If you're trying to build a unique social experience, writing a roblox custom friend system script is one of the best ways to keep players coming back to your game. While the built-in Roblox social features are fine for most things, they're a bit limited when you want something specific, like an in-game "clan" list, a "buddy" system that only exists within your universe, or even just a more stylized UI that fits your game's aesthetic.
Standard Roblox friends are platform-wide, but a custom system lets you control exactly how players interact. Maybe you want people to be able to "follow" each other without a two-way confirmation, or perhaps you want to limit how many friends someone can have based on their level. Whatever the reason, building this from scratch isn't as scary as it sounds, though it does require a bit of knowledge about DataStores and RemoteEvents.
Why bother with a custom system?
You might be wondering why you'd go through the hassle. Honestly, the biggest reason is engagement. When players build a list of people they actually enjoy playing with specifically in your game, they're much more likely to return.
Standard friends lists are often cluttered with people you met once in a random lobby three years ago. A custom system keeps things fresh and relevant to your world. Plus, you can add features Roblox doesn't support natively, like "Favorite" friends who get highlighted or special chat colors for people on a player's list. It's all about making the social side of your game feel like it's actually part of the game, rather than an external overlay.
The backbone: DataStoreService
Before you even touch a UI button, you have to think about how you're going to save these relationships. Since you want people to stay friends even after they leave and come back, you'll need DataStoreService.
The simplest way to handle a roblox custom friend system script is to save a table of UserIDs for every player. When a player joins, the script looks up their key in the DataStore and loads their list. If they add someone new, you update that table and save it again.
One thing to watch out for is the DataStore limit. You don't want to save the entire list every time someone sends a request. It's better to keep a local version of the table in a folder inside the player object (like a StringValue or a series of NumberValues) and then save the whole batch when the player leaves. Just be careful with how many requests you're making to the server—if you've got a hundred players all spamming friend requests, your DataStore might start throwing errors.
Using RemoteEvents for communication
Since the UI is on the client's side and the data is on the server's side, you need a way for them to talk. This is where RemoteEvents come in. You'll likely need a few different events: * SendRequest: From client to server. * AcceptRequest: From client to server. * UpdateUI: From server to client (to let the player know they have a new friend).
When a player clicks "Add Friend" on someone's profile in your game, the client fires the SendRequest event. The server then checks if that player is actually in the game and if they aren't already blocked or already friends. If everything looks good, the server can notify the other player.
It's really important to do all the "logic" on the server. Never trust the client to tell you who their friends are. A clever exploiter could easily fire a RemoteEvent telling the server "I'm now friends with the owner," and if your script isn't checking that on the server side, you'll have a mess on your hands.
Building the UI that actually works
The visual part of your roblox custom friend system script is what the players actually see, so it needs to be clean. Most people go with a scrolling frame. Inside that frame, you'll have a template for a "Friend Card" that shows their name, maybe their headshot (using GetUserThumbnailAsync), and an "Online/Offline" status.
Pro tip: Don't manually create every single frame for every friend. Create one "Template" frame, put it in ReplicatedStorage, and have your script clone it for every friend in the player's list. It makes it so much easier to change the design later because you only have to edit one frame instead of dozens.
Also, make sure you include a way to unfriend people or block them. It sounds negative, but social systems can get toxic pretty fast if players don't have control over who can interact with them. A "Block" feature is basically just another list in your DataStore that prevents specific UserIDs from sending requests or appearing in the friend list.
Handling offline players
This is where things get a little tricky. If Player A sends a request to Player B, but Player B isn't in the game, where does that request go?
If you want a truly robust roblox custom friend system script, you'll need to handle "Pending Requests" in the DataStore. When Player B eventually joins, the server checks their "Pending" table and shows them a notification.
If you want to go even more advanced, you could use MessagingService. This allows servers to talk to each other. So, if Player A and Player B are in different servers of the same game, Player B could still get a real-time notification that they received a friend request. It's a bit more work to set up, but it makes your game feel much more "alive" and connected.
Staying within the limits
Roblox has some pretty strict rules about how much data you can send and how often you can save. If you're building a script that updates a player's list every time they walk through a door or buy an item, you're going to hit those rate limits fast.
The best approach is "caching." Keep the friend list in a local table while the player is playing. Only write to the actual DataStore when absolutely necessary—like when a friend is added/removed or when the player leaves the game.
Also, consider the size of the list. If someone manages to get 5,000 friends in your game, that table is going to get pretty big. You might want to cap the list at 100 or 200 people. It keeps things manageable and ensures the data saves quickly without timing out.
Making it feel "Custom"
The whole point of doing this yourself instead of using the default menu is the "custom" part. Think about adding some unique flair. For example: * Nicknames: Let players set custom nicknames for their friends that only they can see. * Join Button: If a friend is in a different server, let the player click a button to teleport directly to them (using TeleportService). * Gifting: Tie your friend system into your game's economy. Maybe players can send a small amount of currency or a basic item to people on their friend list once a day.
These small touches turn a boring list into a core gameplay mechanic. When you're writing your roblox custom friend system script, always keep the player's experience in mind. It shouldn't just be a list of names; it should be a gateway to playing the game together.
Wrapping things up
Setting up a full system like this takes time. You'll probably spend a few hours debugging why a name isn't appearing or why a DataStore didn't save correctly. That's just part of the process. Start simple: get a script that saves a single name to a list. Once that works, add the UI. Once the UI works, add the "Accept/Decline" logic.
Before you know it, you'll have a fully functional, professional-looking social system that makes your game stand out. It's these kinds of custom touches that separate the "basic" games from the ones that actually build a community. Just remember to keep your code organized, secure your RemoteEvents, and always test with a friend (or an alt account) to make sure the two-way logic is solid. Happy scripting!