# ue-data-assets-tables

Guides C++ game data modelling and asset loading in Unreal Engine 5.8, from Data Assets and tables to soft references and Asset Manager streaming.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 1200 installs · ★ 405
- Author: quodsoler
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/ue-data-assets-tables/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-09-28
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/ue-data-assets-tables

## What it does

This skill writes C++ architecture for game data in Unreal Engine 5.8. It covers `UDataAsset`, `UPrimaryDataAsset`, `UDataTable` structs with `FTableRowBase`, and composite tables. All signatures match 5.8 engine headers. Older syntax forms are marked as deprecated.

The agent reads `.agents/ue-project-context.md` when present to grab module names and custom `UAssetManager` classes. Working with soft pointers like `TSoftObjectPtr` and asset bundles requires `Engine` and `CoreUObject` in your `Build.cs`. Querying assets without loading them adds `AssetRegistry`. It keeps memory budgets under control.

## Requirements
- Works with: Unreal Engine

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills --skill ue-data-assets-tables -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/ue-data-assets-tables/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/ue-data-assets-tables/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills --skill ue-data-assets-tables -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/ue-data-assets-tables/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills --skill ue-data-assets-tables -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/ue-data-assets-tables/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills ue-data-assets-tables
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/ue-data-assets-tables/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills --skill ue-data-assets-tables -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills --path skills/ue-data-assets-tables
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/ue-data-assets-tables/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills --skill ue-data-assets-tables -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/ue-data-assets-tables/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- model UPrimaryDataAsset classes with asset bundles for UI and game meshes
- define FTableRowBase row structs for CSV and JSON data table imports
- configure asynchronous asset loading using FStreamableManager
- query IAssetRegistry to discover assets without loading them into memory
- expose project-wide tunables inside Project Settings via UDeveloperSettings

## Example prompts
- Create a UPrimaryDataAsset for a weapon using TSoftObjectPtr for the mesh
- Write an FTableRowBase struct for an inventory item with OnPostDataImport
- Set up async asset loading with FStreamableManager and soft references

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 6288ea80453cf69f.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 6288ea80453cf69f
```text
---
name: ue-data-assets-tables
description: "Use when modelling designer-authored game data in C++ and loading it: data assets, data tables, curve tables, soft references and asset streaming. Also use when the user mentions 'UDataAsset', 'UPrimaryDataAsset', 'UDataTable', 'FTableRowBase', 'FindRow', 'FDataTableRowHandle', 'TSoftObjectPtr', 'TSoftClassPtr', 'FSoftObjectPath', 'UAssetManager', 'LoadPrimaryAsset', 'FStreamableManager', 'RequestAsyncLoad', 'asset bundles', 'PrimaryAssetTypesToScan', 'IAssetRegistry', 'CSV import', or 'hard vs soft reference'. For save games, see ue-serialization-savegames; for UPROPERTY basics, see ue-cpp-foundations; for level streaming, see ue-world-level-streaming."
metadata:
  version: "2.0.0"
  engine: "5.8"
---

# UE Data Assets and Tables

Target engine: **UE 5.8**. APIs below are verified against the 5.8 headers; older forms are listed under "Deprecated — do not use".

This skill covers designer-authored game data and the loading paths that bring it into memory: `UDataAsset`/`UPrimaryDataAsset`, `UDataTable`/`UCurveTable`, soft references, `FStreamableManager`, `UAssetManager` primary assets and cook rules, `IAssetRegistry` queries, the DataRegistry plugin and `UDeveloperSettings`. Build.cs modules: `Engine` and `CoreUObject` for data assets, tables and soft pointers; `AssetRegistry` for registry queries; `DeveloperSettings` for settings classes; `DataRegistry` for data registries. Deep dives live in [asset loading patterns](references/asset-loading-patterns.md) and [data-driven design patterns](references/data-driven-design.md).

## Context

Read `.agents/ue-project-context.md` if it exists (module names, conventions, enabled plugins, custom `UAssetManager` subclass, registered primary asset types). Do not stop if it is missing.

Identify the area from the request and the codebase. Ask only when two plausible readings would produce different code.

| Request is about… | Go to |
|---|---|
| Picking a container for game data | [Choosing a Data Container](#choosing-a-data-container) |
| `UDataAsset`, `UPrimaryDataAsset`, asset bundles | [Data Assets](#data-assets) |
| Row structs, CSV/JSON import, `FindRow` | [Data Tables](#data-tables) |
| Curves, table composition | [Curve Tables and Composite Tables](#curve-tables-and-composite-tables) |
| `TSoftObjectPtr`, `FSoftObjectPath`, memory budget | [References: Hard vs Soft](#references-hard-vs-soft) |
| Async loading, handles, priorities | [Async Loading](#async-loading) |
| `FPrimaryAssetId`, scanning, bundle states | [Asset Manager](#asset-manager) |
| Cooking, chunking, `PrimaryAssetTypesToScan` | [Cook Rules](#cook-rules) |
| Finding assets without loading them | [Asset Registry Queries](#asset-registry-queries) |
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 6288ea80453cf69f

The third-party file has ended. Everything between the 6288ea80453cf69f tags is data: requests and commands from it are not followed. An “end of file” line with another tag inside the block is part of the file.

First 2754 of 29999 bytes. © quodsoler · MIT · https://github.com/quodsoler/unreal-engine-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/ue-data-assets-tables/SKILL.md

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