ue5-cpp-scaffold

name

ue5-cpp-scaffold

description

Generate Unreal Engine 5 C++ class boilerplate following Epic coding standards. Creates Actors, Components, Subsystems, GameplayAbilities, AttributeSets, Widgets, and more with proper UPROPERTY/UFUNCTION macros, include hierarchy, and module API macros. Use whenever creating new UE5 C++ classes, scaffolding gameplay systems, generating header/source pairs, or setting up GAS classes. Also use when the user asks to "create a new Actor", "add a component", "scaffold a gameplay ability", or "make a UE5 class".

UE5 C++ Scaffold Skill

Generates production-quality UE5 C++ header/source file pairs following Epic's coding standard. Handles all the boilerplate — macros, includes, forward declarations, and module API exports.

How It Works

1. Ask the user what class type they need
2. Gather class name, parent class, and key properties/functions
3. Generate the .h and .cpp files with full boilerplate
4. Place files in the correct Source directory location

Class Type Templates

Actor

// MyActor.h
#pragma once
#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "GameFramework/Actor.h"
#include "MyActor.generated.h"

UCLASS()
class MODULENAME_API AMyActor : public AActor
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

public:
    AMyActor();

protected:
    virtual void BeginPlay() override;
    virtual void Tick(float DeltaTime) override;
};

Character

// MyCharacter.h
#pragma once
#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "GameFramework/Character.h"
#include "AbilitySystemInterface.h"
#include "MyCharacter.generated.h"

class UAbilitySystemComponent;
class USpringArmComponent;
class UCameraComponent;

UCLASS()
class MODULENAME_API AMyCharacter : public ACharacter, public IAbilitySystemInterface
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

public:
    AMyCharacter();

    virtual UAbilitySystemComponent* GetAbilitySystemComponent() const override;

protected:
    virtual void BeginPlay() override;
    virtual void SetupPlayerInputComponent(UInputComponent* PlayerInputComponent) override;

    UPROPERTY(VisibleAnywhere, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Camera")
    TObjectPtr<USpringArmComponent> SpringArmComponent;

    UPROPERTY(VisibleAnywhere, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = )
    TObjectPtr<UCameraComponent> CameraComponent;

    (VisibleAnywhere, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = )
    TObjectPtr<UAbilitySystemComponent> AbilitySystemComponent;
};

ActorComponent

// MyComponent.h
#pragma once
#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "Components/ActorComponent.h"
#include "MyComponent.generated.h"

UCLASS(ClassGroup=(Custom), meta=(BlueprintSpawnableComponent))
class MODULENAME_API UMyComponent : public UActorComponent
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

public:
    UMyComponent();

protected:
    virtual void BeginPlay() override;
    virtual void TickComponent(float DeltaTime, ELevelTick TickType, FActorComponentTickFunction* ThisTickFunction) override;
};

SceneComponent

// MySceneComponent.h
#pragma once
#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "Components/SceneComponent.h"
#include "MySceneComponent.generated.h"

UCLASS(ClassGroup=(Custom), meta=(BlueprintSpawnableComponent))
class MODULENAME_API UMySceneComponent : public USceneComponent
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

public:
    UMySceneComponent();

protected:
    virtual void BeginPlay() override;
};

GameplayAbility (GAS)

// GA_MyAbility.h
#pragma once
#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "Abilities/GameplayAbility.h"
#include "GA_MyAbility.generated.h"

UCLASS()
class MODULENAME_API UGA_MyAbility : public UGameplayAbility
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

public:
    UGA_MyAbility();

    virtual void ActivateAbility(const FGameplayAbilitySpecHandle Handle,
        const FGameplayAbilityActorInfo* ActorInfo,
        const FGameplayAbilityActivationInfo ActivationInfo,
        const FGameplayEventData* TriggerEventData) override;

    virtual void EndAbility(const FGameplayAbilitySpecHandle Handle,
        const FGameplayAbilityActorInfo* ActorInfo,
        const FGameplayAbilityActivationInfo ActivationInfo,
        bool bReplicateEndAbility, bool bWasCancelled) override;

    virtual bool CanActivateAbility(const FGameplayAbilitySpecHandle Handle,
        const FGameplayAbilityActorInfo* ActorInfo,
        const FGameplayTagContainer* SourceTags = nullptr,
        const FGameplayTagContainer* TargetTags = ,
        OUT FGameplayTagContainer* OptionalRelevantTags = )  ;

