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punktfunk/docs-site/content/docs/clients.md
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docs: repo-wide housekeeping — sync README & docs with the code as shipped
Six parallel audits swept the root docs, docs-site, every per-directory
README, and the packaging docs; every claim below was verified against
the source before editing.

- README: Layout gains the six missing crates (pf-client-core,
  pf-presenter, pf-console-ui, pf-ffvk, pf-driver-proto, punktfunk-tray),
  clients/session, api/ and ci/; Linux/Windows client rows reflect the
  shell + Vulkan-session split and the Vulkan Video -> VAAPI/D3D11VA ->
  software decode chains; the "every client over a C ABI" claim is
  corrected (Rust clients link the core directly); tiered stats overlay
  + console shell noted; Apple row mentions AV1.
- CONTRIBUTING: drop the dead CLAUDE.md link (deliberately untracked);
  point at the README's build/invariants sections. SECURITY: 0.9.0.
- host-cli/pairing: --allow-pairing/--require-pairing are no-op legacy
  names — pairing is required by default, --allow-tofu is the real flag;
  document --data-port and --idle-timeout-ms.
- configuration: document PUNKTFUNK_RECOVER_SESSION_CMD (session-crash
  recovery hook), PUNKTFUNK_MDNS, PUNKTFUNK_DATA_PORT.
- virtual-displays/gnome: GNOME per-client scaling shipped (host-
  persisted) — flip the  to  and describe how it works.
- stats: new "Detail levels" section (Off/Compact/Normal/Detailed +
  per-platform cycle gestures); retire the GTK hand-off note.
- clients/install-client/status/roadmap: decode chains, Windows client
  validation narrowed to HDR-only pending, adaptive bitrate, console
  shell, Apple AV1, Windows host vendor list.
- Sub-READMEs: clients/linux rewritten for the re-architecture; session
  Windows decode rung + d3d11va knob; Windows tiered overlay; Android
  minSdk 28; decky file table; host zerocopy/ path; scripts port
  47992 and steamos-host.md; pf-dualsense source path.
- packaging: canary version bases are tag-derived (<next-minor> via
  pf-version.sh/.ps1), codecs-extra not ffmpeg-full, document the
  pinned offline-Skia tarball + SKIA_BINARIES_URL and vulkan-headers.
- Convert 15 dangling design/*.md links to the punktfunk-planning
  prose convention (those docs live in the private planning repo).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-07-10 09:13:42 +02:00

6.3 KiB

title, description
title description
Clients The ways to connect to a punktfunk host — the Apple app, Moonlight, or the Linux client.

A punktfunk host accepts clients over its own punktfunk/1 protocol (the macOS, Linux, Windows, and Android apps) and over GameStream (Moonlight). Pick whichever fits the device you're streaming to. Ready to install? Install a Client has the step-by-step for every device.

Apple app (Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV)

The native app for Apple devices speaks punktfunk's own punktfunk/1 protocol — the lowest-latency, most resilient path, with the full feature set:

  • Automatic host discovery — hosts on your network appear under On this network; no IP typing.
  • PIN pairing built in, and pinned reconnects after that.
  • Controllers, including DualSense — rumble, adaptive triggers, lightbar, motion, and touchpad.
  • A live stats overlay (resolution, fps, bitrate, latency) and a built-in network speed test to pick a bitrate for your link.

Open the app, pick your host, pair once, and stream. It builds from the clients/apple directory in the repo (Swift / VideoToolbox / Metal).

Moonlight (anything else)

punktfunk also speaks the GameStream protocol, so any Moonlight client — a browser, a smart TV, an old phone, a games console — connects with no punktfunk-specific software. (Most platforms also have a native punktfunk app below — Moonlight is the catch-all.) See Connect with Moonlight.

This is the broadest-compatibility option and great for couch gaming. It doesn't use the native protocol's FEC/encryption extensions, but for a healthy LAN that rarely matters.

Linux desktop client (GTK4)

punktfunk-client is the native graphical Linux client — a GTK4 / libadwaita app that speaks punktfunk/1 directly, with hardware decode via Vulkan Video on every GPU vendor (including NVIDIA), falling back to VAAPI dmabuf and then software, PipeWire audio, and SDL3 controllers (rumble, lightbar, DualSense touchpad/motion). Like the Apple app it discovers hosts on your network automatically, does PIN pairing, and pins reconnects.

It ships as a real package, not just a source build — full steps in Install a Client:

  • Any Flatpak distro (recommended)flatpak install https://flatpak.unom.io/io.unom.Punktfunk.flatpakref from the hosted flatpak.unom.io repo, then flatpak update; this is also what the Decky plugin launches.
  • Ubuntu / Debianapt install punktfunk-client from the punktfunk apt registry.
  • Fedora / Bazziterpm-ostree install punktfunk-client from the Gitea RPM registry.
  • Archsudo pacman -Sy punktfunk-client from the signed binary repo (see Arch Linux).

Launch it, pick your host from the list, and stream. For scripting you can skip the host list and connect straight away:

punktfunk-client --connect <host>:9777   # skip the picker, start a session immediately

Android app (phone + Android TV)

The native Android app speaks punktfunk/1 directly, on both phones and Android TV. It does hardware HEVC decode (including HDR10), Opus audio with a mic uplink, game controllers with rumble and DualSense feedback, automatic host discovery, PIN pairing with pinned reconnects, and a live stats overlay — with D-pad and game-controller focus navigation for the couch. It builds from the clients/android directory (Kotlin + a shared Rust core).

The app is in Google Play Internal Testing — request a tester invite on our Discord and we'll add you (see Install a Client). Once added, open the app, pick your host, pair once, and stream.

Windows desktop client

punktfunk-client for Windows (clients/windows) is the native graphical client for Windows — pure Rust, the same punktfunk/1 core as the Apple, Linux, and Android apps, with a WinUI 3 UI (host list, settings, PIN pairing); the stream itself runs in punktfunk's Vulkan presenter. Its decoder tries Vulkan Video, then D3D11VA, then software, with 10-bit/HDR present, WASAPI audio + mic, SDL3 controllers (rumble, lightbar, DualSense), network discovery, and the full PIN-pairing trust surface. It builds for both x86_64 and aarch64 and ships as a signed MSIX. Launch it and pick a host from the list, just like the other native apps.

Hardware decode is validated on NVIDIA and Intel GPUs; HDR10 is implemented with on-glass validation still pending. If anything misbehaves, Moonlight is a proven alternative for Windows.

A headless CLI path exists for scripting/measurement:

punktfunk-client                                   # open the WinUI 3 window (host list / settings)
punktfunk-client --discover                        # list hosts on the network
punktfunk-client --headless --connect <host>:9777  # no window: connect, count frames, print stats

Prefer the broadest compatibility, or no install? Moonlight also streams to Windows (see below).

Linux reference client (headless)

punktfunk-probe (in the repo) is a command-line client for the native protocol, used for testing, development, and latency measurement — not an everyday client. It connects, streams to a file, runs the speed test, and can discover hosts:

punktfunk-probe --discover                        # list hosts on the network
punktfunk-probe --connect <host>:9777 --pin <fp>  # connect to one

Which should I use?

You're streaming to… Use
A Mac, iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV The Apple app
A Linux desktop or laptop punktfunk-client (GTK4)
A Steam Deck The Decky plugin in Gaming Mode, or the GTK4 client in Desktop Mode
An Android phone or TV The Android app
Windows The native punktfunk-client (signed MSIX) or Moonlight
A browser, a smart TV, or any other device Moonlight
Automated tests / latency measurement punktfunk-probe (headless)

Whichever you choose, the first connection needs a one-time pairing.