# design/ — design notes & deep-dive plans

Repo-internal design docs: architecture rationale, investigations, and the *why* behind decisions that
the code and [`../CLAUDE.md`](../CLAUDE.md) don't capture. **Authoritative current status lives in
[`../CLAUDE.md`](../CLAUDE.md)** ("Where the work stands" / "What's left"); the user-facing guides live in
`docs-site/`. These docs are kept trimmed: once work ships, the redundant implementation detail is dropped
(the code is the source of truth) and only the durable rationale + still-open items remain. Git history
holds the full originals.

## Index

| Doc | What it is | Status |
|-----|-----------|--------|
| [`implementation-plan.md`](implementation-plan.md) | Master design thesis (why GF(2¹⁶) FEC + Linux virtual displays; three-phase de-risking), architecture invariants, latency budget, risk register | **Design reference** — §0–7,9 kept; milestones → CLAUDE.md |
| [`apollo-comparison.md`](apollo-comparison.md) | Apollo↔punktfunk architecture map + file index + ~63-item transferable-improvement backlog (Windows-host focus) | **Reference + open backlog** — ~⅓ shipped (collapsed); rest open |
| [`security-review.md`](security-review.md) | Whole-project security audit (2026-06-21), 12 findings | **Audit trail** — 11 fixed/inherent; **#12 open** |
| [`security-review-2026-06-28.md`](security-review-2026-06-28.md) | Host-scoped follow-up audit (18 attack surfaces; 15 confirmed + 9 partial) | **Audit trail** — fixes landed; deferred/accepted items recorded |
| [`ci.md`](ci.md) | CI/CD architecture: Gitea workflows, runners, release model, signing | **Evergreen reference** |
| [`linux-setup.md`](linux-setup.md) | Linux host bring-up (NVIDIA/headless) + troubleshooting | **Setup guide** (evergreen) |
| [`gamestream-host-plan.md`](gamestream-host-plan.md) | GameStream/Moonlight-compat host (P1.1–P1.6) | **Shipped** — stub + the 2 deferral decisions |
| [`stats-capture-plan.md`](stats-capture-plan.md) | Web-console performance capture | **Shipped** — stub |
| [`session-aware-host-followups.md`](session-aware-host-followups.md) | Session-aware host known limitations | **Open items** — #2/#3 shipped; #1,#4–8 parked |
| [`gamescope-multiuser.md`](gamescope-multiuser.md) | Per-session gamescope isolation (the 4 plumbing items) | **Superseded** — absorbed by `multi-user-profiles.md` |
| [`multi-user-profiles.md`](multi-user-profiles.md) | Multi-user / profiles end to end: map a client to a real host OS user account (own isolated desktop), web-console config, per-profile passcode | **Design, schema-of-record** — not yet implemented |
| [`host-latency-plan.md`](host-latency-plan.md) | Latency under GPU contention — 4-tier plan | **Partly shipped** — superseded by ↓; diagnostics + open tiers kept |
| [`gpu-contention-investigation.md`](gpu-contention-investigation.md) | GPU-contention root-cause + ranked levers (supersedes ↑) | **Active plan** — §5.A shipped; §5.B/C/E/F/G open |
| [`vrr-plan.md`](vrr-plan.md) | VRR over punktfunk/1 — skip the VRR virtual display (client panel follows stream cadence; virtual display Hz = sampling grid); frame-driven host loop + VFR rate control + present-on-arrival clients | **Design** — not yet implemented |
| [`hdr-pipeline-plan.md`](hdr-pipeline-plan.md) | Glass-to-glass HDR | **Steps 0–3 shipped**; Step 4 (Linux) open |
| [`windows-host-rewrite.md`](windows-host-rewrite.md) | **Windows host — the single architecture/status/reference doc** (validated invariants, ops, open work) | **Active reference** |
| [`windows-build-and-packaging.md`](windows-build-and-packaging.md) | How the Windows host is built, signed, packaged (drivers-from-source, Inno, CI) | **Evergreen reference** |
| [`windows-service.md`](windows-service.md) | SYSTEM SCM service + secure-desktop deployment model | **Shipped** — stub + graceful-stop open item |
| [`windows-host.md`](windows-host.md) | (original 2026-06 plan) | **Redirect** → `windows-host-rewrite.md` |
| [`windows-virtual-display-rust-port.md`](windows-virtual-display-rust-port.md) | pf-vdisplay IddCx port + the "IDD-push is impossible on bare metal" finding | **Shipped** — P2 do-not-retry record kept |
| [`windows-dualsense-scoping.md`](windows-dualsense-scoping.md) | Virtual DualSense (UMDF2) decision + M0 bug lessons | **Shipped (M0–M4)** — public signing open |
| [`windows-dualsense-game-detection.md`](windows-dualsense-game-detection.md) | Native game-detection fix (SwDeviceCreate identity) | **Shipped** — on-glass test + GameInput open |
| [`windows-client-bootstrap.md`](windows-client-bootstrap.md) | Windows client architecture record + HDR guide + build gotchas | **Shipped** — on-glass validation open |
| [`apple-stage2-presenter.md`](apple-stage2-presenter.md) | Apple stage-2 (VTDecompressionSession + CAMetalLayer) presenter | **Shipped (opt-in)** — make-default + iOS open |
| [`game-library-stores.md`](game-library-stores.md) | Multi-store game library | **Phases 1–4 shipped** — 6 providers + 8 Qs open |
| [`dualsense-haptics.md`](dualsense-haptics.md) | DualSense advanced-haptics feasibility | **HID shipped**; audio haptics deferred (3 walls) |
| [`steam-controller-deck-support.md`](steam-controller-deck-support.md) | Rich Steam Controller / Steam Deck **input fidelity** (paddles · trackpads · gyro → virtual `hid-steam`) | **M0–M6 green** — full pipeline + fallback + conflict gate built; validation items open |
| [`steam-deck-passthrough-plan.md`](steam-deck-passthrough-plan.md) | Shippable virtual Deck on any Linux host (usbip/`vhci_hcd` + raw_gadget transport ladder) + client leave-shortcuts | **Built, CI-green** — on-glass validation open |
| [`controller-only-mode.md`](controller-only-mode.md) | Controller-only **session shape** — Deck/desktop as a remote gamepad, no video/audio (complements ↑) | **Design** — not yet implemented |
| [`archive/windows-secure-desktop.md`](archive/windows-secure-desktop.md) | Two-process WGC secure-desktop design | **Archived** — shipped but now a fallback (IDD-push primary) |

