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Difference between revisions of "Linux"

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|release dates =
 
|release dates =
 
{{Infobox game/row/date|Linux|September 17, 1991}}
 
{{Infobox game/row/date|Linux|September 17, 1991}}
|winehq      =  
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|winehq      =
 
|wikipedia    = Linux
 
|wikipedia    = Linux
 
}}
 
}}
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{{Tocbox}}
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'''''{{W|Linux}}''''' is the open-source Unix-like operating system based around the kernel of the same name created by Linus Torvalds and released on September 17, 1991. As the kernel itself lacks many user-level tools, it is often paired with {{W|Free and open-source software|free and open-source software}} (FOSS) provided by the ''{{W|GNU Project}}'' as well as other popular user-level applications, and packaged as a "distribution" ("distro" for short). As a result of its reliance on tools provided by the ''GNU Project'', the operating system consisting of the kernel and bundled user-level tools is sometimes {{W|GNU/Linux naming controversy|controversially}} referred to as '''GNU/Linux''' as well. The operating system sees ongoing development and due to its free and open-source nature is often used as the base on which other services or platforms are built on, such as [[Stadia]] and [[Steam Deck]].
 +
 +
Users wanting to find a distribution of Linux usually end up following a few general guidelines:
 +
* The strength and weakness of Linux is its freedom of user choice.
 +
* There are no best distros; it all depends on the user's need. Users commonly switch between distros ("distro hopping") until settling on one.
 +
* Always refer to the documentation of the chosen distro in case there is a problem. It's advisable to check the [https://wiki.archlinux.org/ ArchWiki] regardless of the distro as it is broadly and succinctly written. In addition, reaching out to the distro's community for support is always an option.
 +
* Use [[Virtualization#Hardware virtualization|virtual machines]] to test Linux distributions without replacing the existing operating system on the physical machine.
 +
** To test a distribution installed on a virtual machine on the physical machine itself without replacing the existing operating system or dual booting, a tool called [https://www.ventoy.net/ Ventoy] can be used to create a [https://www.ventoy.net/en/plugin_vtoyboot.html bootable vDisk] on a USB flash stick.
  
 
'''Key points'''
 
'''Key points'''
{{++}} Wide variety of distributions available, allowing unparalleled user choice and customizability across the board.
+
{{++}} Wide variety of distributions (distros) available, allowing unparalleled user choice and customizability.
{{ii}} The quality of native ports on Linux varies. Some games might perform worse when compared to other operating systems; other might perform better.
+
{{ii}} Some native Linux games may perform better or worse when compared to other operating systems.
{{ii}} Many [[:Category:Windows|Windows]] games can be played by using either [https://steamcommunity.com/games/221410#announcements/detail/1696055855739350561 Steam Play] or [[#Wine|Wine]].
+
{{ii}} Many [[:Category:Windows|Windows]] games can be played on Linux using [https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton Proton] or [[Wine]].
  
 
'''Resources'''
 
'''Resources'''
{{ii}} [https://www.protondb.com/ ProtonDB] - crowdsourced database of Proton (Steam Play) games performance
+
{{ii}} [https://distrowatch.com/ DistroWatch] - a page dedicated to Linux distributions
{{ii}} [https://www.phoronix.com/ Phoronix] - website dedicated to hardware and benchmarking in Linux
 
{{ii}} [https://distrowatch.com/ DistroWatch] - page dedicated to Linux distributions
 
{{ii}} [https://openbenchmarking.org/ OpenBenchmarking] - a list of user-made benchmarks in Linux
 
{{ii}} [https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxhardware/ /r/linuxhardware] - subreddit dedicated to Linux hardware
 
{{ii}} [https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxquestions/ /r/linuxquestions] - subreddit dedicated to Linux-related questions
 
 
{{ii}} [https://linuxjourney.com/ Linux Journey] - a beginner-friendly page about learning Linux in general
 
{{ii}} [https://linuxjourney.com/ Linux Journey] - a beginner-friendly page about learning Linux in general
{{ii}} [https://linux.fandom.com Linux Wikia]
+
{{ii}} [https://www.protondb.com/ ProtonDB] - a crowdsourced database of Proton games compatibility
{{ii}} [[ARM]] - info on Linux ARM distros, devices, and software support
+
{{ii}} [https://www.phoronix.com/ Phoronix] - a website dedicated to hardware and benchmarking in Linux
 +
{{ii}} [https://openbenchmarking.org/ OpenBenchmarking] and [https://flightlessmango.com/ FlightlessMango] - lists of user-made benchmarks in Linux
 +
{{ii}} [https://wiki.archlinux.org/ ArchWiki] and [https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Main_Page Gentoo Wiki] - wikis intended for their respective distro but is useful for others as well
  
 
'''Communities'''
 
'''Communities'''
{{ii}} [https://gamingonlinux.com Gaming On Linux] - a large community dedicated for gaming on Linux
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{{ii}} [https://gamingonlinux.com Gaming On Linux] - a large community dedicated to gaming on Linux
 
{{ii}} [https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/ /r/linux_gaming] - Linux gaming subreddit
 
{{ii}} [https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/ /r/linux_gaming] - Linux gaming subreddit
{{ii}} [https://www.reddit.com/r/linux4noobs/ /r/linux4noobs] - subreddit dedicated for Linux newbies
 
{{ii}} [https://linuxgamecast.com/ Linux Game Cast] - pod/videocast
 
{{ii}} [https://www.back2gaming.com/ Back2Gaming] - Gaming related news/guide page. More oriented into Linux
 
  
 
==Distributions==
 
==Distributions==
There are two types of release models which distros are using, both have their pros and cons.
+
There are two types of release models for Linux distros.
  
 
===Fixed release===
 
===Fixed release===
{{++}}Offers stable packages
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{{++}}Offers stable packages.
{{++}}Most distros which use it are beginner friendly
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{{++}}Most distros are beginner-friendly.
{{++}}Very little maintenance
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{{++}}Very little maintenance.
{{--}}Package versions are usually tied to the distro version, so to get the recent packages, you need to update your OS
+
{{--}}Package versions are usually tied to the distro version, so the OS needs to be updated to get the latest packages.
{{--}}Stable packages don't contain the newest features. This is especially important in case of GPU drivers
+
{{--}}Stable packages typically don't have the newest features. This is especially important in the case of [[Glossary:Graphics card|GPU]] drivers.<br> This issue is alleviated by the fact that the vast majority of user-facing applications are now available as a [[w:Flatpak|Flatpak]], [[w:Snap (software)|Snap]] or and [[w:AppImage|AppImage]] which allow you to run the latest version of the application regardless of what exact version of underlying OS you have.
{{--}}Manual intervention is required in order to add user-made repositories in some distros.
+
{{--}}Manual intervention is required to add user-made repositories in some distros.
{{ii}} Updating the distro to the next version doesn't require a fresh install and is easy to carry out but might take up to few hours (but usually below an hour)
+
{{ii}} Updating a distro to the latest version doesn't normally require a fresh install, but can take up to several hours.
 
{{ii}} Many Debian-based distros offer [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuBackports "backports"] and/or [https://wiki.debian.org/DebianTesting "testing"] modes that provide newer versions of some packages than what the stable version does.
 
{{ii}} Many Debian-based distros offer [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuBackports "backports"] and/or [https://wiki.debian.org/DebianTesting "testing"] modes that provide newer versions of some packages than what the stable version does.
  
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! Distribution !! Based on !! Desktop(s) <ref group="fr note">Default options are marked in bold</ref> !! Release cycle !! Supported by<ref group="fr note">look at Official Support TODO: add it</ref> !! Description
 
! Distribution !! Based on !! Desktop(s) <ref group="fr note">Default options are marked in bold</ref> !! Release cycle !! Supported by<ref group="fr note">look at Official Support TODO: add it</ref> !! Description
 
|-
 
|-
||'''[https://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop Ubuntu ]''' || Debian || GNOME || 6 months, 2 years for LTS || Steam, GoG, many commercial developers ||style="text-align: left;"| The most popular distribution. Ubuntu LTS (Long Term Support) is officially supported by Steam. If you don't know what to choose, pick this one. Ubuntu non-LTS is updated more often and contains newer packages and functions and is also a great option. Note that as of 19.10, Canonical will include some of the 32 bit packages if needed.
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||'''[https://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop Ubuntu] and [https://www.ubuntu.com/download/flavours Ubuntu flavours]''' || Debian || GNOME, KDE Plasma, LXQt, Budgie, MATE, Xfce, UKUI || 6 months, 2 years for LTS || Steam, GOG, many commercial developers ||style="text-align: left;"| The most popular distribution. Ubuntu LTS (Long Term Support) is officially supported by Steam. Ubuntu non-LTS is updated more often and contains newer packages and functionality. Ubuntu flavours offer different [[Linux#Desktop environments|desktop environments]] with the same compatibility as Ubuntu.
 
|-
 
|-
|| '''[https://system76.com/pop Pop! OS]''' || Ubuntu || GNOME || 6 months || same as Ubuntu<ref name=support group="fr note">Support is not official, but the distros are so similar, that everything that works for Ubuntu will work here.</ref> || style="text-align: left;"| A Ubuntu based distro created and maintained by System76 which includes it's own repository. Unlike Ubuntu, it includes much more recent drivers for your graphics card and it's generally more recommended for beginners.
+
|| '''[https://system76.com/pop Pop!_OS]''' || Ubuntu || '''GNOME''' || 6 months || same as Ubuntu<ref name=support group="fr note">Support is not official, but the distros are similar enough that everything which works for Ubuntu will work in Pop!_OS.</ref> || style="text-align: left;"| An Ubuntu-based distro created and maintained by System76 which utilizes its own repository. Unlike Ubuntu, it includes much more recent drivers for graphics cards, the installer ships with Nvidia support, and it's generally more recommended for beginners.
 
|-
 
|-
|| '''[https://www.ubuntu.com/download/flavours Ubuntu flavours]''' || Ubuntu || Plasma, LXQt, Budgie, MATE, Xfce || 6 months || same as Ubuntu<ref name=support group="fr note">Support is not official, but the distros are so similar, that everything that works for Ubuntu will work here.</ref> || style="text-align: left;"| Flavours offer different Desktop Environments, but when it comes to compatibility, they are virtually the same as Ubuntu. Choose if you prefer distinct workflow or art style. Newcomers from Windows should definitely pick Ubuntu MATE, Ubuntu Budgie, Xubuntu or Kubuntu.
+
||'''[https://linuxmint.com/ Linux Mint]''' || Ubuntu LTS || Cinnamon, MATE, XFCE || Up to 2 years || same as Ubuntu<ref name=support group="fr note" /> || style="text-align: left;"| The most popular beginner-friendly Linux distribution. LMDE 2 Edition is based on Debian. Packages may be much older compared to Ubuntu LTS releases. The main advantage of Linux Mint is the built-in kernel upgrader.
 
|-
 
|-
||'''[https://linuxmint.com/ Linux Mint]''' || Debian, Ubuntu || Cinnamon, MATE, XFCE || Up to 2 years || same as Ubuntu<ref name=support group="fr note" /> || style="text-align: left;"| The most popular beginner-friendly Linux distribution. LMDE 2 Edition is based on Debian. Be aware that the packages may be much older compared to Ubuntu LTS releases, but the main advantage is the built-in kernel upgrader.
+
||'''[https://neon.kde.org KDE Neon]''' || Ubuntu LTS || '''KDE Plasma''' || Up to a year || same as Ubuntu<ref name=support group="fr note" /> || style="text-align: left;"| A distro created by the KDE community. Compared to Kubuntu (A KDE Plasma-flavoured Ubuntu), it provides the latest version of the KDE Plasma desktop environment, while simultaneously being able to use packages from Ubuntu LTS.
 
|-
 
|-
||'''[https://neon.kde.org KDE Neon]''' || Debian, Ubuntu || KDE Plasma || Up to a year || same as Ubuntu<ref name=support group="fr note" /> || style="text-align: left;"| A distro created by the KDE community, compared to the Kubuntu (A KDE Plasma flavoured Ubuntu) it provides the latest version of KDE Plasma, while at the same time being able to use packages from Ubuntu.
+
||'''[https://getfedora.org/ Fedora] and [https://spins.fedoraproject.org/ Fedora Spins]''' || Independent || GNOME, KDE Plasma, XFCE, MATE, Cinnamon, LXDE, LXQT, SUGAR ||6 months|||| style="text-align: left;"| Fedora is a very stable, independent distribution sponsored by Red Hat Enterprise. GNOME is its default desktop environment, but Fedora Spins offer many alternatives. It is as user-friendly as Ubuntu but tends to be more willing to move to new technologies. Spins offer different desktop environments, but when it comes to compatibility, they are the same as Fedora.
 
|-
 
|-
||'''[https://store.steampowered.com/steamos/ SteamOS]''' || Debian (Oldoldstable)<ref>{{Refurl|url=https://www.debian.org/releases/|title=Debian releases|date=2021-06-26}}</ref> || GNOME || Varies || Steam || style="text-align: left;"| Linux distribution made by Valve Corporation specifically for Steam Machine or for gaming from couch. It currently provides the latest stable Linux kernel along with newer drivers for GPU. Offers an option to act as a desktop system, it may be behind in terms of packages.<br>{{--}} As of June 2021, SteamOS is based on Debian Jessie, meaning that non-Steam packages have not been updated since 2016.
+
|| '''[https://get.opensuse.org/leap/ openSUSE Leap]''' || Independent || GNOME, KDE Plasma, XFCE || 1 year for each new release ||  || style="text-align: left;"| Leap uses source from SUSE Linux Enterprise (SLE), which gives it a great level of stability. openSUSE has YaST, which is a user-friendly GUI to install packages, manage the system, and install [[Nvidia]] proprietary drivers in a simple way.
 +
|-
 +
||'''[https://store.steampowered.com/steamos/ SteamOS]''' || Arch Linux(starting with version 3.0) Debian(old versions)<ref>{{Refurl|url=https://www.debian.org/releases/|title=Debian releases|date=2021-06-26}}</ref> || '''KDE Plasma''' || Varies || Steam || style="text-align: left;"| Linux distribution made by [[Company:Valve Corporation|Valve Corporation]] specifically for the Steam Machine or couch gaming. It currently provides the latest stable Linux kernel along with newer GPU drivers and an option to act as a desktop system. It may be behind in terms of package updates.<br>{{--}} As of June 2021, SteamOS is based on Debian Jessie, meaning that non-Steam packages have not been updated since 2016.
 
|}
 
|}
  
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===Rolling release===
 
===Rolling release===
{{++}}Provides the latest version of the package once they're available
+
{{++}}Provides the latest version of packages as soon as they're released by the upstream developers.
{{++}}No distro upgrade is required, as most distros have only one version.
+
{{++}}No distro upgrade procedure is required, as most distros have only one version.
{{--}}An update for the package may cause stability issues, so it is recommended to organize an update by yourself in case a revision gets a release, which fixes stability issues.
+
{{--}}A package update may cause stability issues, as extensive testing is usually limited.
{{--}}In some cases, manual intervention is required.
+
{{--}}No currently-listed rolling release distribution has official support from any digital distribution store, due to the distros' reliance on <code>.rpm</code> binaries instead of <code>.deb</code>.
{{--}}No currently listed rolling release distribution has any official support from any store, due to the distros' reliance on <code>.rpm</code> binaries instead of <code>.deb</code>
+
{{ii}}Some distros offer a semi-rolling release, meaning that packages will be tested before releases.
{{ii}}Some distros offer a semi-rolling release, meaning that the package will be tested before the release, it mostly takes less than a month, often a week depending on distro.
 
