Scripted classes

Overview

Garry’s Mod uses a “scripted class” pattern. You define a global table, such as ENT or SWEP, in a specific file location, and GMod registers it as a class. GLuaLS detects these classes and provides:

Class registration including inheritance
Synthesis of NetworkVar getter/setter pairs
Synthesis of AccessorFunc getter/setter pairs
Better completions and type checking for scripted class code

Automatic detection

GLuaLS detects the standard class table from the file’s project folder. For example:

Directory pattern	Class table	Base class
`lua/entities/**/`	`ENT`	`Entity`
`lua/weapons/**/`	`SWEP`	`Weapon`
`lua/effects/**/`	`EFFECT`	(none)
`lua/weapons/gmod_tool/stools/`	`TOOL`	Tool
`gamemode/`	`GM`	Gamemode
`gamemodes//schema/*/`	`SCHEMA` / `Schema`	Gamemode

GLuaLS types the detected class table with the base class’s methods and fields, so you get completions and type checking without annotations. Schemas work automatically for any framework or gamemode. GLuaLS treats SCHEMA and Schema as aliases for one global schema table, merges members declared across schema files, and exposes gamemode hooks inherited from GM. The schema remains available to files outside the schema/ directory, matching the usual runtime behavior of global schema systems. Player classes, plugins, and custom project layouts are also supported through the scripted class settings.

AccessorFunc methods

AccessorFunc(table, member, name, ...) creates getter and setter methods. GLuaLS adds those methods to completion and type checking:

AccessorFunc(ENT, "m_bOrient", "Orient", FORCE_BOOL)

-- GLuaLS synthesizes:
-- ENT:GetOrient() -> boolean
-- ENT:SetOrient(value: boolean) -> nil

Use the ---@accessorfunc annotation for custom getters and setters. See @accessorfunc for details.

NetworkVar methods

ENT:NetworkVar(type, slot, name, ...) creates entity accessors. GLuaLS adds the matching methods:

function ENT:SetupDataTables()
    self:NetworkVar("Int", 0, "Health")
    self:NetworkVar("Bool", 1, "Active")
    self:NetworkVar("String", 2, "Name")
end

-- GLuaLS synthesizes:
-- ENT:GetHealth() -> number
-- ENT:SetHealth(value: number) -> nil
-- ENT:GetActive() -> boolean
-- ENT:SetActive(value: boolean) -> nil
-- ENT:GetName() -> string
-- ENT:SetName(value: string) -> nil

You get completions and type checking for generated accessors without manual annotations.

Supported NetworkVar types

NetworkVar type	Getter/setter type
`"Int"`	`integer`
`"UInt"`	`integer`
`"Float"`	`number`
`"Double"`	`number`
`"Bool"`	`boolean`
`"String"`	`string`
`"Entity"`	`Entity`
`"Vector"`	`Vector`
`"Angle"`	`Angle`
`"Color"`	`Color`

Base class inheritance

Scripted classes in GMod inherit from base classes. GLuaLS understands this chain and suggests inherited methods. The scripted class table also gets the standard base type for that scope, such as Entity, Weapon, or Tool. DEFINE_BASECLASS(...) and values like ENT.Base can refine that type further.

function ENT:Use(ply)
    self:EmitSound("...")    -- inherited from Entity / base class chain ✅
    ply:ChatPrint("Hello")   -- Player method ✅
end

For gamemodes that derive from another gamemode, such as DarkRP deriving from Sandbox, GLuaLS adds the parent’s folder as a library. See Gamemode inheritance to configure or disable this.

Hook overrides in scripted classes

GLuaLS treats functions defined in a scripted class table as engine hook overrides for that class:

function ENT:Think()    -- override of ENTITY:Think hook
function ENT:Draw()     -- override of ENTITY:Draw hook
function ENT:OnRemove() -- override of ENTITY:OnRemove hook

Completions suggest the correct signature for each override.

Class Explorer integration

The VS Code Class Explorer lists detected scripted classes. You can browse groups, such as entities, weapons, effects, and custom scopes, and jump to class definitions. Class grouping and labels come from gmod.scriptedClassScopes.include.

Scaffolding integration

Scripted class scopes also control class scaffolding. Each scope can define scaffold output files with scaffold.files and a rootDir in gmod.scriptedClassScopes.include. You can create new classes with your own template layout while GLuaLS keeps class analysis, explorer grouping, and generated files in sync. See Garry’s Mod settings for all supported fields.

Creating a new class

Open the Class Explorer in the sidebar.
Find the group you want, such as Entities.
Click the + button next to that group.
Enter the class name.
The VS Code extension creates the files and opens the main file.

Built-in templates

The VS Code extension includes built-in templates for the standard scripted class types:

Class type	Generated files
Entity	`shared.lua`, `init.lua`, `cl_init.lua`
Weapon (SWEP)	`shared.lua`
Effect	`your_effect_name.lua`
Scripted Tool (STOOL)	`your_tool_name.lua`

Custom class scopes

If you use a non-standard directory structure or custom class types, configure GLuaLS to recognize them:

Use the settings menu instead of editing the JSON file directly. This helps you avoid config mistakes.

.gluarc.json

{
  "gmod": {
    "scriptedClassScopes": {
      "include": [
        {
          "id": "my_panels",
          "label": "Panels",
          "classGlobal": "PANEL",
          "path": ["panels"],
          "include": ["lua/panels/**"],
          "rootDir": "lua/panels"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Fields

Field	Description
`id`	Unique identifier for this class scope
`label`	Display name in the Class Explorer sidebar
`classGlobal`	The global table name used in scripts (e.g., `ENT`, `SWEP`, `PANEL`)
`fixedClassName`	A single class name shared by every matching authoring file
`isGlobalSingleton`	Makes the class global and its aliases resolve throughout the project, not only in matching authoring files
`aliases`	Additional global names that resolve to the same class
`superTypes`	Classes whose members and hooks this class inherits
`hookOwner`	Treats methods on the class global and its aliases as gamemode hook implementations
`path`	Path segments used for display grouping in the Class Explorer
`include`	Glob patterns matching files that belong to this class type
`rootDir`	Root directory for scaffolded files
`icon`	VS Code icon ID shown in the Class Explorer (e.g., `symbol-class`)

Disabling a scripted class group

To disable a built-in scripted class scope, add an override with the same id and set "disabled": true.

.gluarc.json

{
  "gmod": {
    "scriptedClassScopes": {
      "include": [
        {
          "id": "effects",
          "disabled": true
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Overview

Code intelligence

Garry's Mod

Classes

Debugger

AI integration

Overview

Automatic detection

AccessorFunc methods

NetworkVar methods

Supported NetworkVar types

Base class inheritance

Hook overrides in scripted classes

Class Explorer integration

Scaffolding integration

Creating a new class

Built-in templates

Custom class scopes

Fields

Disabling a scripted class group

​Overview

​Automatic detection

​AccessorFunc methods

​NetworkVar methods

​Supported NetworkVar types

​Base class inheritance

​Hook overrides in scripted classes

​Class Explorer integration

​Scaffolding integration

​Creating a new class

​Built-in templates

​Custom class scopes

​Fields

​Disabling a scripted class group

Overview

Automatic detection

AccessorFunc methods

NetworkVar methods

Supported NetworkVar types

Base class inheritance

Hook overrides in scripted classes

Class Explorer integration

Scaffolding integration

Creating a new class

Built-in templates

Custom class scopes

Fields

Disabling a scripted class group