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Getting Started with DataService

DataService provides a simple way to manage player data on the server while keeping clients in sync automatically.

1) Install​

Add DataService to your wally.toml:

[dependencies]
DataService = "leifstout/dataservice@1.0.0"

Then run:

wally install

2) Define your data template​

Create a module for your default player data:

return {
	currency = 0,
	level = 1,
	xp = 0,
	inventory = {},
	settings = {
		musicVolume = 0.5,
		sfxVolume = 0.5,
	},
}

Keep values JSON-compatible (numbers, strings, booleans, arrays, dictionaries).

3) Initialize on the server​

In a server script, initialize DataService once:

local ReplicatedStorage = game:GetService("ReplicatedStorage")
local DataService = require(Packages.DataService).server
local DataTemplate = require(Path.To.DataTemplate)

DataService:init({
	template = DataTemplate,
})

4) Init, read, and react on the client​

Use the client module to read data and subscribe to changes:

local ReplicatedStorage = game:GetService("ReplicatedStorage")
local DataService = require(Packages.DataService).client

DataService:init()

local currency = DataService:get("currency")
print("Currency:", currency)

DataService:getChangedSignal("currency"):Connect(function(newValue)
	print("Currency updated:", newValue)
end)

5) Update data on the server​

When game logic changes player values, mutate data on the server:

-- Example: add currency when a player completes a reward
DataService:update(player, "currency", function(current)
	return current + 100
end)

Next steps​