  
 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
 
{| class="wikitable sortable"
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! Distribution !! Based On !! Desktop(s)<ref group="rr note">Default options are marked in bold</ref> !! Description
 
! Distribution !! Based On !! Desktop(s)<ref group="rr note">Default options are marked in bold</ref> !! Description
 
|-
 
|-
||'''[https://manjaro.org/ Manjaro]''' || Arch Linux || '''Plasma''', '''XFCE''', '''GNOME'''<ref group="rr note">The community manages other versions with their own desktop environment</ref>  || style="text-align: left;"| Provides its own official repository has exclusive tools for installing various Linux kernels and managing your hardware drivers. The packages are semi-rolling meaning that it takes longer for the new version of the application to be released (Up to 2 weeks) until it's absolutely stable enough.
+
||'''[https://archlinux.org/ Arch Linux]''' || Independent || GNOME, KDE Plasma, XFCE, MATE, Cinnamon, LXDE, LXQT, SUGAR, Deepin, Budgie, UKUI || style="text-align: left;"| Arch Linux is a distribution designed for advanced users looking to customize every aspect of their system, building from the ground up rather than the top down. There is a huge number of packages available through the [[w:Arch_Linux#Arch_User_Repository_.28AUR.29|AUR (Arch User Repository)]]. Arch Linux does not have a graphical installer and requires research on the user's part to properly install.<br>{{ii}}If you're new to Linux, '''Arch most definitely should not be your first choice'''.
 
|-
 
|-
||'''[https://get.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/ openSUSE Tumbleweed]''' || Independent || '''Plasma''', '''GNOME''', '''XFCE''', LXDE, LXQt, Enlightenment, Cinnamon, MATE, Pantheon<ref group="rr note">Non-default are supported, but not fully tested</ref>|| style="text-align: left;"| Rolling version of openSUSE which uses automated testing to provide more stability than many other rolling releases. When used with BTRFS on the root partition, snapshots are taken before and after updating, allowing easy restores if there is an update breakage.
+
||'''[https://manjaro.org/ Manjaro]''' || Arch Linux || GNOME, KDE Plasma, Xfce || style="text-align: left;"| Manjaro is based on Arch Linux and offers a user-friendly experience out of the box. By default, it comes with Nvidia's proprietary drivers, which makes it straightforward to install. It uses the Pamac app to install native, AUR, Flatpak, and Snap packages in a simple way.
 
|-
 
|-
||'''[https://getsol.us/ Solus]''' || Independent || '''Budgie''', GNOME, MATE || style="text-align: left;"| Despite following the rolling release model it provides stable packages and features great hardware compatibility with any GPU. Includes a special tool called Linux Steam Integration (LSI) which allows you to easily customize Steam ranging from using the libraries from your system (Native mode) or force 32-bit mode. Only stable releases of library and software are added with a very few exceptions (Such as Nvidia's Vulkan Beta Drivers)
+
||'''[https://get.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/ openSUSE Tumbleweed]''' || Independent || GNOME, KDE Plasma, XFCE|| style="text-align: left;"| A rolling version of openSUSE which uses automated testing to provide more stability than many other rolling releases. When used with BTRFS on a root partition, snapshots are taken before and after updates, allowing easy restores if there is an update breakage.
 
|-
 
|-
||'''[https://gamer-os.github.io/ GamerOS]''' || Arch Linux || Unknown || A third-party attempt at making a more up-to-date version of SteamOS.
+
||'''[https://getsol.us/ Solus]''' || Independent || Budgie, GNOME, MATE, KDE Plasma || style="text-align: left;"| Despite following the rolling release model, it provides stable packages and features great hardware compatibility with any GPU. It includes a special tool called Linux Steam Integration (LSI) which allows users to easily customize Steam, ranging from using the libraries from the system (native mode) or a forced 32-bit mode. Only stable releases of library and software are added, with very few exceptions—such as Nvidia's Vulkan beta drivers.
 
|}
 
|}
 
<references group="rr note" />
 
<references group="rr note" />
  
 
==Desktop environments==
 
==Desktop environments==
The Linux community has created multiple variations of the desktop environment for you to choose from as by default the system uses the text mode by default, with their own basic software for common use such as file explorer, notepad, virtual terminal etc. along with their own purpose and features.
+
By default, Linux is a text/command-line-based operating system. However, the Linux community has created a variety of desktop environments to offer a user-friendly GUI experience. Most include their own basic software for common use cases, such as a file explorer or word processor.
+
 
 +
As a rule of thumb, environments with heavy RAM use typically add another 500 MB to the operating system's RAM requirements (which usually range from 500 MB to 4 GB), compared to environments with light RAM use.
 +
 
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="nowrap;"
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="nowrap;"
 
|-
 
|-
! Name !! Min. RAM !! Customizable !! Description
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! Name !! RAM use !! Description
 
|-
 
|-
| [https://www.gnome.org/ GNOME] || 2 GB || Yes, limited || style="text-align: left;"|  
+
| [https://www.gnome.org/ GNOME] || Heavy || style="text-align: left;"|
One of the oldest desktop environments which is still continuously updated. The 3rd generation of GNOME has a more tablet focused interface compared to GNOME 2 with a very large set of software combined with community-made ones as well as extensions, thankfully the GNOME Classic is included for those who do not like its theme and its compositor integrates really well with Nvidia graphics card, which does not cause any tearing at all. However, it's very limited in customization, forcing you to install GNOME Tweak to change things such as the color theme, icons etc.
+
One of the oldest desktop environments that is still continuously updated. Offers the most radical departure from the traditional Windows-style paradigm of start-menu-and-a-taskbar.<br> It has historically been considered slow but has made huge strides in improving the fluidity and responsiveness in the last few years, particularly on gaming-grade machines. Offers a variety of customizations via GTK3/4 themes and Gnome Extensions.
 
+
|-
For Wayland use, GNOME supports both GBM and EGLStreams APIs which makes it the only DE to support Wayland for every graphics cards that support it.
+
| [https://www.kde.org/plasma-desktop KDE Plasma] || Heavy || style="text-align: left;"|
 +
The first major comprehensive desktop environment released for Linux, which sees regular maintenance and feature updates. Out of the box, it offers a familiar Windows-like experience but also allows nearly limitless ability to customize the functionality and look and feel of the desktop.
 
|-
 
|-
| [https://www.kde.org/plasma-desktop KDE Plasma] || 1 GB || Yes || style="text-align: left;"|  
+
| [https://getsol.us/home/ Budgie] || Heavy || style="text-align: left;"|
The very 1st desktop environemnt which to this day is still being updated and maintained. Compared to GNOME, it uses less memory while having many of its features and software included which makes it very attractive to Windows/Mac users while being very customizeable and packed full of options for you to set up and a dedicated option to disable composition when running a software in full screen, providing a better performance in games. Nvidia users with proprietary driver must use at least 5.12.9 LTS or 5.15.9 which stabilizes the desktop for that matter.
+
Created by a Solus developer and currently maintained by Solus Team. It serves as an alternative to GNOME with a much more desktop-like interface, which bears similarities to modern Windows.
 
|-
 
|-
| [https://budgie-desktop.org/home/ Budgie] || 256 MB || Yes || style="text-align: left;"|  
+
| [http://developer.linuxmint.com/ Cinnamon] || Heavy || style="text-align: left;"|
Created by a original Solus developer and currently maintained by Solus Team. It currently serves as an alternative for GNOME 3 with a much more desktop-like interface and bear some similarities to Windows 10.
+
Created by the Linux Mint Team, Cinnamon offers an experience that is very similar to Windows 7.
 
|-
 
|-
| [http://developer.linuxmint.com/ Cinnamon] || 256 MB || Yes || style="text-align: left;"|  
+
| [https://xfce.org/ XFCE] || Light || style="text-align: left;"|
Created by Linux Mint Team, Cinnamon brings back the GNOME 2 appearance with a modern twist, while using some of the features present in GNOME 3, including its compositor's integration with Nvidia GPU. Allows you to run in Hardware (Default) and Software mode (No Composition).
+
Starting off as a clone of a Unix-like desktop environment called CDE, it became its own with a Windows XP-like appearance and light memory usage. XFCE is well-suited for low-end hardware and people who like to settle on one user experience and never change it (while still getting the security and maintenance updates).
 
|-
 
|-
| [https://xfce.org/ XFCE] || 128 MB || Yes || style="text-align: left;"|  
+
| [https://mate-desktop.org MATE] || Light || style="text-align: left;"|
Starting off as a clone of a Unix-like desktop environment named CDE, it became its own DE with a much more Windows XP-like appearance and with its light use of memory is well suited for low end hardware or even for Windows veterans.
+
MATE spawned as a spiritual successor to GNOME 2 after a controversial change in GNOME 3. It is recommended for Windows and Mac users while providing its own feature set such as mouse hover audio previewing.
 
|-
 
|-
| [https://mate-desktop.org MATE] || 128 MB || Yes || style="text-align: left;"|  
+
| [https://www.lxde.org/ LXDE] || Light || style="text-align: left;"|
MATE was born as a spiritual successor to GNOME 2 after a controversial change in GNOME 3. The DE is well suited for common Windows users while providing its own features such as audio preview by a mouse hover.
+
LXDE (Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) is a lightweight and fast, feature-rich desktop environment. It is designed to be user-friendly and slim while keeping resource usage low. LXDE strives to be modular, so each component can be used independently with few dependencies.
 +
{{ii}} The Original team that created LXDE has largely moved on to LXQT due to controversial changes in the GTK framework, however, a community of loyal users and developers continues to use and maintain it.
 
|-
 
|-
| [https://lxqt-project.org/ LXQT] || 64 MB || Yes, limited || style="text-align: left;"|  
+
| [https://lxqt-project.org/ LXQT] || Light || style="text-align: left;"|
Starting off as LXDE and later one in combination with Razor-Qt it became LXQt. The most lightweight desktop environment ever created, despite its limited features and customization along with the lack of compositor it is perfectly suited for the lowest end hardware.
+
Despite its limited features (as it is essentially a rewrite of LXDE with a different UI framework) along with the lack of a compositor, it is perfectly suited for the lowest-end hardware.  
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
==Kernel==
 
==Kernel==
 
{{mm}} [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_kernel Wikipedia page]
 
{{mm}} [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_kernel Wikipedia page]
{{ii}} It is important to update your Linux kernel as new versions provide security updates, bugfixes, better performance and support for hardware. Your distributions repository contains the latest version for your OS.
+
{{ii}} It is important to update the Linux kernel as new versions provide security updates, bug fixes, better performance, and support for hardware. A distro's repository contains all the supported versions for that distro.
 +
 
 
There are two main releases of the official Linux kernel:
 
There are two main releases of the official Linux kernel:
* the Long Term Support (LTS) is slightly behind in terms of hardware support and features, but offers better stability and has longer support,
+
* Long-Term Support (LTS) is slightly behind in terms of hardware support and features but offers better stability and longer support.
* stable release (sometimes called the current release) offers the best hardware support and the newest features. It's the default choice for a gaming machine and should be avoided only if it causes some issues.
+
* Stable release (sometimes called the current release) offers the best hardware support and the newest features. It should be the default choice for a gaming machine and be avoided only if it causes issues.
  
Both releases offer the same security updates.
+
Despite these differences, both releases offer the same security updates.
  
 
===Kernel replacement===
 
===Kernel replacement===
  
{{ii}} '''This section is meant for advanced users, you can easily break your OS, if you don't know what you are doing!'''
+
{{ii}} '''This section is meant for advanced users, you can easily break your OS if you don't know what you are doing!'''
  
While both stable and LTS Linux kernel releases can be used for gaming, there are also community-made ones which add features and improvements, thus '''may''' improve your gaming experience even further. '''Be warned that you may have to install the DKMS version of the drivers along with the kernel headers to make your hardware useable with multiple kernels''', this is not required if the kernel already includes it.
+
While both stable and LTS Linux kernel releases can be used for gaming, there are also community-made ones that add features and improvements. These kernels may or may not improve one's gaming experience, and may require DKMS (dynamic kernel module support) versions of drivers and headers to make hardware usable with multiple kernels.
  
