Direct answer: Migrating ESX to QBCore is a controlled rewrite and data migration, not a framework switch. Build a clean QBCore staging server, inventory every ESX dependency, define an explicit field-by-field data map, port resources against current APIs, rehearse rollback, and cut over only after referential and gameplay checks pass.
What must be mapped
| Surface | Migration decision | Acceptance evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Player identity | Map legacy identifiers and characters to QBCore citizen IDs without collisions. | Every sampled player resolves to one intended character record. |
| Money and accounts | Map each account explicitly; do not assume equal names or semantics. | Pre/post totals reconcile for a frozen sample. |
| Jobs and grades | Define a mapping for every live job and grade, including unemployed fallbacks. | Permissions and pay flows match the approved map. |
| Items and inventory | Map names, metadata, weight, slots and storage ownership. | No orphan item names; inventories persist after reconnect. |
| Vehicles and property | Normalize ownership keys, plates, garages and state fields. | Owned records remain unique and accessible. |
| Custom resources | Replace ESX callbacks, events and player APIs with documented QBCore equivalents. | Each end-to-end resource flow passes on staging. |
Migration sequence
- Freeze schema and resource changes; take a restorable database and file backup.
- Build QBCore from its maintained recipe or repository on an isolated staging environment.
- Export a schema inventory and write a versioned mapping for identities, accounts, jobs, items, vehicles and custom tables.
- Make transforms idempotent and run them only against a disposable database copy.
- Port resources one at a time using current QBCore documentation; do not rely on blind event-name replacement.
- Reconcile row counts, uniqueness, sums and orphan references, then run gameplay, reconnect and restart tests.
- Rehearse rollback. During cutover, stop writes, take a final backup, rerun the proven process and verify before reopening joins.
Do not copy a generic SQL template
ESX and QBCore schemas vary by release, recipe, inventory and custom resources. A generic CREATE TABLE or INSERT statement can silently discard metadata or create invalid defaults. Derive migration SQL from the two schemas actually installed, review constraints, and preserve a legacy-to-new identity map for support and audit.
Scope and limitations
This is a migration control plan, not executable SQL for an unknown server. It does not estimate hours or promise lossless conversion. Encrypted or escrowed resources may not be portable. Check licenses, current framework APIs and every package’s migration rights before work begins.