NixOS

The repo's flake.nix builds punktfunk-host, punktfunk-client, punktfunk-web and punktfunk-scripting and ships a NixOS module. x86_64-linux only, NixOS 24.11 or newer.

1. Add the binary cache

Without it a build compiles the whole Rust workspace and gamescope from source — about an hour. With it you get prebuilt binaries:

nix.settings = {
  substituters = [ "https://nix.unom.io" ];
  trusted-public-keys = [ "punktfunk-cache-1:yhOJmHxzg6tzXpxSFzlYn6Pc6r0jHprsWqt8MZC654o=" ];   # curl https://nix.unom.io/punktfunk-cache.pub
};

Off NixOS, put the same two values in /etc/nix/nix.conf as extra-substituters / extra-trusted-public-keys. One trap: setting inputs.punktfunk.inputs.nixpkgs.follows = "nixpkgs" changes every store path and misses the cache entirely — packaging/nix.

2. Import the module and enable the host

# flake input: inputs.punktfunk.url = "git+https://git.unom.io/unom/punktfunk";# then: imports = [ punktfunk.nixosModules.default ]; services.punktfunk.host.enable = true;

A typical host block:

services.punktfunk.host = {
  enable = true;
  users = [ "alice" ];     # added to the `input` group, for virtual gamepads
  openFirewall = true;
  desktopSession = true;   # on a machine you log into — see below
  settings = { RUST_LOG = "info"; };   # these become host.env
};

The module does declaratively what the deb/RPM scriptlets do — the systemd user services, udev rules, kernel modules, sysctl tuning, the firewall ports and input group membership — and brings the web console in alongside the host. settings writes host.env for you.

Set desktopSession = true on any machine somebody logs into. It ties the host to graphical-session.target, so restarting Plasma or GNOME restarts the host with it; without it the host keeps running against a compositor that no longer exists and fails capture on every later session. Leave it off for the headless appliance route (a pinned compositor or a gamescope box), which may never reach that target — same reasoning as Restart the host with your desktop.

3. Start it

The host and console user services are defined but not started (set autoStart = true for an appliance). From your graphical session:

systemctl --user enable --now punktfunk-host punktfunk-web

The plugin runner needs no such step — the module starts it, because the game-library scanners ship as plugins (services.punktfunk.scripting.autoStart = false; to opt out).

That's the install. Continue with the Quick Start from step 3 — open the console, pair a client, stream.

When you want more

• Run it without NixOS (other distros, wrapped in nixGL so the GPU drivers resolve): nix run git+https://git.unom.io/unom/punktfunk#punktfunk-host -- serve.
• The full option reference — client, console and scripting options, GPU driver notes, headless appliance setup — is in packaging/nix.
• Updating: nix flake update punktfunk in your flake directory, then sudo nixos-rebuild switch (Updating). Removing: Uninstall.