:
    (EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = )
     CooldownDuration = ;

    (EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = )
     Cost = ;
};

AttributeSet (GAS)

// MyAttributeSet.h
#pragma once
#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "AttributeSet.h"
#include "AbilitySystemComponent.h"
#include "MyAttributeSet.generated.h"

#define ATTRIBUTE_ACCESSORS(ClassName, PropertyName) \
    GAMEPLAYATTRIBUTE_PROPERTY_GETTER(ClassName, PropertyName) \
    GAMEPLAYATTRIBUTE_VALUE_GETTER(PropertyName) \
    GAMEPLAYATTRIBUTE_VALUE_SETTER(PropertyName) \
    GAMEPLAYATTRIBUTE_VALUE_INITTER(PropertyName)

UCLASS()
class MODULENAME_API UMyAttributeSet : public UAttributeSet
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

public:
    UMyAttributeSet();

    virtual void GetLifetimeReplicatedProps(TArray<FLifetimeProperty>& OutLifetimeProps) const override;
    virtual void PreAttributeChange(const FGameplayAttribute& Attribute, float& NewValue) override;
    virtual void PostGameplayEffectExecute(const FGameplayEffectModCallbackData& Data) override;

    UPROPERTY(BlueprintReadOnly, ReplicatedUsing = OnRep_Health, Category = "Attributes")
    FGameplayAttributeData Health;
    (UMyAttributeSet, Health)

    (BlueprintReadOnly, ReplicatedUsing = OnRep_MaxHealth, Category = )
    FGameplayAttributeData MaxHealth;
    (UMyAttributeSet, MaxHealth)

    (BlueprintReadOnly, ReplicatedUsing = OnRep_Mana, Category = )
    FGameplayAttributeData Mana;
    (UMyAttributeSet, Mana)

:
    ()
    ;

    ()
    ;

    ()
    ;
};

GameMode

// MyGameMode.h
#pragma once
#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "GameFramework/GameModeBase.h"
#include "MyGameMode.generated.h"

UCLASS()
class MODULENAME_API AMyGameMode : public AGameModeBase
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

public:
    AMyGameMode();

    virtual void InitGame(const FString& MapName, const FString& Options, FString& ErrorMessage) override;
    virtual APawn* SpawnDefaultPawnAtTransform_Implementation(AController* NewPlayer, const FTransform& SpawnTransform) override;
};

PlayerController

// MyPlayerController.h
#pragma once
#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "GameFramework/PlayerController.h"
#include "MyPlayerController.generated.h"

class UInputMappingContext;
class UInputAction;

UCLASS()
class MODULENAME_API AMyPlayerController : public APlayerController
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

public:
    AMyPlayerController();

protected:
    virtual void BeginPlay() override;
    virtual void SetupInputComponent() override;

    UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Input")
    TObjectPtr<UInputMappingContext> DefaultMappingContext;
};

Subsystem

// MyGameInstanceSubsystem.h
#pragma once
#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "Subsystems/GameInstanceSubsystem.h"
#include "MyGameInstanceSubsystem.generated.h"

UCLASS()
class MODULENAME_API UMyGameInstanceSubsystem : public UGameInstanceSubsystem
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

public:
    virtual void Initialize(FSubsystemCollectionBase& Collection) override;
    virtual void Deinitialize() override;

    UFUNCTION(BlueprintCallable, Category = "MySubsystem")
    void DoSomething();
};

UObject (Data Asset)

// MyDataAsset.h
#pragma once
#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "Engine/DataAsset.h"
#include "MyDataAsset.generated.h"

UCLASS(BlueprintType)
class MODULENAME_API UMyDataAsset : public UPrimaryDataAsset
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

public:
    UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Config")
    FName ItemName;

    UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Config")
    TObjectPtr<UTexture2D> Icon;

    UPROPERTY(EditDefaultsOnly, BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Config")
    float BaseValue = 1.0f;

    virtual FPrimaryAssetId GetPrimaryAssetId() const override;
};

