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https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-runtime

A runtime environment for Steam applications
https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-runtime

Last synced: 11 days ago
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A runtime environment for Steam applications

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README 

        
Steam Runtime

=============



A binary compatible runtime environment for Steam applications on Linux.



Introduction

------------



The Linux version of Steam runs on many Linux distributions, ranging

from the latest rolling-release distributions like Arch Linux to older

LTS distributions like Ubuntu 16.04.

To achieve this, it uses a special library stack, the *Steam Runtime*.



The original version of the Steam Runtime is installed in

`~/.steam/root/ubuntu12_32/steam-runtime`.

This is Steam Runtime version 1, codenamed `scout` after the Team

Fortress 2 character class.

The Steam client itself is run in an environment that adds the shared

libraries from Steam Runtime 1 'scout' to the library loading path,

using the `LD_LIBRARY_PATH` environment variable:

this is referred to as the [`LD_LIBRARY_PATH` runtime][LD_LIBRARY_PATH runtime].



A newer approach to cross-distribution compatibility is to use Linux

namespace (container) technology, to run games in a more predictable

environment, even when running on an arbitrary Linux distribution which

might be old, new or unusually set up.

This is implemented as a series of Steam Play compatibility tools, and

is referred to as the Steam [container runtime][], or as the

*Steam Linux Runtime*.



Newer native Linux games such as Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2

run in an environment referred to as `Steam Linux Runtime 3.0 (sniper)`,

which is a [Steam Runtime 3 'sniper'][sniper] container.

This is the recommended environment for developers of new native Linux games.

To target this environment,

developers should compile their games in the [sniper SDK][],

then set up a Launch Option that supports Linux,

and use the Installation → Linux Runtime menu item in the Steamworks

partner web interface to select the sniper runtime.



Older native Linux games normally run in an environment referred to as

`Steam Linux Runtime 1.0 (scout)`, which is a

[Steam Runtime 2 'soldier'][soldier] container combined with the

Steam Runtime 1 'scout' [`LD_LIBRARY_PATH` runtime][LD_LIBRARY_PATH runtime].

They can also be switched to run in an environment referred to as

`Legacy runtime 1.0`, which is the Steam Runtime 1 'scout' `LD_LIBRARY_PATH`

runtime used on its own.

To target either of these environments,

developers should compile their games in the [scout SDK][].

For backwards compatibility,

this is still the default when a developer publishes a native Linux game,

but we now recommend that developers should target sniper instead.



The Steam Runtime is also used by the [Proton][] Steam Play compatibility

tools, which run Windows games on Linux systems.

Current versions of Proton (8.0 or newer) use the Steam Runtime 3 'sniper'

container runtime.

Older versions of Proton (5.13, 6.3 and 7.0) use the

Steam Runtime 2 'soldier' container runtime.

The oldest versions of Proton (5.0 or earlier) use the legacy

Steam Runtime 1 'scout' `LD_LIBRARY_PATH` runtime.



More information about the

[`LD_LIBRARY_PATH` runtime][LD_LIBRARY_PATH runtime] and

[container runtime][] is available as part of the

[steam-runtime-tools documentation][].



[LD_LIBRARY_PATH runtime]: https://gitlab.steamos.cloud/steamrt/steam-runtime-tools/-/blob/main/docs/ld-library-path-runtime.md

[container runtime]: https://gitlab.steamos.cloud/steamrt/steam-runtime-tools/-/blob/main/docs/container-runtime.md

[Proton]: https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton/

[scout SDK]: https://gitlab.steamos.cloud/steamrt/scout/sdk

[sniper]: https://gitlab.steamos.cloud/steamrt/steamrt/-/blob/steamrt/sniper/README.md

[sniper SDK]: https://gitlab.steamos.cloud/steamrt/sniper/sdk

[soldier]: https://gitlab.steamos.cloud/steamrt/steamrt/-/blob/steamrt/soldier/README.md

[steam-runtime-tools documentation]: https://gitlab.steamos.cloud/steamrt/steam-runtime-tools/-/tree/main/docs



Reporting bugs and issues

-------------------------



Please report issues to the [steam-runtime issue tracker][].



The container runtimes have some [known issues][] which do not need to be

reported again.



The container runtime is quite complicated, so we will need

[additional information][reporting bugs] to be able to make progress

on resolving issues.



