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punktfunk/docs-site/content/docs/sway.md
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docs(env): stop teaching the compositor pin + uid-1000 anchors in starters
Field triage (Nobara, Discord): the kde.md starter host.env told desktop
users to set PUNKTFUNK_COMPOSITOR=kwin, which PINS the backend — detect()
short-circuits and the capture-loss rebuild never re-detects — so a
mid-stream switch to Game Mode killed the stream instead of following it.
A follow-up hardcoded XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000 anchor broke PipeWire
for any non-1000 uid (pw audio connect: Creation failed).

Revamp across every starter/example/reference:
- Desktop starters (kde/gnome/hyprland/sway) shrink to
  PUNKTFUNK_VIDEO_SOURCE=virtual + an explicit warning that pinning
  disables session-following; forcing a backend is CI/appliance-only.
- host.env.example: rewritten around auto-detection; anchors demoted to a
  commented ssh/cron-only block with the uid trap spelled out; the
  gamescope ATTACH/MANAGED knobs documented (previously missing);
  case-sensitivity called out.
- packaging/bazzite/host.env + README: drop the uid-1000 anchors (a
  systemctl --user service inherits/derives them); README's stale
  PUNKTFUNK_COMPOSITOR=gamescope-era template synced to the real one.
- packaging/kde/host.env: loud APPLIANCE-ONLY header (it pins on purpose).
- configuration.md: session-anchors section inverted to "leave unset",
  compositor row states the pin consequence, case-sensitivity note.
- troubleshooting.md: new "session fails right after editing host.env"
  section (case, wrong-uid anchors, stale pin, restart-to-apply).
- gamescope.md/bazzite.md: attach/managed descriptions match current
  behavior (managed is the infra-detected default; attach re-modes a
  box-owned session to the client's resolution).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Fable 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-07-23 22:42:59 +02:00

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3.2 KiB
Markdown

---
title: Sway / wlroots
description: Configure a punktfunk host on a wlroots compositor (Sway, River).
---
Sway (and other wlroots-proper compositors like River) can host: the host adds a per-client headless
output at the client's exact mode with `swaymsg create_output` and captures it through the
xdg-desktop-portal-wlr (xdpw) ScreenCast portal, injecting input via the wlroots virtual
pointer/keyboard protocols.
> On **Hyprland**? It's a separate first-class backend (its own `hyprctl` IPC and xdph portal) —
> see [Hyprland](/docs/hyprland). This page is for sway and other wlroots-proper compositors.
This is **not a primary target.** It works and is validated live on **sway 1.11** (zero-copy), but it
sees far less testing than the KDE and GNOME paths — expect rougher edges. If you have a choice,
[KDE](/docs/kde) or [GNOME](/docs/gnome) are the better-exercised desktops.
This page assumes the package is already installed — see [Arch](/docs/arch), [Ubuntu](/docs/ubuntu),
or [Fedora](/docs/fedora).
> New here? Read [Security & Safe Use](/docs/security) first — a streaming host is remote control of
> the machine, so keep it on a trusted LAN or VPN and require pairing.
## host.env
The host auto-detects a wlroots session, so the starter `~/.config/punktfunk/host.env` is one line:
```ini
PUNKTFUNK_VIDEO_SOURCE=virtual
# GPU zero-copy capture→encode is ON by default; auto-falls back to CPU. Set PUNKTFUNK_ZEROCOPY=0 to force CPU.
```
To force the backend (CI/testing — note that pinning turns live-session auto-detection **off**, so
the host stops following session switches):
```ini
PUNKTFUNK_COMPOSITOR=wlroots # aliases: sway, wlr (the wlroots-proper family)
PUNKTFUNK_INPUT_BACKEND=wlr
```
See [Configuration](/docs/configuration) for the full reference.
## How it works
- **Video** — the host adds a headless output at the client's exact mode with `swaymsg create_output`.
This uses Sway's IPC specifically; other wlroots-proper compositors (River, …) are best-effort on
this path. (Hyprland is driven by its own [backend](/docs/hyprland), not this one.)
- **Capture** — it captures that output through the **xdg-desktop-portal-wlr (xdpw)** ScreenCast
portal. The host writes a managed chooser config so the output pick is automatic — no interactive
picker dialog to answer.
- **Input** — mouse and keyboard are injected via the wlroots **virtual pointer** and **virtual
keyboard** protocols.
For how long the virtual output lives, and extend-vs-exclusive topology, see
[Virtual displays](/docs/virtual-displays).
## Requirements
- A running wlroots-proper session (Sway, River, …). On Hyprland, use the
[Hyprland backend](/docs/hyprland) instead.
- **xdg-desktop-portal-wlr (xdpw)** installed and running — the host captures through its ScreenCast
portal. Without it there is no video.
## Start the host
With the backend selected, start the host from **inside your Sway session**:
```sh
systemctl --user enable --now punktfunk-host
journalctl --user -u punktfunk-host -f
```
## Bring up the console and pair
Enable the web console, read its login password, and arm PIN pairing — see
[The Web Console](/docs/web-console). Then [connect a client](/docs/clients).