Glossary

DNF stands for Dandified Yum. It is the default package manager (software installer) for Fedora used to install, update, and manage RPM packages from official and third-party software repositories (online storage locations for software).

Usage: DNF lets you install native Linux games, game engines, libraries, and utilities that are not available as Flatpaks. It is also useful for installing Wine dependencies, performance tools, and emulator packages via the terminal. You can find more information in the Fedora Quick Docs - DNF

A gaming emulator is software that mimics (copies the behavior of) the hardware of a video game console. It allows games from that console to run on a different platform like a Fedora-based PC. See also: Game Boy Emulator

Usage: On Fedora, emulators such as RetroArch, PCSX2, and Dolphin can be installed via Flatpak or RPM packages. Gamers use them to run ROMs (game files) or ISOs (disc images) of console games. You can configure input, video, and audio settings to enhance compatibility and performance.

Flatpak is a software packaging and distribution format that runs applications in isolated containers to ensure compatibility across different Linux distributions.

Usage: Flatpak is commonly used to install and run emulators, game launchers, and indie titles from Flathub-the main Flatpak app store. It avoids dependency issues and sandboxes applications for security. You can manage Flatpaks via GNOME Software (graphical app store) or the command line (flatpak install, flatpak run).

An immutable Operating system(OS) is a Linux system where the core filesystem is read-only. It prevents unintended or unauthorized changes to system files and ensures consistency across reboots. Think of it as a "locked down" system that’s harder to break.

Usage: Fedora gaming variants like Bazzite or Fedora Silverblue use an immutable design to enhance system stability and security. Since the system is immutable, gamers typically install applications through Flatpak or use containerized environments like Distrobox for tools and scripts that need system access.

Lutris is an open source game manager for Linux that helps users install, configure, and launch games from various platforms, including native Linux titles, Windows games (via Wine or Proton) and emulators. It serves as a unified game launcher that handles the complex setup for you.

Usage: Lutris simplifies running games by managing different runtime environments like different Wine versions, graphics translation layers (DXVK), and dependencies (required files). It integrates with platforms like GOG, Epic Games, and Steam, and can be installed via RPM Fusion or Flathub. Essentially, it does the hard work so you don’t have to manually configure each game. You can find more information about Lutris here.

NVIDIA drivers are closed source proprietary software made by NVIDIA, including kernel modules (low-level system components) and user-space software that enable full hardware acceleration and performance features for NVIDIA graphics cards on Linux.

Usage: Fedora gamers install NVIDIA drivers from the RPM Fusion repository because the default open source Nouveau driver has limited performance. These proprietary drivers offer better gaming performance and broader game support, and are essential for many gaming setups involving Steam, Proton, or Lutris.

Proton is a compatibility layer (translation software) developed by Valve that allows Windows games to run on Linux. It combines Wine with additional tools like DXVK and Direct3D 12 to Vulkan translator(vkd3d ) to improve game compatibility.

Usage: Proton is built into Steam and can be enabled in the Steam Play settings. It lets you run many Windows-exclusive games on Linux without manual setup. You can select different Proton versions per game for better compatibility. Check ProtonDB to see how well specific games work with Proton. Proton, ProtonDB

RPM stands for RPM Package Manager. It is a package format (file type for software) and the underlying technology used by Fedora and other Red Hat-based distributions to install, upgrade, and manage software.

Usage: RPM packages provide access to native tools, libraries, and some games via DNF or direct download. You might use RPMs when installing performance tools, system utilities, or emulators that aren’t available through Flatpak or Flathub.

"SIG" stands for Special Interest Group. These are informal teams within the Fedora Project that focus on specific areas of interest, like gaming, security, or documentation. The Fedora Games SIG works on improving gaming support in Fedora, so they’re the people making Linux gaming better for Fedora users.

Steam is a digital distribution platform (online game store) developed by Valve. It provides access to a large library of games, as well as features like multiplayer gaming, game streaming, and mod support.

Usage: On Linux, Steam uses Proton to run Windows-based games that don’t have native Linux versions. Steam can be installed via RPM Fusion (recommended) or Flatpak. It is your main gateway to playing both Linux-native games and Windows games (through Proton). You can configure graphical settings, performance options, and controllers through the Steam client.

Wayland is a modern display server protocol (communication system) that replaces the traditional X11 system. It provides a simpler, secure, and efficient way for your desktop environment to communicate with applications and your graphics card.

Usage: On Fedora, Wayland is the default session and works well with most games. Games run either natively under Wayland (via toolkits like SDL2 or Qt) or through XWayland for compatibility. The benefits include reduced input latency (faster response), better frame pacing (smoother gameplay), and stricter security isolation.

Wine is a compatibility layer (translation software) that enables Windows applications and games to run on Linux by translating Windows system calls (requests to the operating system) into POSIX-compliant calls (Linux-compatible requests). Wine stands for "Wine Is Not an Emulator" - it translates rather than emulates.

Usage: Wine can be installed via DNF or used within platforms like Lutris to manage game-specific configurations. It allows you to run Windows games that don’t have Linux versions, though setup sometimes requires additional tweaks like DLL overrides (replacing Windows system files) or installing runtime dependencies (required Windows components). You can find more information about Wine in the following links: FAQ, Fedora, Winetricks, AppDB

X11 (also called X Window System) is a display server protocol (communication system) that has historically been the standard for managing graphical user interfaces on Unix-like operating systems, including Linux.

Usage: Although Fedora and other distributions are transitioning to Wayland as the default, X11 is still widely used for gaming and applications that require compatibility. Many games, especially older ones, continue to rely on X11 for display rendering. Some gaming tools or environments may not yet fully support Wayland, so you might need to switch to an X11 session for certain games or applications.