punktfunk/docs-site/content/docs/clients.md

title, description

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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 (VAAPI → dmabuf on Intel/AMD, software fallback), 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 / Debian — apt install punktfunk-client from the punktfunk apt registry.
• Fedora / Bazzite — rpm-ostree install punktfunk-client from the Gitea RPM registry.
• Arch / SteamOS — the punktfunk-client split package from the PKGBUILD.

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) and the video on a SwapChainPanel. It does D3D11VA hardware decode (software fallback), 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.

The hardware-decode and HDR paths are complete but still pending validation on real GPU hardware. 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, or a Steam Deck	punktfunk-client (GTK4)
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.