 
The most notable releases:
 
The most notable releases:
* [http://www.users.on.net/~ckolivas/kernel/ Linux CK]
+
* [https://github.com/CK-LINUX/kernel Linux CK]
 
* [https://github.com/zen-kernel/zen-kernel Linux Zen]
 
* [https://github.com/zen-kernel/zen-kernel Linux Zen]
 
* [https://liquorix.net/ Liquorix]
 
* [https://liquorix.net/ Liquorix]
  
{{ii}} For help with installing different kernels on distro of your choice, you should go to kernel version official website or your distros forum and wiki.
+
{{ii}} For help with installing different kernels on a distro, consult the kernel's official website or the distro's knowledge base.
{{ii}} Be sure to keep the current kernel you have in case if things go wrong.
+
{{ii}} It is advised to keep the current official kernel in case of issues.
{{ii}} [https://teejeetech.in/ukuu/ UKUU] is an useful utility for swaping kernels, although newer versions have nonfree license.
+
{{ii}} [https://teejeetech.in/ukuu/ UKUU] is a useful utility for swapping kernels on Ubuntu (and Ubuntu derivatives).
  
 
===Microcode===
 
===Microcode===
 
{{mm}}[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Microcode ArchWiki article]
 
{{mm}}[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Microcode ArchWiki article]
It is very important to install the microcode for your CPU as the manufacturer provides security and stability updates.
+
It is vital to install the microcode for the CPU as the manufacturer provides security and stability updates, although most often your distribution will push those updates directly to you. Most distributions use either a package manager or some kind of firmware/drivers manager to update the microcode.
 
 
Most distributions use either package manager or some kind of firmware/drivers manager to update your microcode.
 
  
 
==Hardware==
 
==Hardware==
 
===Graphics===
 
===Graphics===
 +
{{++}} Generally speaking, if you use AMD graphics, you're likely to have a flawless experience as AMD makes open-source drivers available and Linux developers integrate them directly into the kernel.
 +
{{--}} Generally speaking, if you use Nvidia graphics, you're likely to have to make some independent efforts to either install or enable Nvidia drivers, as Nvidia does not offer any open-source drivers which makes the distribution maintainers hesitant when it comes to packaging or enabling Nvidia drivers by default.<br> Nvidia's drivers are also of worse quality than either AMD's own Linux drivers or Nvidia's Windows driver, with features that exist in the Windows drivers missing in the same card's Linux driver. This is entirely Nvidia's choice, and Linux developers and maintainers can do almost nothing to rectify the consequences of Nvidia's behavior.
 +
 
{{ii}} [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/ATI ArchWiki's ATI] and [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/AMD_Catalyst Catalyst] Article
 
{{ii}} [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/ATI ArchWiki's ATI] and [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/AMD_Catalyst Catalyst] Article
 
{{ii}} [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/AMDGPU ArchWiki's AMDGPU/AMDGPU Pro Article]
 
{{ii}} [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/AMDGPU ArchWiki's AMDGPU/AMDGPU Pro Article]
 
{{ii}} [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/NVIDIA ArchWiki's Nvidia] and [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Nouveau Nouveau] Article
 
{{ii}} [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/NVIDIA ArchWiki's Nvidia] and [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Nouveau Nouveau] Article
 
{{ii}} [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Intel_graphics ArchWiki's Intel Graphics Article]
 
{{ii}} [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Intel_graphics ArchWiki's Intel Graphics Article]
 
Here is a following table describing the drivers and information which Linux supports for each GPU brand.
 
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
Line 166: Line 175:
 
|rowspan="2"| Proprietary || AMDGPU Pro || GCN and newer architecture || Yes
 
|rowspan="2"| Proprietary || AMDGPU Pro || GCN and newer architecture || Yes
 
|-
 
|-
| Fglrx || Catalyst GL Library || GCN 3 and older architecture ||rowspan="2"| No
+
| Fglrx || Catalyst GL Library || GCN 3 and older architecture || No
 
|-
 
|-
| style="background: #84DE02;" rowspan="7"| '''Nvidia''' || Open Source || Nouveau || Mesa (GLX and DRI) || Any Nvidia GPU
+
| style="background: #84DE02;" rowspan="7"| '''Nvidia''' || Open Source || Nouveau || Mesa (GLX and DRI) || Any Nvidia GPU || Yes (NVK for Kepler and up)
 
|-
 
|-
|rowspan="6"| Proprietary || Nvidia || Nvidia GLX || From Kepler based GPUs to recent || rowspan="2"| Yes
+
|rowspan="6"| Proprietary || Nvidia || Nvidia GLX || From Kepler based GPUs to recent || Yes
 
|-
 
|-
| Nvidia 390 || Nvidia 390 GLX || From Fermi based GPUs to recent
+
| Nvidia 390 || Nvidia 390 GLX || From Fermi based GPUs to recent || rowspan="5"| No
 
|-
 
|-
| Nvidia 340 || Nvidia 340 GLX || For Tesla based GPUs ||rowspan="4"| No
+
| Nvidia 340 || Nvidia 340 GLX || For Tesla based GPUs
 
|-
 
|-
 
| Nvidia 304 || Nvidia 304 GLX || From GeForce 6 series to Tesla based GPUs
 
| Nvidia 304 || Nvidia 304 GLX || From GeForce 6 series to Tesla based GPUs
Line 182: Line 191:
 
| Nvidia 96 || Nvidia 96 GLX || From GeForce 2/3/4 MX/Ti
 
| Nvidia 96 || Nvidia 96 GLX || From GeForce 2/3/4 MX/Ti
 
|-
 
|-
| style="background: #21ABCD; color: white;" rowspan="2" | '''Intel''' ||rowspan="2" | Open Source || Xorg Intel<sup>2</sup> || rowspan="2"| Mesa (GLX and DRI) || rowspan="2" | Any Intel HD Graphics GPU || rowspan="2"| Yes (ANV)
+
| style="background: #21ABCD; color: white;" rowspan="2" | '''Intel''' ||rowspan="2" | Open Source || Xorg Intel<sup>2</sup> || rowspan="2"| Mesa (GLX and DRI) || rowspan="2" | Any Intel HD Graphics GPU || rowspan="2"| Yes (ANV for Gen9 and up, HASKV Gen7/Gen8)
 +
|-
 +
| Xorg modesetting
 +
|-
 +
| style="background: yellow;" rowspan="2" | '''VIA/S3''' || Open Source || OpenChrome || rowspan="2"| Mesa (GLX and DRI) || Unichrome series, Chrome9 2D only || No
 +
|-
 +
| Proprietary || VIA Unified GFX || Chrome9 || No
 +
|-
 +
| style="background: orange;" | '''3DFX''' || Open Source || tdfx || MesaGL || Voodoo3 and up, Voodoo 1 & 2 2D only || No
 +
|-
 +
| ARM || Open Source || Panfrost || Mesa (GLX and DRI) || Mali Midgard, Bifrost and Valhall || Yes (PanVK)
 +
|-
 +
| Qualcomm || Open Source || Freedreno || Mesa (GLX and DRI) || Adreno A2xx-A7xx || Yes (Turnip)
 
|-
 
|-
|Xorg modesetting
+
| Broadcom || Open Source || V3D || Mesa (GLX and DRI) || VideoCore 5 on Raspberry Pi 4 || Yes
 
|-
 
|-
 +
| Imagination Technologies || Open Source || pvrsrvkm || Mesa (GLX and DRI) || PowerVR Rogue || Yes
 
|}
 
|}
 
<sup>1</sup> <small>- GCN 1 and 2 architecture support in AMDGPU is experimental.</small><br />
 
<sup>1</sup> <small>- GCN 1 and 2 architecture support in AMDGPU is experimental.</small><br />
Line 191: Line 213:
 
<sup>2</sup> <small>- Do not use it on Intel HD 4000 series and newer GPU.</small><br />
 
<sup>2</sup> <small>- Do not use it on Intel HD 4000 series and newer GPU.</small><br />
  
AMD/ATI users should use the open source driver as they provide the best performance and support compared to the proprietary ones, while Nvidia users should stick to the proprietary ones. However there are some things to remember:
+
Generally, AMD/ATI users should use [[Mesa|the open source driver]] as it provides the best performance and support compared to the proprietary ones, while Nvidia users should stick to the proprietary ones. There are some things to remember:
* '''Never install drivers from the respective GPU brand's website unless you are forced to''', since some installers would require you to install through text mode, like in case of Nvidia. AMD however have prepared packages that can be ran for distros they support. Otherwise rely on the graphical package manager installation, to ease it up.
+
* '''Try not to install drivers from the GPU manufacturer's website unless forced to''', as distro maintainers package the driver to be offered from the package manager.
* If forced to use Catalyst, Nvidia 173 or Nvidia 96 drivers, you must downgrade Xorg to the version it got the last support.
+
* If forced to use Catalyst, Nvidia 173, or Nvidia 96 drivers, one must downgrade Xorg to the last supported version.
* Before using the open source driver '''you must install LLVM and Linux Firmware'''.
+
* Before using the open-source driver '''one must install LLVM and Linux Firmware packages'''.
* As always when using a 64-bit system, install the 32-bit version of the drivers if possible.{{cn}}
 
  
====List of 3rd-party repositories====
+
====Installing drivers====
'''Ubuntu/Linux Mint/Zorin OS/Pop! OS/Linux Lite/KDE Neon'''
+
'''Ubuntu (and Ubuntu-derived distros such as Mint, Pop!_OS, and Neon)'''
  
 
Use <code>sudo add-apt-repository <PPA repository></code> to add one. Make sure to run <code>sudo apt update</code> in order to update the repository list after adding one.
 
Use <code>sudo add-apt-repository <PPA repository></code> to add one. Make sure to run <code>sudo apt update</code> in order to update the repository list after adding one.
 
{{Standard table|Repository|Description|content=
 
{{Standard table|Repository|Description|content=
 
{{Standard table/row|ppa:paulo-miguel-dias/pkppa|[https://launchpad.net/~paulo-miguel-dias/+archive/ubuntu/pkppa/ Padoka Stable Mesa]. For AMD/Intel/Nouveau GPU drivers, also contains Wayland.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|ppa:paulo-miguel-dias/pkppa|[https://launchpad.net/~paulo-miguel-dias/+archive/ubuntu/pkppa/ Padoka Stable Mesa]. For AMD/Intel/Nouveau GPU drivers, also contains Wayland.}}
{{Standard table/row|ppa:paulo-miguel-dias/mesa|[https://launchpad.net/~paulo-miguel-dias/+archive/ubuntu/mesa Padoka Unstable Mesa]. Same as the previous, however it is the developer version. Mind the issues you may encounter. }}
+
{{Standard table/row|ppa:paulo-miguel-dias/mesa|[https://launchpad.net/~paulo-miguel-dias/+archive/ubuntu/mesa Padoka Unstable Mesa]. Same as the previous, however, it is the developer version. Mind the issues you may encounter. }}
 
{{Standard table/row|ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa|[https://launchpad.net/~graphics-drivers/+archive/ubuntu/ppa "Graphics  Drivers" Teams' PPA]. Contains the recent proprietary Nvidia drivers and the Vulkan drivers for that GPU. }}
 
{{Standard table/row|ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa|[https://launchpad.net/~graphics-drivers/+archive/ubuntu/ppa "Graphics  Drivers" Teams' PPA]. Contains the recent proprietary Nvidia drivers and the Vulkan drivers for that GPU. }}
 
{{Standard table/row|ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/updates|[https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-x-swat/+archive/ubuntu/updates Ubuntu X Team's Stable Mesa]. For AMD/Intel/Nouveau GPU drivers, also contains Wayland.}}
 
{{Standard table/row|ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/updates|[https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-x-swat/+archive/ubuntu/updates Ubuntu X Team's Stable Mesa]. For AMD/Intel/Nouveau GPU drivers, also contains Wayland.}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
'''OpenSUSE'''
+
'''Fedora'''
 +
 
 +
To install Nvidia drivers on Fedora, it is usually sufficient to install the latest Nvidia drivers from the software center. Simply search for Nvidia and install the driver with the highest version number.
  
As of 10 August 2017, OpenSUSE Tumbleweed has an official Nvidia RPM [https://www.reddit.com/r/openSUSE/comments/6slnlv/tumbleweed_gets_an_official_rpm_from_nvidia/], you can manually add the repository with this command
+
If you have a more complex setup, such as an Optimus laptop, or the above instructions do not work for you, you can also use '[https://github.com/t0xic0der/nvidia-auto-installer-for-fedora-linux NVIDIA Auto Installer for Fedora Linux]'. It is a set of scripts that can handle both normal installs and more advanced configurations.
<pre>
+
 
zypper ar https://download.nvidia.com/opensuse/tumbleweed nvidia-tumbleweed
+
To use it, execute the following in the terminal:
zypper inr (For installing)
+
 
</pre>
+
<code>
 +
sudo dnf install dnf-plugins-core -y && sudo dnf copr enable t0xic0der/nvidia-auto-installer-for-fedora -y && sudo dnf install nvautoinstall -y
 +
</code>
 +
 
 +
Once installed, type in <code>nvautoinstall</code> into your terminal. The program will show you the options you can use.
 +
 
 +
The most basic installation is performed by issuing the following command:
 +
 
 +
<code>sudo nvautoinstall rpmadd && sudo nvautoinstall drive</code>.
 +
 
 +
To install support for Vulkan API (will be functional only if you have a Vulkan-capable GPU and driver), execute the following command <code>sudo dnf install vulkan-loader vulkan-loader.i686</code>
  
====Optimus support====
+
{{Fixbox|fix=
{{ii}} [https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/6ftq10/the_ultimate_guide_to_setting_up_nvidia_optimus/ Nvidia Optimus linux guide]
+
# Launch the terminal and update/reboot system: <code>sudo dnf update && reboot</code>
{{--}} To this day the Optimus support in Nvidia GPUs is still considered to be troublesome. It is recommended to use fixed release distributions for this case.
+
# Launch the terminal and add the official repos: <code>sudo dnf install fedora-workstation-repositories</code>
In case of laptops which contains Nvidia Optimus support it is recommended to have PRIME enabled, which can be done by installing additional package, follow the distro’s documentation to learn which one. The alternative to it can be Nvidia XRun package and Bumblebee's optirun/primusrun (Not recommended as it is no longer in development), but then the manual intervention is required (With the exception of the former). The linked guide will explain in detail the differences between them, as well as how to use them.
+
# Enable the Nvidia driver repo: <code>sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled rpmfusion-nonfree-nvidia-driver</code>
 +
# Reboot, then verify the addition of the repository using the following command: <code>sudo dnf repository-packages rpmfusion-nonfree-nvidia-driver info</code>
 +
# Open the software app, select Add-ons > Hardware Drivers > NVIDIA Linux Graphics Driver > Install
 +
}}
  
AMD users have a much easier time with that feature as it only requires running the game with the <code>DRI_PRIME=1</code> command.
+
If you used nvautoinstall above, you can also install Vulkan API via <code>sudo nvautoinstall vulkan</code>.
  
