# Fedora Gaming SIG Glossary

This glossary defines tools, formats, and workflows specific to gaming on Fedora. Contributions are welcome!

Contribution Guidelines for Fedora Gaming SIG Glossary
To maintain consistency and clarity across all glossary entries, please follow the format and instructions below when adding or updating terms.

1. Entry Format
Each glossary entry should be structured with three clear sections:

**Term Name**
- **What**: A concise, technical definition of the term.
- **Usage**: A brief explanation of how the term or tool is used in the Fedora gaming context.
- **Docs**: Links to official or authoritative resources for further reading.

2. Writing Style
- Use clear, and neutral language.

- Keep definitions concise—aim for 2-3 sentences per section.
- Avoid jargon unless it is explained or widely understood in the Fedora gaming community.
- Use active voice and present tense where possible.

3. Referencing and Sources
- Prefer official Fedora documentation or widely recognized community resources.

- Include URLs in the Docs section for easy access.

- If you reference external sites, ensure they are reputable and relevant.
- Refer to the [Fedora Documentation Style Guide ](https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/fedora-docs/contributing-docs/style-guide/) for Fedora-specific writing conventions.

## RPM
{What}: RPM (RPM Package Manager) is a package format and the underlying technology used by Fedora and other Red Hat-based distributions to install, upgrade, and manage software.
{Usage}: RPM packages provide access to native tools, libraries, and some games via DNF or direct download. Gamers may encounter RPMs when installing performance tools, system utilities, or emulators not available through Flatpak or Flathub.

## DNF
{What}: DNF (Dandified Yum) is the default package manager for Fedora, used to install, update, and manage RPM packages from official and third-party repositories.
{Usage}: Fedora gamers use DNF to install native Linux games, game engines, libraries, and utilities not available as Flatpaks. It's also useful for managing Wine dependencies, performance tools, and emulator packages via the terminal.
{Docs}: [Fedora Quick Docs - DNF](https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/quick-docs/dnf/)

## RPM Fusion
{What}: RPM Fusion is a third-party repository that provides software not included in Fedora due to licensing or patent restrictions, such as proprietary drivers, multimedia codecs, and select gaming-related tools.
{Usage}: Fedora gamers enable RPM Fusion to access packages like Steam, certain emulators, and performance-enhancing drivers (e.g. NVIDIA). The repository is installed using DNF and complements the official Fedora repos for a more complete gaming setup.
{Docs}: [Fedora Quick Docs - RPM Fusion](https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/quick-docs/rpmfusion-setup/)

## Flatpak
{What}: Flatpak is a software packaging and distribution format that runs applications in isolated containers, ensuring compatibility across different Linux distributions.
{Usage}: Flatpak is commonly used to install and run emulators, game launchers, and indie titles from Flathub, avoiding dependency issues and sandboxing applications for security. Users can manage Flatpaks via GNOME Software or the command line (flatpak install, flatpak run).

## Emulator
{What}: A gaming emulator is software that mimics the hardware of a video game console, allowing games from that console to run on a different platform like a Fedora-based PC.
{Usage}: On Fedora, emulators such as RetroArch, PCSX2, and Dolphin can be installed via Flatpak or RPM packages. Gamers use them to run ROMs or ISOs of console games, often configuring input, video, and audio settings to enhance compatibility and performance.

## Fedora Games SIG
{What}: "SIG" stands for Special Interest Group. These are informal teams within the Fedora Project that focus on specific areas of interest.

## Immutable OS
{What}: An immutable OS is a Linux system where the core filesystem is read-only, preventing unintended or unauthorized changes to system files and ensuring consistency across reboots.
{Usage}: Fedora gaming variants like Bazzite or Fedora Silverblue use an immutable design to enhance system stability and security. Gamers typically install applications through Flatpak or use containerized environments like Distrobox for tools and scripts that require write access.