[steam-runtime issue tracker]: https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-runtime

[known issues]: doc/steamlinuxruntime-known-issues.md

[reporting bugs]: doc/reporting-steamlinuxruntime-bugs.md



Installation

------------



Steam Runtime version 1, 'scout' is automatically installed as part

of the [Steam Client for Linux][].



Each version of the Steam [container runtime][] is automatically

downloaded to your Steam library if you install a game or a version of

Proton that requires it.

They can also be downloaded by opening `steam://` links with Steam:



* Steam Linux Runtime 1.0 (scout): `steam steam://install/1070560`

* Steam Linux Runtime 2.0 (soldier): `steam steam://install/1391110`

* Steam Linux Runtime 3.0 (sniper): `steam steam://install/1628350`



All the software that makes up the Steam Runtime is available in both source and binary form in the Steam Runtime repository [https://repo.steampowered.com/steamrt](https://repo.steampowered.com/steamrt "")



[Steam Client for Linux]: https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/



Building in the runtime

-----------------------



To prevent libraries from development and build machines 'leaking'

into your applications, you should build within a Steam Runtime container.



We recommend using a

[Toolbx](https://containertoolbx.org/),

[Distrobox](https://distrobox.it/),

[rootless Podman](https://github.com/containers/podman/blob/main/docs/tutorials/rootless_tutorial.md)

or [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/)

container for this.

All of these environments are compatible with the official Steam Runtime

SDK images,

which we provide in OCI format.



If targeting Steam Linux Runtime 3.0 'sniper',

please consult the

[Steam Runtime 3 'sniper' SDK](https://gitlab.steamos.cloud/steamrt/sniper/sdk/-/blob/steamrt/sniper/README.md)

documentation for details.



If targeting the legacy 'scout' runtime,

please consult the

[Steam Runtime 1 'scout' SDK](https://gitlab.steamos.cloud/steamrt/scout/sdk/-/blob/steamrt/scout/README.md)

documentation instead.



### Using a debugger in the build environment



To get the detached debug symbols that are required for `gdb` and

similar tools, you can download the matching

`com.valvesoftware.SteamRuntime.Sdk-amd64,i386-scout-debug.tar.gz`,

unpack it (preserving directory structure), and use its `files/`

directory as the schroot or container's `/usr/lib/debug`.



For example, with Docker, you might unpack the tarball in

`/tmp/scout-dbgsym-0.20191024.0` and use something like:



    sudo docker run \

    --rm \

    --init \

    -v /home:/home \

    -v /tmp/scout-dbgsym-0.20191024.0/files:/usr/lib/debug \

    -e HOME=/home/user \

    -u $(id -u):$(id -g) \

    -h $(hostname) \

    -v /tmp:/tmp \

    -it \

    steamrt_scout_amd64:latest \

    /dev/init -sg -- /bin/bash



or with schroot, you might create

`/var/chroots/steamrt_scout_amd64/usr/lib/debug/` and move the contents

of `files/` into it.



Using detached debug symbols

----------------------------



Please see [doc/debug-symbols.md](doc/debug-symbols.md).



Steam Runtime apt repositories

------------------------------



Each Steam Runtime suite has an associated apt repository:



* [`deb https://repo.steampowered.com/steamrt3/apt sniper main contrib non-free`](https://repo.steampowered.com/steamrt3/apt)

* [`deb https://repo.steampowered.com/steamrt2/apt soldier main contrib non-free`](https://repo.steampowered.com/steamrt2/apt)

* [`deb https://repo.steampowered.com/steamrt1/apt scout main`](https://repo.steampowered.com/steamrt1/apt)



These apt repositories are preconfigured in the SDK container images.



A beta branch is also available for each suite.

Please see the corresponding SDK documentation for more details.



Code in this repository

-----------------------



This repository contains scripts for building local copies of the

`LD_LIBRARY_PATH` Steam Runtime for testing.

This is not usually necessary: using the official runtime is normally

more appropriate.



This repository also contains scripts for building Linux chroot

environments suitable for building applications.

These scripts are deprecated,

and are not usually necessary.

Using the official container-based SDKs (see above) is recommended.



The container runtimes and the official container-based SDKs are not

built using the scripts in this repository:

instead,

they are built using

[flatdeb-steam](https://gitlab.steamos.cloud/steamrt/flatdeb-steam).

It is not usually necessary for individual developers to rebuild these.

Using the official container-based SDKs (see above) is recommended.