===Audio===
+
'''openSUSE'''
{{ii}}[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Sound_system ArchWiki page]
 
Audio is mostly handled by ALSA, with or without PulseAudio. You may set up to use ALSA only, however it is mostly recommended to use with the latter, as it acts as a main central configuration point for audio itself and some games are set to use PA by default. When using a sound card you must install ALSA Firmware package from your repository, while in case of using Bluetooth headphones in PulseAudio, install its PulseAudio Bluetooth library.
 
  
When it comes to API in Linux games, there are multiple of em such as OpenAL (Otherwise known as OpenAL Soft), SDL_mixer, SteamAudio, FMOD and more. But the most popular ones are the first two APIs.
+
[https://opensuse.github.io/openSUSE-docs-revamped-temp/install_proprietary/ Please refer to the openSUSE User Documentation Project for instructions.]
  
You may also encounter the OSS, also known as Open Sound System, released in 1995, it was used as a default sound manager which was added into the kernel, until it was replaced by ALSA in 2.5 version release of Linux kernel. Linux games released till 2001 were using it to play any sound. Even to this day, the OSS is still being updated but it is not much used anymore. If you ever encounter a software where it supports only this audio interface and complaing about the lack of <code>/dev/dsp</code>, you have to either install the OSS itself and set the audio up (the hard way) or rely on emulation. In general, installing the OSSP package and enabling/starting its daemon process (osspd) is enough to do it as it supports both PulseAudio and ALSA, but it is not updated frequently.
+
====Optimus support====
 +
{{ii}} [https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/6ftq10/the_ultimate_guide_to_setting_up_nvidia_optimus/ Nvidia Optimus Linux guide]
 +
{{--}} Optimus support in Nvidia GPUs is still considered to be troublesome.
 +
In the case of laptops that have Nvidia Optimus support, it is recommended to have PRIME enabled, which can be done by installing an additional package. Follow the distro’s documentation to set this up.
  
Another way is to use the OSS emulator for the specific audio interface:
+
AMD users only require running the game with the <code>DRI_PRIME=1</code> command.
* PulseAudio can use the <code>padsp</code> command which can be found with the PulseAudio utility package or in some distros, already included with the main software.
 
* ALSA users should install the alsa-oss package and then use the <code>aoss</code>, if using a 64 bit system you need to use the <code>-32</code> argument if you run a 32-bit application.
 
  
'''Do not run <code>aoss</code> if you are using PulseAudio, all you will get is a static noise mixed with the white ones at high volume!'''
+
===Audio===
 +
{{ii}}[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Sound_system ArchWiki page]
  
In case of MIDI, installing Timidity is required along with either soundfonts or FreePats package. Depending on the distro, it will either set it up automatically or require manual intervention. Keep in mind that if you are using PulseAudio, all the sounds, beside the MIDI music, will be muted unless you include the -iA -Os argument for the timidity command as either an autostart or as a user-made service.
+
Linux has several sound systems available. The most common one is PulseAudio, but a new system called PipeWire is looking to supersede and consolidate all previous systems into one. For most games, PulseAudio will work.
  
You can also use Fluidsynth, however bear in mind that it uses more CPU and needs to be set up to work alongside with PulseAudio, but compared to Timidity, it is more up to date.
+
In the case of MIDI, installing the Timidity or Fluidsynth package is required along with either a SoundFont or the FreePats package. Depending on the distro, it will either be set up automatically or require manual intervention.
  
 
===Input devices===
 
===Input devices===
Line 247: Line 283:
 
{{ii}}[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Touchscreen Touchscreen ArchWiki article]
 
{{ii}}[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Touchscreen Touchscreen ArchWiki article]
  
The keyboard and mouse are supported on the go, however if using XOrg you must have its input-libinput (input-evdev being the alternative) package installed as well in order to work, however by default it will support only 3 buttons for the mouse, in order to use all of them, you have to [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Mouse_buttons configure it manually]. When using a laptop you may also need to install XOrg's Synaptic package to have access to all features of your touchpad, against the touchscreen it will either work out of the box (besides some calibration) or  being very tedious, especially when it is not supported by Linux kernel.
+
Linux supports a vast array of input devices, including legacy hardware. Many programs exist for gaming peripherals in case further customization is needed.
  
Wayland users only requires the '''libinput''' package itself, which also supports XOrg.
+
'''General'''
 +
* [https://github.com/libratbag/piper/ Piper] - Configure gaming mice
  
If using a mouse dedicated for gaming, there is a universal configurator called [https://github.com/libratbag/piper/ Piper]. Due to the fact that the software is still new, there is a limited support for some mouse devices, it does support some of the Logitech mouses. However, there are some other ones made specifically for a product from one company:
+
There are some other ones made for products from specific companies:
  
* [https://github.com/z3ntu/RazerGenie RazerGenie] - Keyboard and Mouse setup for Razer products
+
'''Razer'''
* [https://github.com/GabMus/razerCommander RazerCommander] - Ditto
+
* [https://openrazer.github.io/ OpenRazer] - Open-source driver for Razer peripherals
 +
* [https://polychromatic.app/ Polychromatic] - Frontend for OpenRazer
 +
* [https://github.com/z3ntu/RazerGenie RazerGenie] - Configurator for Razer mice, keyboards, headsets, and more
 +
* [https://github.com/GabMus/razerCommander RazerCommander] - Razer device manager
 
* [https://bues.ch/cms/hacking/razercfg RazerCFG] - A much more simplified configurator for Razer products
 
* [https://bues.ch/cms/hacking/razercfg RazerCFG] - A much more simplified configurator for Razer products
 +
 +
'''Roccat'''
 
* [https://sourceforge.net/projects/roccat/ Roccat Configurator] - An official configurator for Roccat products
 
* [https://sourceforge.net/projects/roccat/ Roccat Configurator] - An official configurator for Roccat products
* [https://github.com/lah7/polychromatic Polychromatic] - Yet another configurator for Razer products
 
  
===Controller support===
+
====Controller support====
All the controllers such as [[Controller:DualShock 4|DualShock 4]], DirectInput gamepads and XInput ones (Such as [[Controller:Xbox_360_Controller|Xbox 360]]) are supported, however in case of issues regarding XInput ones, you may wish to install xboxdrv. For calibration purpose, you can install the graphical interface of JSTest package to do it.
+
All DirectInput and XInput controllers are supported. In case of issues with XInput controllers, it is recommended to install [https://gitlab.com/xboxdrv/xboxdrv/ xboxdrv].
  
The most interesting thing is the [[Controller:Steam Controller|Steam Controller]], as despite requiring Steam to make it work, it’s entirely possible to use it outside of it with the use of third-party scripts which lets you emulate it as an actual gamepad or a mouse. Even so, far to use it on Wine, if it’s set properly.
+
If dealing with a game that has very limited or no controller support at all, the [https://github.com/AntiMicroX/antimicroX AntiMicroX] program offers a solution. It allows the user to bind keyboard and mouse inputs to the controller. However, it currently only works with Xorg.
  
It is possible to use SDL2's binary for testing the Joystick or Gamepad to set up a non-supported controller to work with SDL2 applications [http://boilingsteam.com/making-third-party-gamepads-work-with-steam-games].
+
Additionally, a user can use Steam Input in the Steam app to configure their controller.
 
 
If dealing with a game that has a very limited or no controller support at all, the [https://github.com/AntiMicroX/antimicroX AntiMicroX] has you covered. It allows you to bind keyboard and mouse inputs into the controller, however it works only in Xorg environment. Fedora has the stable build already available in their repository, Debian users should use the [http://packages.libregeek.org/ LibreGeek]'s repository, especially Ubuntu or Ubuntu-based distributions which can be added with [https://launchpad.net/%7Emdeguzis/+archive/ubuntu/libregeek this PPA]. Otherwise, you need to compile the program on your own, which luckily includes the instructions and a list of dependencies required for compiling.
 
  
 
==Other==
 
==Other==
 
===Disk partitioning===
 
===Disk partitioning===
By default the most common format used in Linux is '''EXT4''' which manages the files much more efficiently than Windows' NTFS, even so far to decrease loading time in games at the cost of being case sensitive, where for example <code>File1</code> is treated differently than <code>file1</code>. While NTFS is supported, it is generally not recommended to use it for running installed games from it as it may cause compatibility issues depending on the software.
+
{{ii}} '''ext4''' is the default file system used by most Linux distributions.
 +
{{mm}} While the file system used on Windows, NTFS, is supported, it is generally not recommended to use as it may cause compatibility issues.
  
The most important aspect is the swap partition with its own disk format, they generally act as a RAM replacement, the absence of it will cause any software to shut down due to low memory and it's commonly used when putting the PC under Hibernation or Sleep mode. The size of the swap disk depends on how much RAM you have.
+
The most important aspect of disk partitioning is often the swap partition; it generally acts as RAM replacement. The absence of it will cause software to shut down due to low memory, and it is also used to offload memory from RAM when entering power-saving modes such as Hibernation or Sleep. The size of the swap disk depends on how much RAM is available in the computer; if less than 8 GB of RAM, increase the swap disk, or if more than 8 GB of RAM, decrease the swap disk.
  
If less than 8 GB of RAM, you must increase the swap disk.
+
It is generally recommended to partition disks in this particular order:
If more than 8 GB of RAM, decrease the swap disk size.
 
  
It is generally recommended to partition your disk in this particular order:
+
# / (Root)
/ (Root)
+
# Home
Home
+
# Swap disk
Swap disk
 
  
The partition order also affects the performance of your HDD/SSD as the 1st partition has a higher priority than the other ones, you can create multiple partitions for each directory with a specific disk size to use or use the entire free space on Root and leave some for swap.
+
A user can create multiple partitions for each directory with a specific disk size to use or use the entire free space on Root and leave some for swap.
  
===Wayland or Xorg?===
+
===Display server===
 
{{++}} Wayland is newer than Xorg and is considered to be technically superior.
 
{{++}} Wayland is newer than Xorg and is considered to be technically superior.
 
{{--}} Wayland is not supported by older proprietary games.
 
{{--}} Wayland is not supported by older proprietary games.
  
While hanging around the Linux community you have most likely heard about the Wayland, which is meant to replace the decades old XOrg display server raising the question if you should consider switching to it or stay.
+
Linux utilizes a display server system in order to present a graphical environment with which the user can interface. The two prominent ones are [https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Wayland Wayland] and [https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Xorg Xorg].
  
The main advantage of Wayland are:
+
While Wayland offers more a modern and secure backend, Xorg has legacy support and will generally be more compatible than Wayland. In addition, Wayland is still in active development and is missing features that would provide a gaming experience in parity with Xorg.
* Passive compositioning when fetching pixel data from the client, which removes any kind of latency.
 
* Isolating I/O of every window and provide smaller access to root for running the code, improving the security.
 
* Acts as both display server and as a compositor. Whereas XOrg only acts as a former but a 3rd party compositor is required.
 
* Backwards compatibility with softwares that rely on XOrg through XWayland.
 
 
 
This all however depends on the driver which your GPU uses as there are two buffer APIs which Wayland makes use of, as well as its implementation for the desktop environment.
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-
 
! GPU!! Driver !! Buffer API
 
|-
 
| AMD ||rowspan="3"| Open Source ||rowspan="3" |  GBM
 
|-
 
| Intel
 
|-
 
| rowspan="2"| Nvidia
 
|-
 
| Proprietary (From 364.12+)|| EGLStreams
 
|}
 
 
 
Both GNOME 3 and KDE Plasma supports Wayland for all APIs (With Plasma's case, EGLStreams support began with 5.16). Nvidia proprietary driver however are way behind in terms of supporting it as it lacks most of the key extensions such as Vulkan support under it along with low performance on XWayland, forcing you to use Xorg instead.
 
 
 
AMD and Intel users however, contains all the required extensions for a full experience.
 
 
 
Certain APIs used for software would require a specific package or an environment variable to run in Wayland mode:
 
* GTK3 - Supported and enabled by default since 3.20, if not, use the <code>GDK_BACKEND=wayland</code> command at the beginning.
 
* Qt5 - Requires the Qt5 Wayland package. After that you can either set the environment variable <code>QT_QPA_PLATFORM=wayland</code> or run the Qt 5 application with the <code>-platform wayland</code> command-line argument.
 