## Lutris
{What}: Lutris is an open-source game manager for Linux that helps users install, configure, and launch games from various platforms, including native Linux titles, Windows games (via Wine or Proton) and emulators.
{Usage}: Lutris simplifies running games by managing different runtime environments like Wine versions, DXVK, and dependencies. It integrates with platforms like GOG, Epic Games, and Steam, and can be installed via RPM Fusion or Flathub.
{Docs}: [Lutris](https://lutris.net/about)

## NVIDIA Drivers
{What}: NVIDIA drivers are proprietary kernel modules and user-space software that enable full hardware acceleration and performance features for NVIDIA graphics cards on Linux.
{Usage}: Fedora gamers install NVIDIA drivers from the RPM Fusion repository. These drivers offer better performance and broader game support compared to the open-source Nouveau driver and are essential for many gaming setups involving Steam, Proton, or Lutris.

## Wayland
{What}: Wayland is a modern display server protocol that replaces the traditional X11 system, providing a simpler, more secure, and more efficient means for compositors to communicate with clients and the GPU.
{Usage}: On Fedora, Wayland is the default session and is fully supported by most gaming toolchains. Games run either natively under Wayland (via toolkits like SDL2 or Qt) or through XWayland for compatibility, benefiting from reduced input latency, better frame pacing, and stricter security isolation.

## X11
{What}: X11 (or X Window System) is a display server protocol that has historically been the standard for managing graphical user interfaces on Unix-like operating systems, including Linux.
{Usage}: Although Fedora and other distributions are transitioning to Wayland as the default, X11 is still widely used for gaming and applications that require compatibility. Many games, especially older ones, continue to rely on X11 for display rendering, and certain tools or environments may not yet fully support Wayland.

## Steam
{What}: Steam is a digital distribution platform developed by Valve, providing access to a large library of games, as well as features like multiplayer gaming, game streaming, and mod support. On Linux, Steam uses Proton to run Windows-based games.
{Usage}: Steam can be installed via RPM Fusion (Recommended) or Flatpak. It integrates with Proton to allow users to run many Windows-only games seamlessly. Steam also supports native Linux games, and users can configure graphical settings, performance options, and controllers through the Steam client.

## Wine
{What}: Wine is a compatibility layer (Not an emulator) that enables Windows applications and games to run on Linux by translating Windows system calls into POSIX-compliant calls.
{Usage}: Wine can be installed via DNF or used within platforms like Lutris to manage game-specific configurations. It allows gamers to run titles not available natively on Linux, although setup may sometimes require additional tweaks like DLL overrides or runtime dependencies.
{Docs}: [FAQ](https://gitlab.winehq.org/wine/wine/-/wikis/FAQ), [Fedora](https://gitlab.winehq.org/wine/wine/-/wikis/Fedora), [Winetricks](https://gitlab.winehq.org/wine/wine/-/wikis/Winetricks), [AppDB](https://appdb.winehq.org/)

## Proton
{What}: Proton is a compatibility layer developed by Valve that allows Windows games to run on Linux by integrating Wine with additional tools like DXVK and vkd3d.
{Usage}: Proton is built into Steam and can be enabled in the Steam Play settings. Gamers use it to run many Windows-exclusive titles seamlessly on Linux without manual configuration, often selecting different Proton versions per game for compatibility. Gamers can find reports of success running a title with Proton on ProtonDB.
{Docs}: [Proton](https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton), [ProtonDB](https://www.protondb.com/explore)

## Repository

## Environment Variables
{Docs}: [Mesa](https://docs.mesa3d.org/envvars.html), [DXVK_HUD](https://github.com/doitsujin/dxvk?tab=readme-ov-file#hud), [vkd3d-proton](https://github.com/HansKristian-Work/vkd3d-proton?tab=readme-ov-file#environment-variables), [NVIDIA OpenGL](https://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86_64/575.51.02/README/openglenvvariables.html)

## OBS Studio

## OpenGL

## GIMP

## Inkscape

## Krita

## Synfig

## Blender

## Godot

## GNOME Extensions

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## Vulkan applications

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{What}:
{Usage}:
{Docs}: