Proton (software)
| Original author(s) | Frank Ruben (Wine) |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Valve Corporation |
| Initial release | August 21, 2018 |
| Stable release | 5.0-6[1]
/ April 16, 2020 |
| Repository | github |
| Operating system | Linux |
| Platform | x86-32, x86-64, ARM (without Steam) |
| Available in | English |
| Type | Compatibility layer |
| License |
|
Proton is a mostly[2] free and open-source compatibility layer that allows software designed for Microsoft Windows to run on Linux-based operating systems. Proton is developed by Valve and based on a fork of Wine. It includes several patches and libraries to improve performance and compatibility with Windows games. Proton itself is designed for integration into the Steam client as "Steam Play", allowing for seamless operation of Windows games and software within Steam, but it can be used as a standalone application.
Overview
Proton was initially released on 21 August 2018.[3] Upon release, Valve announced a whitelist of 27 games that were tested and certified to perform like their native Windows counterparts without requiring end-user tweaking. These include Doom (2016), Quake, and Final Fantasy VI.[4][5][6]
Proton incorporates several libraries that improve 3D performance. These include Direct3D-to-Vulkan translation layers, namely D9VK for Direct3D 9, DXVK for Direct3D 10 and 11, and VKD3D for Direct3D 12. As of December 2019, D9VK has been merged into DXVK, which it was originally forked from.[7]
Release history
Valve has released five major versions of Proton. The versioning scheme refers to the upstream Wine version it's based on, with an appended patch number.[8] As of April 2020[update], supported versions are:
- Proton 5.0-6 with Wine 5.0 (latest)
- Proton 4.11-13 with Wine 4.11 and DXVK 1.5.1
- Proton 4.2-9 with Wine 4.9 and DXVK 1.2.1
- Proton 3.16-9 with Wine 3.16 and DXVK 1.0.2.
- Proton 3.7 with Wine 3.7
A community fork known as Proton GE is maintained by Thomas Crider (GloriousEggroll), which aims to rebase Proton on more recent versions of Wine.[9] Patches introduced by this fork are occasionally merged upstream.
Compatibility
Being a fork of Wine, Proton maintains very similar compatibility with Windows applications as its upstream counterpart. In addition to the official whitelist, a very large portion of the Windows catalog is reportedly compatible,[10] albeit unofficially, with Proton. The user can optionally force use of Proton for a specific title, even if a Linux version already exists.
ProtonDB
ProtonDB[11] is an unofficial community website that collects and displays crowdsourced data describing the compatibility of a given title with Proton, on a rating scale from "Borked" to "Platinum".[12] The site is inspired by the WineHQ AppDB, to which it bears similarity in purpose. Indeed, the AppDB also collects and displays crowdsourced compatibility reports and uses a similar rating system.
References
- ^ Eikum, Andrew (April 16, 2020). "Releases · ValveSoftware/Proton". Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ Compatibility tool for Steam Play based on Wine and additional components: ValveSoftware/Proton, Valve, November 3, 2019, retrieved November 3, 2019 (Proprietary blob for Steam integration)
- ^ Dawe, Liam. "Valve officially confirm a new version of 'Steam Play' which includes a modified version of Wine". GamingOnLinux.
- ^ "Steam for Linux :: Introducing a new version of Steam Play". steamcommunity.com. August 21, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
- ^ Evangelho, Jason. "Valve Changes Everything: Windows-Exclusive Games Now Run On Steam For Linux". Forbes. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
- ^ "Steam adds Proton, making Windows games playable on Linux (at least in theory)". PCWorld. August 21, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
- ^ "doitsujin/dxvk". GitHub. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ "ValveSoftware/Proton". GitHub. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ Crider, Thomas (April 1, 2020), GloriousEggroll/proton-ge-custom, retrieved April 1, 2020
- ^ "A look over the ProtonDB reports for June 2019, over 5.5K games reported to work with Steam Play". GamingOnLinux. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
- ^ DeFore, Buck. "ProtonDB: Gaming reports for Linux using Proton and Steam Play". ProtonDB.com. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
- ^ Evangelho, Jason. "Linux Gaming Tip: Don't Buy That Game On Steam Without Using This Tool". Forbes. Retrieved August 12, 2019.