* SDL2 - Added in 2.0.2 enabled by default since 2.0.4. If not, use <code>SDL_VIDEODRIVER=wayland</code> command before running the application. You can enforce newer SDL2 on games and use the command, although there may be a risk of graphical glitches to appear.
 
* GLFW - Install the Wayland version package of GLFW instead of X11, support added in 3.2.
 
* EFL - Enabled by default.
 
* Clutter - Included with clutter package
 
* FreeGLUT - Has initial support.
 
 
 
'''Warning: these environment variables can break many commercial games!''' Wayland support is still relatively new, and proprietary Linux games often rely on older versions of libraries which do not have support for Wayland.
 
 
 
'''The best option is to use Wayland by default for your typical workflow, but force older games to run under X.org''':<ref name=waylandlibs>https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Wayland#GUI_libraries</ref>
 
 
 
* GTK3 - Set <code>GDK_BACKEND=x11</code>
 
* Qt5 - Set <code>QT_QPA_PLATFORM=xcb</code>
 
* SDL2 - Set <code>SDL_VIDEODRIVER=x11</code>
 
 
 
Alternatively, you may try to force the game to use system libraries as opposed to its own runtime (see [[Store:Steam#Use_Native_Steam_runtime_mode]])
 
  
 
===Benchmarking===
 
===Benchmarking===
 
{{ii}}[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Benchmarking ArchWiki article]
 
{{ii}}[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Benchmarking ArchWiki article]
{{ii}}[https://manerosss.wordpress.com/2017/07/13/howto-gallium-hud/ Gallium HUD Guide]
 
It is entirely possible to benchmark native Linux games in this system by using the [https://www.phoronix-test-suite.com Phoronix Test Suite]. While it is not in GUI form, it's actually very easy to use. You will need to download any game you wish to benchmark through this program and later on run it. The biggest advantage is that once it's completed, it will save the information as a webpage which the program automatically generates, creating a separate result is not required, as the program can also include it to the existing ones, making a comparison between the hardware you have used or settings much easier.
 
  
If decided to benchmark on your own, whether the game has a built-in benchmark or not, using '''Gallium HUD''' is recommended. Due to the option of displaying the FPS, CPU or even the GPU load graph while running the software and can be customized to your need and it is available when the Mesa package (version 13 or newer) has been installed. This option is only available for AMD, Intel HD and Nouveau.
+
Benchmarking in Linux can be achieved with the [https://www.phoronix-test-suite.com Phoronix Test Suite]. It is easy to use despite not offering a user-friendly GUI. The biggest advantage is it saves the information as a webpage, making comparing tests much easier.
  
Another much simpler and available for every kind of GPU is the '''glxosd''' which requires installing the package with the same name and just like Gallium HUD, you need to type <code>glxosd</code> before launching a game. The settings can be changed in the ''glxosd_config.lua'' file located in <code>/etc/glxosd/</code>. It is recommended to change the refresh rate of displaying the information as by default it will show the current info after 3 seconds (In config file it's 3000).
+
Steam users can use Valve's [https://github.com/ValveSoftware/voglperf voglpref], which requires Steam.
 
 
Steam users can use Valve's [https://github.com/ValveSoftware/voglperf voglpref] which only works for Steam. It will display both information in the Terminal and at the custom website which can be accessed privately, from there you perform any task you want, although you need to know the SteamID of the game you wish to benchmark.
 
  
 
===PCI passthrough===
 
===PCI passthrough===
 
{{ii}}[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/PCI_passthrough_via_OVMF ArchWiki page]
 
{{ii}}[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/PCI_passthrough_via_OVMF ArchWiki page]
{{ii}}[https://www.reddit.com/r/VFIO/ /r/VFIO reddit page]
+
{{ii}}[https://www.reddit.com/r/VFIO/ /r/VFIO Reddit page]
Since Linux 3.9 and recent QEmu version, it is possible to passthrough a graphics card, motherboard or even other hardwares into the virtual machine. The main advantage of it is having a native GPU working on Windows 7/8/10 in virtual machine such as the KVM or QEmu, which allows you to play Windows games on it without even using the dual-boot or relying on Wine to do so! However, there are some disadvantages:
+
Since Linux 3.9 and recent QEmu versions, it is possible to passthrough a graphics card, motherboard, or even other hardware into a virtual machine. The main advantage of it is having a native GPU working on Windows in a virtual machine, which allows you to play Windows games on it while using Linux.
  
* Your CPU must support hardware virtualization and IOMMU
+
There are some disadvantages:
* Your motherboard must also support IOMMU
 
* Your GPU must support UEFI
 
* You need a 2nd hardware for PCI passthrough
 
* It takes some time to set up and the whole process may be a little tough for beginners
 
  
The following links and the subreddit can be used to learn about the process. Keep in mind that it is not possible to perform a PCI passthrough from Windows. This can be done only in Linux itself!
+
* A second GPU for PCI passthrough is required
 +
* GPU must support UEFI
 +
* CPU must support hardware virtualization and IOMMU
 +
* Motherboard must support IOMMU
 +
* It is not an easy process for beginners
  
==[[Wine]]==
+
==Stores and clients==
{{ii}}[https://www.winehq.org/ Main page]
 
{{ii}} [https://www.reddit.com/r/wine_gaming/ /r/wine_gaming]
 
{{mm}}[https://appdb.winehq.org/ Application Database]
 
WINE (Wine Is Not an Emulator) is a compatibility layer which allows you to run Windows programs in Unix/Linux environment, its main advantage is a wide support of Windows versions ranging from 3.11 to Windows 10 and supports both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of their systems (32 bit only if you have a 32 bit version of Wine). Besides that some games may even work better than on native Windows such as games which use OpenGL or Vulkan rendering. However a manual intervention may be required if there are issues and checking the WineHQ’s App Database to see if it’s compatible and how to make it work. There are multiple versions of this program each with their own differences:
 
 
 
* Normal
 
* Staging - Provides additional features such as CSMT which may or may not improve the performance of the game and contains community-made patches which improves the compatibility.
 
* Gallium Nine - Uses Gallium3D State Tracker, which dramatically improves the performance for games using DirectX 9, as it won’t translate Direct3D calls into OpenGL.
 
* Proton - A fork of Wine created by Valve and CodeWeavers which includes special patches and additional addons such as DXVK, FAudio, ESync etc. mainly dedicated for gaming and is integrated with Steam, but it is possible to use without it.
 
* [https://github.com/Tk-Glitch/PKGBUILDS/tree/master/wine-tkg-git tkg] - Considered to be a "Wine to rule them all!" it contains a large set of patches and features from other community project to provide the best performance and compatibility for games and can be easily customized to your preference, however it was mainly made for Arch Linux (and distros based on it), but it is possible to use it in other distributions. A Protonified version uses Proton as a base instead.
 
 
 
So far only AMD and Nvidia graphics cards which rely on open source drivers have a support for Gallium 3D Nine which greatly benefits the compatibility and performance with DirectX 9-based games.
 
 
If WINE itself is hard to use there are also front-ends which may improve your experience with it:
 
 
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-
 
! Name !! Release !! Notes
 
|-
 
| [https://lutris.net/ Lutris] || Free || style="text-align: left;"|
 
{{++}} Can also act as a client for native games and emulators.
 
{{++}} Provides community-maintained scripts for installing games on Wine or even Steam through Wine.
 
{{++}} Can provide different Wine version for specific games.
 
{{++}} Can install multiple editions of Wine, including the community ones.
 
{{++}} Can directly use Proton.
 
{{--}} May be a little hard to install the game on Wine by yourself
 
|}
 
|-
 
| [https://www.playonlinux.com PlayOnLinux] || Free || style="text-align: left;"|
 
{{++}} Beginner friendly
 
{{++}} Includes precompiled scripts for automatic installation
 
{{--}} Very slow development
 
{{--}} The precompiled installation scripts are outdated, along with third-party libraries.
 
{{--}} The precompiled scripts '''may even damage your system'''. It is recommended to use the option to install the software on your own.
 
|-
 
| [https://www.codeweavers.com/products/crossover-linux Crossover] || Commercial || style="text-align: left;"|
 
{{++}} Superior in terms of compatibility than PlayOnLinux
 
{{++}} Provides patches and improvements which are later on added to Wine Staging
 
{{ii}} Buying the product will also provide support for Wine development
 
|-
 
| [http://q4wine.brezblock.org.ua/ Q4Wine] || Free || style="text-align: left;"|
 
{{++}} Moderately easy to use
 
{{++}} Implemented Winetricks, providing latest version of third-party libraries (Manual update is required)
 
{{++}} Implemented AppDB for checking the software compatibility on the go.
 
{{--}} Manual compiling/installing other Wine versions is required for more than one.
 
|-
 
  
==Stores and clients==
 
 
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Name !! Client available !! Registers Linux sales? !! Notes
 
! Name !! Client available !! Registers Linux sales? !! Notes
 
|-
 
|-
| [https://store.steampowered.com Steam] || Yes || Yes || style="text-align: left;"|  
+
| [https://store.steampowered.com Steam] || Yes || Yes || style="text-align: left;"|
 
* By default, the client includes libraries required for native games to run (Runtime mode), but it is possible to make the software use libraries from your system instead (Native mode)
 
* By default, the client includes libraries required for native games to run (Runtime mode), but it is possible to make the software use libraries from your system instead (Native mode)
* Includes Proton by default (may require manual installation from Tools tab) and any Windows game being ran on Proton counts as a Linux sale.
+
* Includes Proton by default (may require manual installation from the Tools tab).
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [https://www.humblebundle.com/ Humble Bundle] || No || Yes || style="text-align: left;"|
 
| [https://www.humblebundle.com/ Humble Bundle] || No || Yes || style="text-align: left;"|
* The store does not provide with information about required dependencies for the game.
+
* The store does not provide information about required dependencies for games.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [https://www.gog.com GOG.com] || No || Yes || style="text-align: left;"|
 
| [https://www.gog.com GOG.com] || No || Yes || style="text-align: left;"|
* Game's store page shows required dependencies to run.
+
* The game's store page shows the required dependencies for games.
 
* Uses MojoSetup as an installer.
 
* Uses MojoSetup as an installer.
* Running the <code>start.sh</code> script may cause issues, run the binary executable if that happens instead.
+
* Running the <code>start.sh</code> script may cause issues. Run the binary executable directly to bypass issues.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [https://itch.io/ Itch.io] || Yes (Optional) || Yes || None
 
| [https://itch.io/ Itch.io] || Yes (Optional) || Yes || None
 
|-
 
|-
| [https://store.feralinteractive.com/ Feral Store] || No || Yes || style="text-align: left;"|  
+
| [https://store.feralinteractive.com/ Feral Store] || No || Yes || style="text-align: left;"|
 
* Sells only Mac and Linux ports they have made.
 
* Sells only Mac and Linux ports they have made.
 
|-
 
|-
Line 433: Line 378:
 
* Offers open-source freeware games. Overlap with the distros' own package repositories is high.
 
* Offers open-source freeware games. Overlap with the distros' own package repositories is high.
 
|-
 
|-
| [https://snapcraft.io/search?category=games Snap Store] || No || No || style="text-align: left;"|
+
| [https://snapcraft.io/search?category=games Snap Store] || Yes (Optional) || No || style="text-align: left;"|
* Offers a mix of open-source freeware games and preconfigured Wine games.
+
* Offers a mix of open-source freeware games and preconfigured [[Wine]] games.
* Offers some games for [[List_of_Linux_ARM_games|ARM]], [[List_of_Linux_PowerPC_games|PowerPC]] and <i>System z</i> distro installations.
+
* Offers some games for [[List of Linux ARM games|ARM]], [[List of Linux PowerPC games|PowerPC]] and ''System z'' distro installations.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [https://www.zoom-platform.com/search/any/any/any/any/any/linux/any/any ZOOM Platform] || No || Unknown ||
 
| [https://www.zoom-platform.com/search/any/any/any/any/any/linux/any/any ZOOM Platform] || No || Unknown ||
* Very small game selection (10 games total) as of March 2021.
+
* Very small game selection (50 Linux games total) as of November 2023.
 
|}
 
|}
 
===Notes===
 
* There are no best distros, it all depends on your need. You may be switching between it until you find a perfect one, commonly called “distro hopping”.
 
* Always ask the forum or refer to the documentation of the distro in case you have a problem. Arch Linux one can be used regardless the distro you are using.
 
* In some distros, such as Arch Linux, you may want to check the main page before updating, sometimes a manual intervention is required, but will always provide instructions what to do. Not required for fixed release type distros.
 
* You don’t have to keep making an update if a new version is released in a rolling release distro, you can always do it later. It’s actually recommended to do it after some time to avoid any stability issue.
 
* Always use virtual machines such as VirtualBox to learn about the distro you want to use. Some distros have a LiveCD or LiveUSB which allows you to check the distro out before installing or even use it for the maintenance. Make sure to install any utilities related to VirtualBox at the Linux distro you are emulating such as graphics drivers.
 
* Some keys on your keyboard are labeled differently on Linux. Meta4/Super key is actually the Windows key, while "^X" in text mode is actually Ctrl+X.
 
* Almost all of the desktop environments have their own Terminal, you can install a 3rd-party one which generally are more feature rich.
 
* If you are confused with using the package manager in Terminal for each distro, [https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Pacman/Rosetta this] page will help you.
 
* Having a second workstation is extremely useful in case if the game hangs out or freezes without any option to minimize it back to the desktop. Mostly happens to the Xorg/X11 server display.
 
* Files and folders can be hidden by adding "." at the beginning of the name.
 
* If using a 64-bit version of the distro. Always make sure to install the 32-bit package counterpart for the compatibility!{{cn}}
 
* Configuration files for games and applications are stored in your Home directory which are mostly hidden. Either at the <code>~/.config</code>, <code>~/.local/share</code> or the <code>~/.<application/developer name></code> directory.
 