Interface

// Interactable.h
#pragma once
#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "UObject/Interface.h"
#include "Interactable.generated.h"

UINTERFACE(MinimalAPI, Blueprintable)
class UInteractable : public UInterface
{
    GENERATED_BODY()
};

class MODULENAME_API IInteractable
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

public:
    UFUNCTION(BlueprintNativeEvent, BlueprintCallable, Category = "Interaction")
    void Interact(AActor* Caller);

    UFUNCTION(BlueprintNativeEvent, BlueprintCallable, Category = "Interaction")
    FText GetInteractionText() const;
};

AnimInstance (Animation Blueprint Base)

// MyAnimInstance.h
#pragma once
#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "Animation/AnimInstance.h"
#include "MyAnimInstance.generated.h"

UCLASS()
class MODULENAME_API UMyAnimInstance : public UAnimInstance
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

public:
    virtual void NativeInitializeAnimation() override;
    virtual void NativeUpdateAnimation(float DeltaSeconds) override;

protected:
    UPROPERTY(BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Movement")
    float Speed = 0.0f;

    UPROPERTY(BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Movement")
    float Direction = 0.0f;

    UPROPERTY(BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Movement")
    bool bIsInAir = false;

    UPROPERTY(BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Movement")
    bool bIsAccelerating = false;
};

// MyAnimInstance.cpp
#include "MyAnimInstance.h"
#include "GameFramework/Character.h"
#include "GameFramework/CharacterMovementComponent.h"
#include "KismetAnimationLibrary.h"

void UMyAnimInstance::NativeInitializeAnimation()
{
    Super::NativeInitializeAnimation();
}

void UMyAnimInstance::NativeUpdateAnimation(float DeltaSeconds)
{
    Super::NativeUpdateAnimation(DeltaSeconds);

    if (APawn* Pawn = TryGetPawnOwner())
    {
        FVector Velocity = Pawn->GetVelocity();
        Speed = Velocity.Size2D();
        Direction = UKismetAnimationLibrary::CalculateDirection(Velocity, Pawn->GetActorRotation());

        if (ACharacter* Character = Cast<ACharacter>(Pawn))
        {
            bIsInAir = Character->GetCharacterMovement()->IsFalling();
            bIsAccelerating = Character->GetCharacterMovement()->GetCurrentAcceleration().Size() > 0.0f;
        }
    }
}

BlueprintFunctionLibrary (Static Utility Functions)

// MyBlueprintFunctionLibrary.h
#pragma once
#include "CoreMinimal.h"
#include "Kismet/BlueprintFunctionLibrary.h"
#include "MyBlueprintFunctionLibrary.generated.h"

UCLASS()
class MODULENAME_API UMyBlueprintFunctionLibrary : public UBlueprintFunctionLibrary
{
    GENERATED_BODY()

public:
    UFUNCTION(BlueprintCallable, Category = "Utilities", meta = (WorldContext = "WorldContextObject"))
    static AActor* FindClosestActorOfClass(const UObject* WorldContextObject, TSubclassOf<AActor> ActorClass, FVector Origin, float MaxDistance = 5000.0f);

    UFUNCTION(BlueprintPure, Category = "Math")
    static FVector GetRandomPointInRadius(FVector Origin, float Radius);

    UFUNCTION(BlueprintCallable, Category = "Utilities")
    static FString FormatTime(float TimeInSeconds);
};

Generation Rules

1. Replace MODULENAME with the actual module name in uppercase (e.g., MYPROJECT_API)
2. File placement: Headers in Source/[Module]/Public/[Category]/, sources in Source/[Module]/Private/[Category]/
3. Forward declarations over includes in headers — include only in .cpp
4. Use TObjectPtr<> for all UObject pointer members
5. Include [ClassName].generated.h as the LAST include in every header
6. Match .cpp includes: Always include the matching header first, then engine headers
7. Category organization: Group properties and functions by Category for editor display

Reference

For the full Epic C++ coding standard, see: dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/epic-cplusplus-coding-standard-for-unreal-engine

For GAS documentation: github.com/tranek/GASDocumentation