Plus `research/gamestream-protocol-research.json` — raw Moonlight/GameStream wire reference (data, not prose).

## Consolidated open items

Still-open work scattered across the docs above, rolled up by theme so nothing is tracked in only one
buried doc. CLAUDE.md "What's left" is the headline list; this is the design-level detail. (→ names the
owning doc.)

**Latency / performance**
- Sub-frame pipelining — overlap encode+transmit within a frame; needs a direct NVENC SDK wrapper (~2–4 ms). → `implementation-plan`, `gamestream-host-plan`
- GPU-contention levers: correct async NVENC pipeline, auto-gated REALTIME GPU priority, clock/P-state pinning, frame-source escape (swapchain-hook/NvFBC/compose-flip), iGPU encode offload, PERF uniq-vs-fps instrumentation. → `gpu-contention-investigation` (§5.B/C/E/F/G), `host-latency-plan` (Tiers 1A/1B/3B/3C/3D/4)
- Apple stage-2 as default (after resolution/HDR checks) + smoothing/pacing policy + glass-to-glass numbers via `tools/latency-probe`. → `apple-stage2-presenter`
- VRR / frame-driven cadence: Stage A client present-on-arrival (Android/Linux → iOS → Windows), Stage B host frame-driven loop + VFR rate control + `FLAG_REPEAT`/`VIDEO_CAP_VRR`, Stage C gamescope `--adaptive-sync` headless experiment. → `vrr-plan`

**HDR**
- Linux 10-bit HDR (Step 4): 8-bit→Main10 shim, true 10-bit PipeWire capture (blocked upstream — gamescope #2126), Linux-client P010 + GTK color management. → `hdr-pipeline-plan`
- GameStream HDR/10-bit (capture + metadata plumbing). → `gamestream-host-plan`
- Open Qs: MaxCLL source, GameStream SS_HDR_METADATA vs deliberate SDR, HLG sources, mid-session SDR-downgrade + SDR-for-SDR-client validation. → `hdr-pipeline-plan`

