Can i play gta online without finishing gta story mode?

Grand Theft Auto Online, released on 1 October 2013 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 with subsequent releases on other platforms, operates as a separate game mode from GTA V's single-player story. The online component was designed to be accessible independently, allowing players to jump directly into the multiplayer experience without any requirement to complete the main story missions. While both games share the same fictional state of San Andreas and the city of Los Santos, Online functions as its own product with its own progression systems, character customization, and gameplay modes that can be accessed immediately upon purchase or access to the base game.