Example - ModuleScript as DB

This section provides a beginner-friendly example of using a ModuleScript in Roblox as a simple database for storing and managing game data, demonstrating how to set up, populate, and interact with data in a Roblox game.

Create a new experience in Roblox Studio
Create a ModuleScript in ServerStorage and name it "Items"
Create a new Project in Roda
Create a new Data File Configuration
Pick the Items ModuleScript as the Data File
Set the Table Type to Dict
Add properties to the Data File Settings
- Click "Add From Code", paste the following Lua snippet, and click "Parse":
```
name = "name"
value = 0
image = "image"
```
- Set the UI Element of image property to "T.Box with Image Selection"
Upload some images (if you don’t have any, find free images on websites like Craftpix)
Insert the images and move them into a Folder
Set this Folder as Image Pool in the Data File Settings
Add some items on the Editor Page

Roda Logo Create the scripts, run the game, stop, edit items, run again...

Script.lua LocalScript.lua

ServerScriptService.Script

-- Load the items data from a ModuleScript located in ServerStorage
local items = require(game.ServerStorage.Items)

-- Create a RemoteEvent for clients to request the items table from the server
local GetItems = Instance.new("RemoteEvent") -- Creates a new RemoteEvent object
GetItems.Name = "GetItems" -- Names it "GetItems" for identification
GetItems.Parent = game.ReplicatedStorage -- Places it in ReplicatedStorage for server-client communication

-- Create a new RemoteEvent for notifying clients when an item is collected
local ItemCollected = Instance.new("RemoteEvent") -- Creates another RemoteEvent object
ItemCollected.Name = "ItemCollected" -- Names it "ItemCollected" for item collection events
ItemCollected.Parent = game.ReplicatedStorage -- Places it in ReplicatedStorage for server-client communication

-- Handle client requests for the items table
GetItems.OnServerEvent:Connect(function(player) -- Listens for when a client fires this event
    GetItems:FireClient(player, items) -- Sends the items table back to the requesting client
end)

-- System to spawn spheres with GUIs and handle item collection
local spawnAreaSize = 50 -- Defines the size of the 50x50 stud area where spheres spawn
local spawnPoint = game.Workspace:WaitForChild("SpawnLocation").Position or Vector3.new(0, 0, 0) -- Gets the position of SpawnLocation or defaults to (0, 0, 0) if not found
local maxSpheres = 200 -- Sets the maximum number of spheres allowed in the game at once
local sphereCount = 0 -- Tracks the current number of active spheres

-- List of colors for the spheres
local colors = {
    Color3.fromRGB(255, 99, 51), -- Bright red-orange
    Color3.fromRGB(255, 105, 180), -- Hot pink
    Color3.fromRGB(144, 238, 144), -- Light green
    Color3.fromRGB(230, 69, 217), -- Bright purple
    Color3.fromRGB(255, 165, 0), -- Orange
    Color3.fromRGB(255, 255, 62), -- Bright yellow
    Color3.fromRGB(30, 51, 240), -- Deep blue
    Color3.fromRGB(88, 255, 249), -- Cyan
}

-- Create a table of item names (keys) for random selection from the items dictionary
local itemNames = {} -- Initializes an empty table to store item names
for name, _ in pairs(items) do -- Loops through the items dictionary to get all keys (item names)
    table.insert(itemNames, name) -- Adds each item name to the itemNames table
end

-- Function to spawn a sphere with an invisible outer sphere for touch detection
local function spawnSphere()
    if sphereCount >= maxSpheres then
        return
    end -- Stops spawning if the maximum number of spheres is reached

    local randomItemName = itemNames[math.random(1, #itemNames)] -- Randomly selects an item name from the list
    local item = items[randomItemName] or error("Item not found: " .. randomItemName) -- Gets the item data or throws an error if not found

    local shapes = { -- List of possible shapes for the sphere
        Enum.PartType.Ball,
        Enum.PartType.Block,
        Enum.PartType.Cylinder,
        Enum.PartType.Wedge,
        Enum.PartType.CornerWedge,
    }
    local randomShape = shapes[math.random(1, #shapes)] -- Randomly picks a shape from the list
    local randomColor = colors[math.random(1, #colors)] -- Randomly picks a color from the colors list

