fire a message to the UI to highlight them or show they are "Online."
One thing to keep in mind is the DataStore limits. You don't want to save the data every single time someone hits "Accept." It's better to update the in-game table first and then save everything when the player leaves the game (using PlayerRemoving) or at set intervals. This keeps your game running smoothly without hitting those annoying "Request Limit Reached" warnings in the output.
Designing a UI that doesn't look like 2012
We've all seen those games where the UI is just a bunch of grey boxes. Don't do that. Your roblox friend system script deserves a nice interface. You'll need a ScrollingFrame to handle the list, especially if you aren't putting a cap on how many friends a player can have.
Each entry in the list should probably show the player's avatar thumbnail (you can get this easily with GetUserThumbnailAsync) and their current status. Using UIGridLayout or UIListLayout makes organizing these elements way easier. You can even add a "Join" button next to their name if they are in a different zone of your game, which really helps with player retention.
Handling notifications and pop-ups
When someone gets a friend request, they need to know about it immediately. Instead of a boring chat message, a little pop-up at the bottom of the screen usually works best. In your roblox friend system script, you can use a RemoteEvent to "push" a notification from the server to the specific client who is receiving the request.
Include "Accept" and "Decline" buttons right there in the notification. If they click accept, it fires another event back to the server, the server updates the DataStore, and then tells both players' UIs to refresh. It's a bit of a back-and-forth "handshake," but it ensures that everyone stays synced up.
Security and anti-spam measures
You have to assume that at least one person is going to try and break your roblox friend system script. Since RemoteEvents can be fired by anyone using a cheat executor, you need to validate everything.
Never trust the "sender" information passed from the client if it's something the server can figure out itself. Use the player argument that's automatically passed by OnServerEvent to identify who is sending the request. Also, implement a simple debounce (a cooldown) on the server. If a player sends a request, make them wait at least a few seconds before they can send another one. It prevents people from flooding your DataStores or bothering other players with endless pop-ups.
Final polish and testing
Once you have the core of your roblox friend system script working, spend some time on the "feel" of it. Add some smooth tweens to the UI when it opens and closes. Maybe add a sound effect when a request is accepted. It's these small touches that make a custom system feel like a professional part of the game rather than something slapped together in an afternoon.
Testing is also a bit tricky since you need two people. You can use the "Local Server" feature in Roblox Studio to spin up two or three windows at once. This lets you play-test the request-sending and receiving process without needing to bother a friend to jump in-game with you every time you change a line of code.
Creating a social ecosystem takes some work, but once it's up and running, it's one of the most rewarding parts of game development. Seeing players actually making connections in your world makes all that debugging worth it.