**Clients**
- Windows client on-glass validation (D3D11VA decode + HDR present + GUI on the RTX box) + RAWINPUT relative-mouse pointer-lock + per-host speed-test UI. → `windows-client-bootstrap`, `implementation-plan`
- iOS/iPadOS/tvOS stage-2 presenter variants. → `apple-stage2-presenter`, `implementation-plan`
- Android real-device validation (gamepad rumble/lightbar/DualSense, HDR10). → `implementation-plan`

**Windows host**
- Graceful stop signal — host is killed via TerminateProcess (skips RAII teardown → a stale virtual monitor can linger). → `windows-service`
- pf-vdisplay slot-reclaim on-glass reconnect-storm A/B; M4 driver-unification source-build validation; P2/P3 cleanup (D1-host lints, M6 scaffolding, M5 reshape WGC/DDA onto session/pipeline). → `windows-host-rewrite`
- Session-aware follow-ups: F44 gamescope teardown GPU-context corruption (#1, SIGKILL hypothesis); mid-stream-switch input-loss window; NVENC InitializeEncoder noise at 5K@240; NVENC HEVC ~800 Mbps cap (prefer AV1 above it); restore-guard/keep-warm coupling; Feature B (`PUNKTFUNK_SESSION_WATCH`) opt-in → default. → `session-aware-host-followups`
- Apollo backlog (~63 open) — highest-value: #9 Windows app launch (CreateProcessAsUserW), #7/#18 WASAPI device-loss recovery, #3 per-frame `IDXGIFactory::IsCurrent()`, #15 watchdog escalation, #14/#30/#56 abs-mouse through the real output rect, #10/#20/#32/#33 tray + browser-UI + in-binary service install + logs endpoint, #67/#68 frame pacing. → `apollo-comparison`

**Windows gamepads**
- DualSense public-distribution signing (EV cert + Microsoft Partner Center attestation — blocks public release); GameInput detection (reads VID/PID 0x0000 — may need a rank-3 KMDF USB-emulating bus driver); HidHide integration; minimum-OS / UMDFVERSION targeting; on-glass Cyberpunk glyph test. → `windows-dualsense-scoping`, `windows-dualsense-game-detection`

**GameStream**
- AV1 + surround 5.1/7.1 live stock-Moonlight confirmation (incl. FEC-under-loss); reconnect-at-new-mode robustness. → `gamestream-host-plan`, `implementation-plan`

**Game library**
- 6 remaining providers (Desktop/Flatpak, itch.io, Ubisoft Connect, Amazon Games, Battle.net, EA app); the `/library/art/<entryId>/<slot>` mgmt endpoint; refactor `library.rs` into a `library/` dir; 8 open design questions; optional SteamGridDB v2 enrichment. → `game-library-stores`

**Controllers / input**
- Steam Controller / Steam Deck remaining validation: Moonlight paddle regression + a live SDL-game consume test. → `steam-controller-deck-support`
- usbip virtual-Deck on-glass validation (non-SteamOS promote-in-game + Deck raw_gadget regression). → `steam-deck-passthrough-plan`
- Controller-only session shape (Deck/desktop as a remote gamepad, no video/audio) — `session_flags`/`SESSION_INPUT_ONLY` protocol bit + host skip-data-plane branch + client controller-only path. → `controller-only-mode`

**Multi-user / sessions**
- Magic multi-user / profiles — the full client→host-OS-user design is written (schema-of-record, absorbs the gamescope isolation plumbing); implementation not started. → `multi-user-profiles`

**Security**
- **#12** — scope `NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED` to a per-request pinned agent (needs `bun add undici`); latent-only today, but **must fix before the web app gains any off-loopback server-side TLS**. → `security-review`

**Deferred / do-not-retry records** (kept so the dead ends aren't re-explored)
- DualSense audio-driven haptics — deferred until all 3 GO conditions are met. → `dualsense-haptics`
- IDD-push direct frame-push on bare-metal console capture — architecturally impossible (no presentation consumer for the swapchain). → `windows-virtual-display-rust-port`