* If someone tells you to use this command <code>sudo rm -Rf /</code>, don't do it unless you want to have a bad time, since it deletes your entire OS installation.
 
  
 
==Improvements==
 
==Improvements==
 
===Hardware===
 
===Hardware===
 
'''Disable mitigations for transient execution CPU vulnerabilities'''
 
'''Disable mitigations for transient execution CPU vulnerabilities'''
{{--}} Be aware that disabling these will cause your PC to be susceptible to multiple vulnerabilities such as Spectre, Meltdown, Zombieland etc. Use it with discretion.  
+
{{--}} Be aware that disabling these will cause your PC to be susceptible to multiple vulnerabilities such as Spectre, Meltdown, ZombieLoad, etc. Use it with discretion.
{{ii}} Outside of specific microbenchmarks, disabling the default mitigations should result into an average performance increase of 5-10%. The following parameter used in here is available only in 5.1.13 kernel or newer <small>(or backports to 3.16.68, 4.4.180, 4.9.176, 4.14.119 and 4.19.43)</small>, for others see [https://make-linux-fast-again.com/ this parameters string].  
+
{{ii}} Outside of specific microbenchmarks, disabling the default mitigations should result in an average performance increase of 5-10%. The following parameter used here is available only in 5.1.13 kernel or newer <small>(or backports to 3.16.68, 4.4.180, 4.9.176, 4.14.119, and 4.19.43)</small>, for others see [https://make-linux-fast-again.com/ this parameters string].
  
 
{{Fixbox|description=Edit the GRUB settings|fix=
 
{{Fixbox|description=Edit the GRUB settings|fix=
Line 469: Line 399:
 
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
 
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
  
update-grub    # Used by Ubuntu based distros, easy version of the 1st one.
+
update-grub    # Used by Ubuntu-based distros, easy version of the 1st one.
 
</pre>
 
</pre>
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
'''Disable mouse acceleration in Xorg'''
 
'''Disable mouse acceleration in Xorg'''
{{ii}} Some desktop environments offer an option to set up the mouse acceleration directly from the settings menu (Such as KDE Plasma, GNOME and later on MATE)
+
{{ii}} Some desktop environments offer an option to set up the mouse acceleration directly from the settings menu (Such as KDE Plasma, GNOME, and later on MATE)
 
{{Fixbox|description=Create a new Xorg rule|fix=
 
{{Fixbox|description=Create a new Xorg rule|fix=
Create a config file in '''/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/''' as '''<code>any number</code>-<code>custom name</code>.conf''' (for example '''50-mouse-acceleration.conf''', keep in mind that it does not accept spaces in names) as super user/root and add the following script:
+
Create a config file in '''/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/''' as '''<code>any number</code>-<code>custom name</code>.conf''' (for example '''50-mouse-acceleration.conf''', keep in mind that it does not accept spaces in names) as superuser/root and add the following script:
 
<pre>
 
<pre>
 
Section "InputClass"
 
Section "InputClass"
Line 485: Line 415:
 
EndSection
 
EndSection
 
</pre>
 
</pre>
Then restart the system or Xorg (In most distros its {{key|Ctrl}}+{{key|Alt}}+{{key|Backspace ←}})
+
Then restart the system or Xorg (In most distros it is {{key|Ctrl}}+{{key|Alt}}+{{key|Backspace ←}})
 
}}
 
}}
  
Line 497: Line 427:
 
OR
 
OR
  
Install '''watchdog''' package and enable/run the watchdog service.
+
Install the '''watchdog''' package and enable/run the watchdog service.
 
}}
 
}}
  
Line 510: Line 440:
 
===Software===
 
===Software===
 
'''Use Feral Game Mode to improve the performance'''
 
'''Use Feral Game Mode to improve the performance'''
{{ii}} Most distros includes the software in their repository, it is recommended to install both 64 and 32 bit versions to apply in every game, if not, the source code can be found in the [https://github.com/FeralInteractive/gamemode GitHub page].
+
{{ii}} Most distros include the software in their repository, it is recommended to install both 64 and 32-bit versions to apply in every game, if not, the source code can be found in the [https://github.com/FeralInteractive/gamemode GitHub page].
 
{{++}} Supports custom scripts
 
{{++}} Supports custom scripts
{{++}} Developers can use it to implement in their games.  
+
{{++}} Developers can use it to implement in their games.
Feral Game Mode is used by Feral Interactive to provide optimization in their games (From Rise Of The Tomb Raider) when being ran, it provides changes to these following processes:
+
Feral Game Mode is used by Feral Interactive to provide optimization in their games (since Rise Of The Tomb Raider) when being run, it provides changes to the following aspects:
 
* CPU governor
 
* CPU governor
 
* Input/Output priority
 
* Input/Output priority
Line 523: Line 453:
 
Once the package is installed, you can activate it when running other games with <code>gamemoderun *game executable/launcher*</code>, on Steam add <code>gamemoderun %command%</code> into Launch Options.
 
Once the package is installed, you can activate it when running other games with <code>gamemoderun *game executable/launcher*</code>, on Steam add <code>gamemoderun %command%</code> into Launch Options.
  
'''Enable 32 bit support for your distro'''
+
'''Enable 32-bit support for your distro'''
 
{{Fixbox|description=Enable 32-bit library support in Ubuntu/Debian based distros||fix=
 
{{Fixbox|description=Enable 32-bit library support in Ubuntu/Debian based distros||fix=
As Ubuntu/Debian 64 bit distros have 32 bit libraries disabled by default, this can cause compatibility issues with the software (Especially with upgrading Wine). To enable it you must use these following commands:
+
As Ubuntu/Debian 64-bit distros have 32-bit libraries disabled by default, this can cause compatibility issues with the software (Especially with upgrading [[Wine]]). To enable it you must use the following commands:
 
<pre>
 
<pre>
 
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
 
sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
 
sudo apt update
 
sudo apt update
 
</pre>
 
</pre>
 +
 +
{{ii}} In Debian unstable, one can optionally also add support for x32 with <code>sudo dpkg --add-architecture x32</code>, although [[List of Linux games for uncommon architectures|not all that many games support it]].
 +
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
'''List missing dependencies'''
 
'''List missing dependencies'''
 
{{Fixbox|description=List the missing dependencies|fix=
 
{{Fixbox|description=List the missing dependencies|fix=
As GOG, Steam and other stores mostly support Ubuntu due to its popularity in both making another distribution (Such as Linux Mint) or wide use, there can be a limited support for the other distros such as Arch Linux, Fedora, etc. Mostly in terms of requiring dependencies to run the game or a software.
+
As GOG, Steam, and other stores mostly support Ubuntu due to its popularity in both making another distribution (Such as Linux Mint) or wide use, there can be limited support for the other distros such as Arch Linux, Fedora, etc. Mostly in terms of requiring dependencies to run the game or software.
  
The <code>ldd</code> command can be used to check which dependency does it require and if they are in your system.
+
The <code>ldd</code> command can be used to check which dependency it requires and if they are in your system.
 
<pre>
 
<pre>
 
ldd <binary file>
 
ldd <binary file>
 
</pre>
 
</pre>
After running the command, it'll list all the *.so files the software uses, if there is a "Not found" somewhere, this is the moment to learn which package does it contain the file.
+
After running the command, it'll list all the *.so files the software uses, if there is a "Not found" somewhere, this is the moment to learn which package contains the file.
  
 
The missing dependency checkup can be even easier with the inclusion of the <code>grep</code> command.
 
The missing dependency checkup can be even easier with the inclusion of the <code>grep</code> command.
Line 547: Line 480:
 
</pre>
 
</pre>
  
This will only look for the lines related to "Not found" only, if nothing shows up then you have everything you need.
+
This will only look for the lines related to "Not found" - if nothing shows up then you have everything you need.
 
}}
 
}}
{{Fixbox|description=Improve compiling speed in AUR (Manjaro, Antergos, Arch Linux)|fix=
+
{{Fixbox|description=Improve compiling speed in AUR (Manjaro, EndeavourOS, Arch Linux)|fix=
Open makepkg.conf as root and under '''MAKEFLAGS''' add <code>-j#</code>. Where <code>#</code> is the sum of (number of CPU cores you wish to use) + 1</code> (so if you wish to use 4 cores, ya need to put -j5 for example)
+
Open makepkg.conf as root and under '''MAKEFLAGS''' add <code>-j#</code>. Where <code>#</code> is the sum of (number of CPU cores you wish to use) + 1</code> (so if you wish to use 4 cores, you need to put -j5 for example)
{{ii}}Keep in mind that some programs requires using one core for the stability sake.
+
{{ii}}Keep in mind that some programs require using one core for stability's sake.
 
}}
 
}}
  
'''Create a script which the game uses libraries from your system instead'''
+
'''Create a script making the game use libraries from your system instead'''
 
{{Fixbox|description=Make a native executable for your game|fix=
 
{{Fixbox|description=Make a native executable for your game|fix=
{{ii}} This method may improve the compatibility and sometimes even improve the performance of it on your Linux system. Can be useful in older Linux games that rely on older SDL interface such as [[Majesty]].
+
{{ii}} This method may improve the game's compatibility and sometimes even the performance on your Linux system. Can be useful in older Linux games that rely on older SDL interfaces such as [[Majesty]].
 
# Create an empty text file and open it with any text editor.
 
# Create an empty text file and open it with any text editor.
# Add this following script:
+
# Add the following script:
 
<pre>
 
<pre>
 
#!/bin/sh
 
#!/bin/sh
Line 570: Line 503:
  
 
'''Notes'''
 
'''Notes'''
* You are required to learn which library does the game uses and install them if not available. Each game has its own library folder which you may learn about it.
+
* You are required to learn which libraries the game uses and install them if needed. Each game has its own library folder which may help you learn this.
 
}}
 
}}
  
Line 605: Line 538:
  
 
{{Fixbox|description=Crackling sound/audio delay in PulseAudio||fix=
 
{{Fixbox|description=Crackling sound/audio delay in PulseAudio||fix=
Type in terminal this command to stop and then start PulseAudio at the same time:
+
Type in the terminal this command to stop and then start PulseAudio at the same time:
 
<pre>
 
<pre>
 
pulseaudio -k && pulseaudio --start
 
pulseaudio -k && pulseaudio --start
Line 614: Line 547:
 
===Software===
 
===Software===
 
{{Fixbox|description=Screen tearing|fix=
 
{{Fixbox|description=Screen tearing|fix=
{{ii}} You may also use GNOME, Cinnamon and KDE Plasma which use their own compositor that directly communicates with the GPU without any performance loss from Nvidia side.
+
{{ii}} You may also use GNOME, Cinnamon, and KDE Plasma which use their own compositor that directly communicates with the GPU without any performance loss from the Nvidia side.
 
Nvidia users can fix the screen tearing by enabling '''Force Composition Pipeline''' in Nvidia Settings, if it persists, enable '''Force Full Composition''' (Keep in mind that it reduces the performance in games even more).
 
Nvidia users can fix the screen tearing by enabling '''Force Composition Pipeline''' in Nvidia Settings, if it persists, enable '''Force Full Composition''' (Keep in mind that it reduces the performance in games even more).
  
 
AMD and Intel HD users do not have to do anything as DRI3 handles the refresh rate by default without compromising the performance, provided the compositor contains the Present extension.
 
AMD and Intel HD users do not have to do anything as DRI3 handles the refresh rate by default without compromising the performance, provided the compositor contains the Present extension.
  
If it persists, chances are you may be required to install and use a 3rd party compositor such as Compiz, Compton etc.
+
If it persists, chances are you may be required to install and use a 3rd party compositor such as Compiz, Compton, etc.
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{References}}
 
{{References}}

Latest revision as of 17:34, 26 November 2023

Linux
Linux cover
Developers
Linus Torvalds
Release dates
Linux September 17, 1991
Linux at Wikipedia

Linux is the open-source Unix-like operating system based around the kernel of the same name created by Linus Torvalds and released on September 17, 1991. As the kernel itself lacks many user-level tools, it is often paired with free and open-source software (FOSS) provided by the GNU Project as well as other popular user-level applications, and packaged as a "distribution" ("distro" for short). As a result of its reliance on tools provided by the GNU Project, the operating system consisting of the kernel and bundled user-level tools is sometimes controversially referred to as GNU/Linux as well. The operating system sees ongoing development and due to its free and open-source nature is often used as the base on which other services or platforms are built on, such as Stadia and Steam Deck.

Users wanting to find a distribution of Linux usually end up following a few general guidelines:

  • The strength and weakness of Linux is its freedom of user choice.
  • There are no best distros; it all depends on the user's need. Users commonly switch between distros ("distro hopping") until settling on one.
  • Always refer to the documentation of the chosen distro in case there is a problem. It's advisable to check the ArchWiki regardless of the distro as it is broadly and succinctly written. In addition, reaching out to the distro's community for support is always an option.
  • Use virtual machines to test Linux distributions without replacing the existing operating system on the physical machine.
    • To test a distribution installed on a virtual machine on the physical machine itself without replacing the existing operating system or dual booting, a tool called Ventoy can be used to create a bootable vDisk on a USB flash stick.

Key points

Wide variety of distributions (distros) available, allowing unparalleled user choice and customizability.
Some native Linux games may perform better or worse when compared to other operating systems.
Many Windows games can be played on Linux using Proton or Wine.

Resources

DistroWatch - a page dedicated to Linux distributions
Linux Journey - a beginner-friendly page about learning Linux in general
ProtonDB - a crowdsourced database of Proton games compatibility
Phoronix - a website dedicated to hardware and benchmarking in Linux
OpenBenchmarking and FlightlessMango - lists of user-made benchmarks in Linux
ArchWiki and Gentoo Wiki - wikis intended for their respective distro but is useful for others as well

Communities

Gaming On Linux - a large community dedicated to gaming on Linux
/r/linux_gaming - Linux gaming subreddit

Distributions

There are two types of release models for Linux distros.