    -- Create the visible inner sphere (small, colored)
    local innerSphere = Instance.new("Part") -- Creates a new Part for the visible sphere
    innerSphere.Shape = randomShape -- Sets the shape to a random type (e.g., Ball, Block)
    innerSphere.Size = Vector3.new(1, 1, 1) -- Sets a small size for the visible sphere
    innerSphere.Position = Vector3.new( -- Sets a random position within the spawn area
        spawnPoint.X + math.random(-spawnAreaSize / 2, spawnAreaSize / 2), -- Random X position
        spawnPoint.Y + math.random(5, 25), -- Random Y position (5 to 25 studs above ground) for dropping
        spawnPoint.Z + math.random(-spawnAreaSize / 2, spawnAreaSize / 2) -- Random Z position
    )
    innerSphere.Anchored = false -- Allows the sphere to fall due to physics
    innerSphere.BrickColor = BrickColor.new(randomColor) -- Applies a random color
    innerSphere.Parent = game.Workspace -- Places the sphere in the Workspace for visibility

    -- Create an invisible outer sphere for touch detection (larger, transparent)
    local outerSphere = Instance.new("Part") -- Creates a new Part for the invisible touch detection
    outerSphere.Shape = Enum.PartType.Ball -- Uses a Ball shape for consistent touch detection
    outerSphere.Size = Vector3.new(5, 5, 5) -- Sets a larger size for the touch area
    outerSphere.Position = innerSphere.Position -- Matches the position of the inner sphere
    outerSphere.Anchored = false -- Allows falling with the inner sphere
    outerSphere.Transparency = 1 -- Makes it fully invisible
    outerSphere.CanCollide = false -- Prevents physical collisions, only allowing touch detection
    outerSphere.Parent = game.Workspace -- Places it in the Workspace

    -- Weld the inner and outer spheres together
    local weld = Instance.new("WeldConstraint") -- Creates a WeldConstraint to connect the spheres
    weld.Part0 = innerSphere -- Sets the inner sphere as the base part
    weld.Part1 = outerSphere -- Sets the outer sphere to follow the inner sphere
    weld.Parent = innerSphere -- Parents the weld to the inner sphere for management

    -- Add item name as an attribute to the outer sphere (for touch event)
    outerSphere:SetAttribute("ItemId", item.name) -- Stores the item name as an attribute for identification

    -- Create a BillboardGui for the item display (attached to the inner sphere)
    local billboardGui = Instance.new("BillboardGui") -- Creates a GUI that displays above the sphere
    billboardGui.Size = UDim2.new(3, 0, 3, 0) -- Sets the size of the GUI (3x3 studs)
    billboardGui.StudsOffset = Vector3.new(0, 3, 0) -- Positions the GUI 3 studs above the inner sphere
    billboardGui.Adornee = innerSphere -- Attaches the GUI to the inner sphere
    billboardGui.Parent = innerSphere -- Parents the GUI to the inner sphere

    -- Add ImageLabel for the item image
    local imageLabel = Instance.new("ImageLabel") -- Creates an image label for the item’s image
    imageLabel.Size = UDim2.new(1, 0, 0.7, 0)
    imageLabel.Position = UDim2.new(0, 0, 0, 0) -- Positions it at the top-left of the GUI
    imageLabel.Image = item.image -- Sets the image from the item data
    imageLabel.BackgroundTransparency = 1 -- Makes the background fully transparent
    imageLabel.ScaleType = Enum.ScaleType.Fit -- Ensures the image fits within the label while maintaining aspect ratio
    imageLabel.Parent = billboardGui -- Parents it to the BillboardGui

    -- Add TextLabel for the value
    local valueLabel = Instance.new("TextLabel") -- Creates a text label for the item’s value
    valueLabel.Size = UDim2.new(1, 0, 0.3, 0) -- Sets the size to 30% of the GUI height
    valueLabel.Position = UDim2.new(0, 0, 0.7, 0) -- Positions it below the image (70% down)
    valueLabel.TextScaled = true -- Scales the text to fit the label
    valueLabel.Text = "$ " .. tostring(item.value) -- Displays the item’s value with a dollar sign
    valueLabel.TextColor3 = Color3.new(0.666667, 1, 0) -- Sets the text color to green
    valueLabel.Font = Enum.Font.Cartoon -- Sets the font to a cartoon style for a playful look
    valueLabel.BackgroundTransparency = 1 -- Makes the background fully transparent
    valueLabel.Parent = billboardGui -- Parents it to the BillboardGui

    -- Handle outer sphere touch to fire event to client and destroy both spheres
    outerSphere.Touched:Connect(function(hit) -- Detects when the outer sphere is touched
        local player = game.Players:GetPlayerFromCharacter(hit.Parent) -- Gets the player who touched the sphere
        if player and outerSphere and outerSphere.Parent then -- Checks if the player and outer sphere exist
            outerSphere.CanTouch = false -- Prevents the sphere from being touched multiple times
            local itemId = outerSphere:GetAttribute("ItemId") -- Retrieves the item name from the attribute
            if itemId then -- Ensures an item ID exists
                -- Fire the ItemCollected event to the player with the item data
                ItemCollected:FireClient(player, items[itemId]) -- Sends the item data to the client

                -- Destroy both spheres immediately
                if innerSphere and innerSphere.Parent then -- Checks if the inner sphere exists
                    innerSphere:Destroy() -- Removes the visible inner sphere
                end
                if outerSphere and outerSphere.Parent then -- Checks if the outer sphere exists
                    outerSphere:Destroy() -- Removes the invisible outer sphere
                    sphereCount = sphereCount - 1 -- Decrements the sphere count
                end
            end
        end
    end)

    sphereCount = sphereCount + 1 -- Increments the sphere count for each new sphere
end

-- Spawn spheres continuously (every 0.25 seconds) up to maxSpheres
spawn(function()
    while true do -- Runs an infinite loop to keep spawning spheres
        if sphereCount < maxSpheres then -- Checks if we’re below the maximum number of spheres
            spawnSphere() -- Calls the function to spawn a new sphere
        end
        wait(0.25) -- Pauses for 0.25 seconds before spawning the next sphere
    end
end)

StarterPlayer.StarterPlayerScripts.LocalScript

-- Get the local player (the player running this script on their client)
local player = game.Players.LocalPlayer

-- Create a ScreenGui to hold the inventory UI
local gui = Instance.new("ScreenGui") -- Creates a new ScreenGui object
gui.Name = "InventoryGui" -- Names it "InventoryGui" for identification
gui.Parent = player.PlayerGui -- Places it in the player's PlayerGui for client-side UI

-- Create a main frame for the inventory GUI
local frame = Instance.new("Frame") -- Creates a new Frame object for the GUI container
frame.Name = "GuiFrame" -- Names it "GuiFrame" for identification
frame.Size = UDim2.new(0.25, 0, 0.75, 0) -- Sets the size to 25% of the screen width and 75% of the screen height
frame.Position = UDim2.new(0, 0, 0.25, 0) -- Positions it at the top-left corner (0 from left, 25% from top)
frame.BackgroundTransparency = 1 -- Makes the background fully transparent
frame.Parent = gui -- Parents it to the ScreenGui

-- Create a UIListLayout to organize elements vertically in the frame
local layout = Instance.new("UIListLayout") -- Creates a new UIListLayout for layout management
layout.FillDirection = Enum.FillDirection.Vertical -- Arranges items vertically
layout.HorizontalAlignment = Enum.HorizontalAlignment.Center -- Centers items horizontally
layout.VerticalAlignment = Enum.VerticalAlignment.Center -- Centers items vertically
layout.SortOrder = Enum.SortOrder.LayoutOrder -- Sorts items based on their LayoutOrder
layout.Parent = frame -- Parents it to the frame

-- Create cash label at the top of the frame
local cashLabel = Instance.new("TextLabel") -- Creates a new TextLabel for displaying cash
cashLabel.Name = "CashLabel" -- Names it "CashLabel" for identification
cashLabel.Size = UDim2.new(1, 0, 0.2, 0) -- Sets the size to 100% of the frame width and 20% of its height
cashLabel.BackgroundTransparency = 1 -- Makes the background fully transparent
cashLabel.Text = "Cash: $0" -- Sets the initial text to show zero cash
cashLabel.TextColor3 = Color3.new(0.666667, 1, 0) -- Sets the text color to green
cashLabel.Font = Enum.Font.Cartoon -- Sets the Font
cashLabel.TextScaled = true -- Scales the text to fit the label size
cashLabel.LayoutOrder = 1 -- Sets the order for layout
cashLabel.Parent = frame -- Parents it to the frame

-- Create the main inventory frame (scrollable) inside the GUI frame
local scrollingFrame = Instance.new("ScrollingFrame") -- Creates a new ScrollingFrame for scrollable items
scrollingFrame.Name = "InventoryFrame" -- Names it "InventoryFrame" for identification
scrollingFrame.Size = UDim2.new(1, 0, 0.8, 0) -- Sets the size to 100% of the frame width and 80% of its height
scrollingFrame.BackgroundColor3 = Color3.new(0, 0, 0) -- Sets the background color to black
scrollingFrame.BackgroundTransparency = 0.5 -- Makes the background semi-transparent (50% opacity)
scrollingFrame.ScrollBarThickness = 8 -- Sets the thickness of the scrollbar
scrollingFrame.CanvasSize = UDim2.new(0, 0, 0, 0) -- Initial canvas size for scrolling (auto-adjusts)
scrollingFrame.AutomaticCanvasSize = Enum.AutomaticSize.Y -- Automatically adjusts the canvas height based on content
scrollingFrame.LayoutOrder = 2 -- Sets the order for layout
scrollingFrame.Parent = frame -- Parents it to the frame

-- Create a layout for scrollable items within the scrolling frame
local itemLayout = Instance.new("UIListLayout") -- Creates a new UIListLayout for organizing items
itemLayout.Padding = UDim.new(0, 5) -- Adds 5 pixels of padding between items
itemLayout.Parent = scrollingFrame -- Parents it to the scrolling frame

-- Fetch items from the server
local GetItems = game.ReplicatedStorage:WaitForChild("GetItems") -- Gets the GetItems RemoteEvent from ReplicatedStorage
local allItems = nil -- Initializes a variable to store the items table

GetItems:FireServer() -- Sends a request to the server to get the items
GetItems.OnClientEvent:Connect(function(itemsData) -- Listens for the response from the server
    allItems = itemsData -- Stores the received items table for later use
end)

local collectSounds = {
    "rbxassetid://6586979979",
    --"rbxassetid://.."
}

-- Create and store sound instances once on the client for item collection
local sounds = {} -- Initializes an empty table to store sound instances
for _, soundId in pairs(collectSounds) do -- Loops through the list of sound IDs
    local sound = Instance.new("Sound") -- Creates a new Sound object
    sound.SoundId = soundId -- Sets the sound ID from the list
    sound.Parent = player.PlayerGui -- Parents the sound to PlayerGui for client-side playback
    sound.Looped = false -- Ensures the sound doesn’t loop
    sound.Volume = 0.5 -- Sets the volume (optional, default is 1)
    table.insert(sounds, sound) -- Adds the sound to the sounds table
end

-- Track inventory and cash for the player
local inventory = {} -- Initializes an empty table to track collected items
local totalCash = 0 -- Initializes the total cash to zero

-- Handle item collection from server event
local ItemCollected = game.ReplicatedStorage:WaitForChild("ItemCollected") -- Gets the ItemCollected RemoteEvent from ReplicatedStorage
ItemCollected.OnClientEvent:Connect(function(item) -- Listens for when an item is collected on the client
    if item then -- Ensures an item was received
        local randomSound = sounds[math.random(1, #sounds)] -- Randomly selects a sound from the sounds table
        randomSound:Play() -- Plays the selected sound for item collection

        -- Add item to inventory (create GUI elements)
        local itemFrame = Instance.new("Frame") -- Creates a new Frame for the item in the inventory
        itemFrame.Size = UDim2.new(1, 0, 0.1, 0) -- Sets the size to 100% of the scrolling frame width and 10% of its height
        itemFrame.BackgroundColor3 = Color3.new(0.121569, 0.121569, 0.121569) -- Sets the background color to dark gray
        itemFrame.BackgroundTransparency = 0.6 -- Makes the background semi-transparent (60% opacity)
        itemFrame.Parent = scrollingFrame -- Parents it to the scrolling frame for display

        local image = Instance.new("ImageLabel") -- Creates an ImageLabel for the item’s image
        image.Size = UDim2.new(0.3, 0, 1, 0) -- Sets the size to 30% of the item frame width and 100% of its height
        image.Position = UDim2.new(0, 0, 0, 0) -- Positions it at the top-left of the item frame
        image.Image = item.image -- Sets the image from the item data
        image.BackgroundTransparency = 1 -- Makes the background fully transparent
        image.ScaleType = Enum.ScaleType.Fit -- Ensures the image fits within the label while maintaining aspect ratio
        image.Parent = itemFrame -- Parents it to the item frame

        local nameLabel = Instance.new("TextLabel") -- Creates a TextLabel for the item’s name
        nameLabel.Size = UDim2.new(0.7, 0, 1, 0) -- Sets the size to 70% of the item frame width, full height
        nameLabel.Position = UDim2.new(0.3, 0, 0, 0) -- Positions it to the right of the image (30% from left)
        nameLabel.Text = item.name -- Sets the text to the item’s name
        nameLabel.TextColor3 = Color3.new(1, 1, 1) -- Sets the text color to white
        nameLabel.BackgroundTransparency = 1 -- Makes the background fully transparent
        nameLabel.Font = Enum.Font.Cartoon -- Uses a cartoon-style font for a playful look
        nameLabel.TextScaled = true -- Scales the text to fit the label size
        nameLabel.Parent = itemFrame -- Parents it to the item frame

        -- Track the item in inventory by adding it to the list to prevent duplicates
        table.insert(inventory, item) -- Adds the item to the inventory table
        totalCash = totalCash + (item.value or 0) -- Adds the item’s value to the total cash (defaults to 0 if no value)
        cashLabel.Text = "Cash: $" .. totalCash -- Updates the cash label with the new total
    end
end)