Fixed release

Offers stable packages.
Most distros are beginner-friendly.
Very little maintenance.
Package versions are usually tied to the distro version, so the OS needs to be updated to get the latest packages.
Stable packages typically don't have the newest features. This is especially important in the case of GPU drivers.
This issue is alleviated by the fact that the vast majority of user-facing applications are now available as a Flatpak, Snap or and AppImage which allow you to run the latest version of the application regardless of what exact version of underlying OS you have.
Manual intervention is required to add user-made repositories in some distros.
Updating a distro to the latest version doesn't normally require a fresh install, but can take up to several hours.
Many Debian-based distros offer "backports" and/or "testing" modes that provide newer versions of some packages than what the stable version does.
Distribution Based on Desktop(s) [fr note 1] Release cycle Supported by[fr note 2] Description
Ubuntu and Ubuntu flavours Debian GNOME, KDE Plasma, LXQt, Budgie, MATE, Xfce, UKUI 6 months, 2 years for LTS Steam, GOG, many commercial developers The most popular distribution. Ubuntu LTS (Long Term Support) is officially supported by Steam. Ubuntu non-LTS is updated more often and contains newer packages and functionality. Ubuntu flavours offer different desktop environments with the same compatibility as Ubuntu.
Pop!_OS Ubuntu GNOME 6 months same as Ubuntu[fr note 3] An Ubuntu-based distro created and maintained by System76 which utilizes its own repository. Unlike Ubuntu, it includes much more recent drivers for graphics cards, the installer ships with Nvidia support, and it's generally more recommended for beginners.
Linux Mint Ubuntu LTS Cinnamon, MATE, XFCE Up to 2 years same as Ubuntu[fr note 3] The most popular beginner-friendly Linux distribution. LMDE 2 Edition is based on Debian. Packages may be much older compared to Ubuntu LTS releases. The main advantage of Linux Mint is the built-in kernel upgrader.
KDE Neon Ubuntu LTS KDE Plasma Up to a year same as Ubuntu[fr note 3] A distro created by the KDE community. Compared to Kubuntu (A KDE Plasma-flavoured Ubuntu), it provides the latest version of the KDE Plasma desktop environment, while simultaneously being able to use packages from Ubuntu LTS.
Fedora and Fedora Spins Independent GNOME, KDE Plasma, XFCE, MATE, Cinnamon, LXDE, LXQT, SUGAR 6 months Fedora is a very stable, independent distribution sponsored by Red Hat Enterprise. GNOME is its default desktop environment, but Fedora Spins offer many alternatives. It is as user-friendly as Ubuntu but tends to be more willing to move to new technologies. Spins offer different desktop environments, but when it comes to compatibility, they are the same as Fedora.
openSUSE Leap Independent GNOME, KDE Plasma, XFCE 1 year for each new release Leap uses source from SUSE Linux Enterprise (SLE), which gives it a great level of stability. openSUSE has YaST, which is a user-friendly GUI to install packages, manage the system, and install Nvidia proprietary drivers in a simple way.
SteamOS Arch Linux(starting with version 3.0) Debian(old versions)[1] KDE Plasma Varies Steam Linux distribution made by Valve Corporation specifically for the Steam Machine or couch gaming. It currently provides the latest stable Linux kernel along with newer GPU drivers and an option to act as a desktop system. It may be behind in terms of package updates.
As of June 2021, SteamOS is based on Debian Jessie, meaning that non-Steam packages have not been updated since 2016.
  1. Default options are marked in bold
  2. look at Official Support TODO: add it
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Support is not official, but the distros are similar enough that everything which works for Ubuntu will work in Pop!_OS.

Rolling release

Provides the latest version of packages as soon as they're released by the upstream developers.
No distro upgrade procedure is required, as most distros have only one version.
A package update may cause stability issues, as extensive testing is usually limited.
No currently-listed rolling release distribution has official support from any digital distribution store, due to the distros' reliance on .rpm binaries instead of .deb.
Some distros offer a semi-rolling release, meaning that packages will be tested before releases.
Distribution Based On Desktop(s)[rr note 1] Description
Arch Linux Independent GNOME, KDE Plasma, XFCE, MATE, Cinnamon, LXDE, LXQT, SUGAR, Deepin, Budgie, UKUI Arch Linux is a distribution designed for advanced users looking to customize every aspect of their system, building from the ground up rather than the top down. There is a huge number of packages available through the AUR (Arch User Repository). Arch Linux does not have a graphical installer and requires research on the user's part to properly install.
If you're new to Linux, Arch most definitely should not be your first choice.
Manjaro Arch Linux GNOME, KDE Plasma, Xfce Manjaro is based on Arch Linux and offers a user-friendly experience out of the box. By default, it comes with Nvidia's proprietary drivers, which makes it straightforward to install. It uses the Pamac app to install native, AUR, Flatpak, and Snap packages in a simple way.
openSUSE Tumbleweed Independent GNOME, KDE Plasma, XFCE A rolling version of openSUSE which uses automated testing to provide more stability than many other rolling releases. When used with BTRFS on a root partition, snapshots are taken before and after updates, allowing easy restores if there is an update breakage.
Solus Independent Budgie, GNOME, MATE, KDE Plasma Despite following the rolling release model, it provides stable packages and features great hardware compatibility with any GPU. It includes a special tool called Linux Steam Integration (LSI) which allows users to easily customize Steam, ranging from using the libraries from the system (native mode) or a forced 32-bit mode. Only stable releases of library and software are added, with very few exceptions—such as Nvidia's Vulkan beta drivers.
  1. Default options are marked in bold

Desktop environments

By default, Linux is a text/command-line-based operating system. However, the Linux community has created a variety of desktop environments to offer a user-friendly GUI experience. Most include their own basic software for common use cases, such as a file explorer or word processor.

As a rule of thumb, environments with heavy RAM use typically add another 500 MB to the operating system's RAM requirements (which usually range from 500 MB to 4 GB), compared to environments with light RAM use.

Name RAM use Description
GNOME Heavy

One of the oldest desktop environments that is still continuously updated. Offers the most radical departure from the traditional Windows-style paradigm of start-menu-and-a-taskbar.
It has historically been considered slow but has made huge strides in improving the fluidity and responsiveness in the last few years, particularly on gaming-grade machines. Offers a variety of customizations via GTK3/4 themes and Gnome Extensions.

KDE Plasma Heavy

The first major comprehensive desktop environment released for Linux, which sees regular maintenance and feature updates. Out of the box, it offers a familiar Windows-like experience but also allows nearly limitless ability to customize the functionality and look and feel of the desktop.

Budgie Heavy

Created by a Solus developer and currently maintained by Solus Team. It serves as an alternative to GNOME with a much more desktop-like interface, which bears similarities to modern Windows.

Cinnamon Heavy

Created by the Linux Mint Team, Cinnamon offers an experience that is very similar to Windows 7.

XFCE Light

Starting off as a clone of a Unix-like desktop environment called CDE, it became its own with a Windows XP-like appearance and light memory usage. XFCE is well-suited for low-end hardware and people who like to settle on one user experience and never change it (while still getting the security and maintenance updates).

MATE Light

MATE spawned as a spiritual successor to GNOME 2 after a controversial change in GNOME 3. It is recommended for Windows and Mac users while providing its own feature set such as mouse hover audio previewing.

LXDE Light

LXDE (Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) is a lightweight and fast, feature-rich desktop environment. It is designed to be user-friendly and slim while keeping resource usage low. LXDE strives to be modular, so each component can be used independently with few dependencies.

The Original team that created LXDE has largely moved on to LXQT due to controversial changes in the GTK framework, however, a community of loyal users and developers continues to use and maintain it.
LXQT Light

Despite its limited features (as it is essentially a rewrite of LXDE with a different UI framework) along with the lack of a compositor, it is perfectly suited for the lowest-end hardware.

Kernel

Wikipedia page
It is important to update the Linux kernel as new versions provide security updates, bug fixes, better performance, and support for hardware. A distro's repository contains all the supported versions for that distro.

There are two main releases of the official Linux kernel:

  • Long-Term Support (LTS) is slightly behind in terms of hardware support and features but offers better stability and longer support.
  • Stable release (sometimes called the current release) offers the best hardware support and the newest features. It should be the default choice for a gaming machine and be avoided only if it causes issues.

Despite these differences, both releases offer the same security updates.

Kernel replacement

This section is meant for advanced users, you can easily break your OS if you don't know what you are doing!

While both stable and LTS Linux kernel releases can be used for gaming, there are also community-made ones that add features and improvements. These kernels may or may not improve one's gaming experience, and may require DKMS (dynamic kernel module support) versions of drivers and headers to make hardware usable with multiple kernels.

The most notable releases:

For help with installing different kernels on a distro, consult the kernel's official website or the distro's knowledge base.
It is advised to keep the current official kernel in case of issues.
UKUU is a useful utility for swapping kernels on Ubuntu (and Ubuntu derivatives).

Microcode

ArchWiki article

It is vital to install the microcode for the CPU as the manufacturer provides security and stability updates, although most often your distribution will push those updates directly to you. Most distributions use either a package manager or some kind of firmware/drivers manager to update the microcode.

Hardware

Graphics

Generally speaking, if you use AMD graphics, you're likely to have a flawless experience as AMD makes open-source drivers available and Linux developers integrate them directly into the kernel.
Generally speaking, if you use Nvidia graphics, you're likely to have to make some independent efforts to either install or enable Nvidia drivers, as Nvidia does not offer any open-source drivers which makes the distribution maintainers hesitant when it comes to packaging or enabling Nvidia drivers by default.
Nvidia's drivers are also of worse quality than either AMD's own Linux drivers or Nvidia's Windows driver, with features that exist in the Windows drivers missing in the same card's Linux driver. This is entirely Nvidia's choice, and Linux developers and maintainers can do almost nothing to rectify the consequences of Nvidia's behavior.
ArchWiki's ATI and Catalyst Article
ArchWiki's AMDGPU/AMDGPU Pro Article
ArchWiki's Nvidia and Nouveau Article
ArchWiki's Intel Graphics Article
Brand Driver type Kernel driver Library Supported GPU Vulkan support
AMD/ATI Open Source Radeon Mesa (GLX and DRI) GCN 2 and older architecture No
AMDGPU GCN and newer architecture1 Yes (RadV, AMDVLK)
Proprietary AMDGPU Pro GCN and newer architecture Yes
Fglrx Catalyst GL Library GCN 3 and older architecture No
Nvidia Open Source Nouveau Mesa (GLX and DRI) Any Nvidia GPU Yes (NVK for Kepler and up)
Proprietary Nvidia Nvidia GLX From Kepler based GPUs to recent Yes
Nvidia 390 Nvidia 390 GLX From Fermi based GPUs to recent No
Nvidia 340 Nvidia 340 GLX For Tesla based GPUs
Nvidia 304 Nvidia 304 GLX From GeForce 6 series to Tesla based GPUs
Nvidia 173 Nvidia 173 GLX GeForce 5 FX series (NV30 to NV36)
Nvidia 96 Nvidia 96 GLX From GeForce 2/3/4 MX/Ti
Intel Open Source Xorg Intel2 Mesa (GLX and DRI) Any Intel HD Graphics GPU Yes (ANV for Gen9 and up, HASKV Gen7/Gen8)
Xorg modesetting
VIA/S3 Open Source OpenChrome Mesa (GLX and DRI) Unichrome series, Chrome9 2D only No
Proprietary VIA Unified GFX Chrome9 No
3DFX Open Source tdfx MesaGL Voodoo3 and up, Voodoo 1 & 2 2D only No
ARM Open Source Panfrost Mesa (GLX and DRI) Mali Midgard, Bifrost and Valhall Yes (PanVK)
Qualcomm Open Source Freedreno Mesa (GLX and DRI) Adreno A2xx-A7xx Yes (Turnip)
Broadcom Open Source V3D Mesa (GLX and DRI) VideoCore 5 on Raspberry Pi 4 Yes
Imagination Technologies Open Source pvrsrvkm Mesa (GLX and DRI) PowerVR Rogue Yes

1 - GCN 1 and 2 architecture support in AMDGPU is experimental.

2 - Do not use it on Intel HD 4000 series and newer GPU.

Generally, AMD/ATI users should use the open source driver as it provides the best performance and support compared to the proprietary ones, while Nvidia users should stick to the proprietary ones. There are some things to remember:

  • Try not to install drivers from the GPU manufacturer's website unless forced to, as distro maintainers package the driver to be offered from the package manager.
  • If forced to use Catalyst, Nvidia 173, or Nvidia 96 drivers, one must downgrade Xorg to the last supported version.
  • Before using the open-source driver one must install LLVM and Linux Firmware packages.

Installing drivers

Ubuntu (and Ubuntu-derived distros such as Mint, Pop!_OS, and Neon)

Use sudo add-apt-repository <PPA repository> to add one. Make sure to run sudo apt update in order to update the repository list after adding one.

Repository Description
ppa:paulo-miguel-dias/pkppa Padoka Stable Mesa. For AMD/Intel/Nouveau GPU drivers, also contains Wayland.
ppa:paulo-miguel-dias/mesa Padoka Unstable Mesa. Same as the previous, however, it is the developer version. Mind the issues you may encounter.
ppa:graphics-drivers/ppa "Graphics Drivers" Teams' PPA. Contains the recent proprietary Nvidia drivers and the Vulkan drivers for that GPU.
ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/updates Ubuntu X Team's Stable Mesa. For AMD/Intel/Nouveau GPU drivers, also contains Wayland.

Fedora

To install Nvidia drivers on Fedora, it is usually sufficient to install the latest Nvidia drivers from the software center. Simply search for Nvidia and install the driver with the highest version number.

If you have a more complex setup, such as an Optimus laptop, or the above instructions do not work for you, you can also use 'NVIDIA Auto Installer for Fedora Linux'. It is a set of scripts that can handle both normal installs and more advanced configurations.

To use it, execute the following in the terminal:

sudo dnf install dnf-plugins-core -y && sudo dnf copr enable t0xic0der/nvidia-auto-installer-for-fedora -y && sudo dnf install nvautoinstall -y

Once installed, type in nvautoinstall into your terminal. The program will show you the options you can use.

The most basic installation is performed by issuing the following command:

sudo nvautoinstall rpmadd && sudo nvautoinstall drive.

To install support for Vulkan API (will be functional only if you have a Vulkan-capable GPU and driver), execute the following command sudo dnf install vulkan-loader vulkan-loader.i686

Instructions
  1. Launch the terminal and update/reboot system: sudo dnf update && reboot
  2. Launch the terminal and add the official repos: sudo dnf install fedora-workstation-repositories
  3. Enable the Nvidia driver repo: sudo dnf config-manager --set-enabled rpmfusion-nonfree-nvidia-driver
  4. Reboot, then verify the addition of the repository using the following command: sudo dnf repository-packages rpmfusion-nonfree-nvidia-driver info
  5. Open the software app, select Add-ons > Hardware Drivers > NVIDIA Linux Graphics Driver > Install

If you used nvautoinstall above, you can also install Vulkan API via sudo nvautoinstall vulkan.

openSUSE

Please refer to the openSUSE User Documentation Project for instructions.

Optimus support

Nvidia Optimus Linux guide
Optimus support in Nvidia GPUs is still considered to be troublesome.

In the case of laptops that have Nvidia Optimus support, it is recommended to have PRIME enabled, which can be done by installing an additional package. Follow the distro’s documentation to set this up.

AMD users only require running the game with the DRI_PRIME=1 command.

Audio

ArchWiki page

Linux has several sound systems available. The most common one is PulseAudio, but a new system called PipeWire is looking to supersede and consolidate all previous systems into one. For most games, PulseAudio will work.

In the case of MIDI, installing the Timidity or Fluidsynth package is required along with either a SoundFont or the FreePats package. Depending on the distro, it will either be set up automatically or require manual intervention.

Input devices

Libinput ArchWiki article
Touchpad ArchWiki article
Keyboard Configuration in Xorg ArchWiki article
Touchscreen ArchWiki article

Linux supports a vast array of input devices, including legacy hardware. Many programs exist for gaming peripherals in case further customization is needed.

General

  • Piper - Configure gaming mice

There are some other ones made for products from specific companies:

Razer

Roccat

Controller support

All DirectInput and XInput controllers are supported. In case of issues with XInput controllers, it is recommended to install xboxdrv.

If dealing with a game that has very limited or no controller support at all, the AntiMicroX program offers a solution. It allows the user to bind keyboard and mouse inputs to the controller. However, it currently only works with Xorg.

Additionally, a user can use Steam Input in the Steam app to configure their controller.

Other

Disk partitioning

ext4 is the default file system used by most Linux distributions.
While the file system used on Windows, NTFS, is supported, it is generally not recommended to use as it may cause compatibility issues.

The most important aspect of disk partitioning is often the swap partition; it generally acts as RAM replacement. The absence of it will cause software to shut down due to low memory, and it is also used to offload memory from RAM when entering power-saving modes such as Hibernation or Sleep. The size of the swap disk depends on how much RAM is available in the computer; if less than 8 GB of RAM, increase the swap disk, or if more than 8 GB of RAM, decrease the swap disk.

It is generally recommended to partition disks in this particular order:

  1. / (Root)
  2. Home
  3. Swap disk

A user can create multiple partitions for each directory with a specific disk size to use or use the entire free space on Root and leave some for swap.

Display server

Wayland is newer than Xorg and is considered to be technically superior.
Wayland is not supported by older proprietary games.

Linux utilizes a display server system in order to present a graphical environment with which the user can interface. The two prominent ones are Wayland and Xorg.

While Wayland offers more a modern and secure backend, Xorg has legacy support and will generally be more compatible than Wayland. In addition, Wayland is still in active development and is missing features that would provide a gaming experience in parity with Xorg.

Benchmarking

ArchWiki article

Benchmarking in Linux can be achieved with the Phoronix Test Suite. It is easy to use despite not offering a user-friendly GUI. The biggest advantage is it saves the information as a webpage, making comparing tests much easier.

Steam users can use Valve's voglpref, which requires Steam.

PCI passthrough

ArchWiki page
/r/VFIO Reddit page

Since Linux 3.9 and recent QEmu versions, it is possible to passthrough a graphics card, motherboard, or even other hardware into a virtual machine. The main advantage of it is having a native GPU working on Windows in a virtual machine, which allows you to play Windows games on it while using Linux.

There are some disadvantages:

  • A second GPU for PCI passthrough is required
  • GPU must support UEFI
  • CPU must support hardware virtualization and IOMMU
  • Motherboard must support IOMMU
  • It is not an easy process for beginners

Stores and clients

Name Client available Registers Linux sales? Notes
Steam Yes Yes
  • By default, the client includes libraries required for native games to run (Runtime mode), but it is possible to make the software use libraries from your system instead (Native mode)
  • Includes Proton by default (may require manual installation from the Tools tab).
Humble Bundle No Yes
  • The store does not provide information about required dependencies for games.
GOG.com No Yes
  • The game's store page shows the required dependencies for games.
  • Uses MojoSetup as an installer.
  • Running the start.sh script may cause issues. Run the binary executable directly to bypass issues.
Itch.io Yes (Optional) Yes None
Feral Store No Yes
  • Sells only Mac and Linux ports they have made.
Game Jolt Yes (Optional) Unknown
Flathub No No
  • Offers open-source freeware games. Overlap with the distros' own package repositories is high.
Snap Store Yes (Optional) No
  • Offers a mix of open-source freeware games and preconfigured Wine games.
  • Offers some games for ARM, PowerPC and System z distro installations.
ZOOM Platform No Unknown
  • Very small game selection (50 Linux games total) as of November 2023.

Improvements

Hardware

Disable mitigations for transient execution CPU vulnerabilities

Be aware that disabling these will cause your PC to be susceptible to multiple vulnerabilities such as Spectre, Meltdown, ZombieLoad, etc. Use it with discretion.
Outside of specific microbenchmarks, disabling the default mitigations should result in an average performance increase of 5-10%. The following parameter used here is available only in 5.1.13 kernel or newer (or backports to 3.16.68, 4.4.180, 4.9.176, 4.14.119, and 4.19.43), for others see this parameters string.
Edit the GRUB settings

Open up the grub file found in /etc/default/ with a text editor as root and in GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT= add mitigations=off at the end.

Re-generate the grub.cfg using one of these commands as root:

grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

update-grub     # Used by Ubuntu-based distros, easy version of the 1st one.

Disable mouse acceleration in Xorg

Some desktop environments offer an option to set up the mouse acceleration directly from the settings menu (Such as KDE Plasma, GNOME, and later on MATE)
Create a new Xorg rule

Create a config file in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ as any number-custom name.conf (for example 50-mouse-acceleration.conf, keep in mind that it does not accept spaces in names) as superuser/root and add the following script:

Section "InputClass"
	Identifier "My Mouse"
	Driver "libinput"
	MatchIsPointer "yes"
	Option "AccelProfile" "flat"
EndSection

Then restart the system or Xorg (In most distros it is Ctrl+Alt+Backspace ←)

Improve shutdown time in systemd

Edit the system.conf

In some desktop environments such as LXQt, the system shutdown or restart process may take longer due to Systemd having the time to stop the session set to 1 minute 30 seconds by default.

  1. Edit as a root the system.conf file located in /etc/systemd/
  2. Find DefaultTimeoutStartSec and DefaultTimeoutStopSec, uncomment them if necessary and set the time limit in seconds.
  3. Type sudo systemctl daemon-reload

OR

Install the watchdog package and enable/run the watchdog service.

Resolution scaling with xrandr

It is entirely possible to scale the resolution through multiplications (--scale) or by resolution (--scale-from) with xrandr command. Provided that you input the monitor name and your current resolution, which can be learned by using xrandr -q command (It will also list available resolutions).

Here are some examples:

  • xrandr --output VGA1 --mode 1024x768 --scale 0.5x0.5 - this will downscale the resolution by 0.5 while using 1024x768 resolution in VGA1 monitor.
  • xrandr --output VGA3 --mode 1920x1080 --scale-from 1440x900 - This command will imitate the 1440x900 resolution under 1080p in your VGA3 monitor.

Software

Use Feral Game Mode to improve the performance

Most distros include the software in their repository, it is recommended to install both 64 and 32-bit versions to apply in every game, if not, the source code can be found in the GitHub page.
Supports custom scripts
Developers can use it to implement in their games.

Feral Game Mode is used by Feral Interactive to provide optimization in their games (since Rise Of The Tomb Raider) when being run, it provides changes to the following aspects:

  • CPU governor
  • Input/Output priority
  • Process niceness
  • Kernel scheduler
  • Screensaver inhibiting
  • GPU performance mode (Nvidia and AMD), GPU overclocking (Nvidia)

Once the package is installed, you can activate it when running other games with gamemoderun *game executable/launcher*, on Steam add gamemoderun %command% into Launch Options.

Enable 32-bit support for your distro

Enable 32-bit library support in Ubuntu/Debian based distros

As Ubuntu/Debian 64-bit distros have 32-bit libraries disabled by default, this can cause compatibility issues with the software (Especially with upgrading Wine). To enable it you must use the following commands:

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386
sudo apt update
In Debian unstable, one can optionally also add support for x32 with sudo dpkg --add-architecture x32, although not all that many games support it.

List missing dependencies

List the missing dependencies

As GOG, Steam, and other stores mostly support Ubuntu due to its popularity in both making another distribution (Such as Linux Mint) or wide use, there can be limited support for the other distros such as Arch Linux, Fedora, etc. Mostly in terms of requiring dependencies to run the game or software.

The ldd command can be used to check which dependency it requires and if they are in your system.

ldd <binary file>

After running the command, it'll list all the *.so files the software uses, if there is a "Not found" somewhere, this is the moment to learn which package contains the file.

The missing dependency checkup can be even easier with the inclusion of the grep command.

ldd <binary_file> | grep "Not found"

This will only look for the lines related to "Not found" - if nothing shows up then you have everything you need.

Improve compiling speed in AUR (Manjaro, EndeavourOS, Arch Linux)

Open makepkg.conf as root and under MAKEFLAGS add -j#. Where # is the sum of (number of CPU cores you wish to use) + 1 (so if you wish to use 4 cores, you need to put -j5 for example)

Keep in mind that some programs require using one core for stability's sake.

Create a script making the game use libraries from your system instead

Make a native executable for your game
This method may improve the game's compatibility and sometimes even the performance on your Linux system. Can be useful in older Linux games that rely on older SDL interfaces such as Majesty.
  1. Create an empty text file and open it with any text editor.
  2. Add the following script:
#!/bin/sh
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/path/to/library /path/to/executable

3. Replace /path/to/library with one of these paths:

  • If the game is 64-bit /usr/lib64
  • If the game is 32-bit and you are using a 64-bit system /usr/lib32
  • If the game is 32-bit /usr/lib

4. Once done, save it and make it executable using either chmod command or via Properties with your file manager.

Notes

  • You are required to learn which libraries the game uses and install them if needed. Each game has its own library folder which may help you learn this.

Common fixes

Hardware

The Nvidia DKMS driver won't install after updating it
If none of them won't work, you may have to downgrade your kernel and wait for the update that fixes it. Provided that you or someone else reported this issue.

Text Mode

  1. Boot up to your kernel
  2. Enter the text mode by pressing Ctrl+Alt+F2-F10 and if necessary, stop the display manager.
  3. Type in as root, dkms install nvidia/<version> --all. If everything is done successfully type reboot.

LiveCD/LiveUSB

  1. Boot to the LiveCD/LiveUSB
  2. Mount your partition(s) using mount /dev/sd<disk and partition and Chroot it with chroot <root partition> (In Arch Linux system it's arch-chroot instead).
  3. Type in dkms install nvidia/<version> --all. Once it's done without any errors, you can restart the system.
Set up a primary monitor in multi-monitor setup[citation needed]
  1. Install xrandr using your linux distribution's package manager.
  2. Run xrandr from a terminal emulator and find the name of the monitor you want to set as the primary (i.e. "HDMI-0").
  3. Run xrandr --output <name> --primary.

Notes

To automate this when the system starts, prepend the command to your ~/.xinitrc-file, or your desktop environment's equivalent.
No sound[citation needed]

Open the Terminal and type as root gpasswd -a <username> audio, if that did not work then:

  1. Open the group file as root in a text editor located in /etc folder.
  2. Find the following line
    audio:x:29:pulse
  3. Add a comma and your username ex:
    audio:x:29:pulse,tux
Crackling sound/audio delay in PulseAudio

Type in the terminal this command to stop and then start PulseAudio at the same time:

pulseaudio -k && pulseaudio --start
You can bind this command as a keyboard command in your DE.

Software

Screen tearing
You may also use GNOME, Cinnamon, and KDE Plasma which use their own compositor that directly communicates with the GPU without any performance loss from the Nvidia side.

Nvidia users can fix the screen tearing by enabling Force Composition Pipeline in Nvidia Settings, if it persists, enable Force Full Composition (Keep in mind that it reduces the performance in games even more).

AMD and Intel HD users do not have to do anything as DRI3 handles the refresh rate by default without compromising the performance, provided the compositor contains the Present extension.

If it persists, chances are you may be required to install and use a 3rd party compositor such as Compiz, Compton, etc.

References

  1. Debian releases - last accessed on 2021-06-26