voculinux/docs/DISTRO_COMPATIBILITY.md

# Linux distribution compatibility

How Voculinux behaves across distributions, what is tested, and what to install manually when needed.

**The published package targets Void Linux (glibc, x86_64).** It is the only Voculinux package
this project publishes: a signed xbps repository, registered as described in
[INSTALL.md](INSTALL.md#void-linux-signed-xbps-repo). The distribution tables below describe
source-checkout builds with `install.sh`, for developers. They are not published packages.

For install steps, prefer [INSTALL.md](INSTALL.md).

## Cross-distro behavior

For source checkouts, the installer and launch wrappers handle most path differences.

### GI_TYPELIB_PATH detection

The installer uses a multi-step approach to detect the correct GI_TYPELIB_PATH:

1. **Primary Method**: Uses `pkg-config --variable=typelibdir gobject-introspection-1.0` (most reliable)
2. **Fallback Paths**: Checks common distribution-specific paths in priority order:
   - Ubuntu/Debian multi-arch: `/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/girepository-1.0`
   - ARM64: `/usr/lib/aarch64-linux-gnu/girepository-1.0`
   - Fedora/RHEL: `/usr/lib64/girepository-1.0`
   - Arch/Generic: `/usr/lib/girepository-1.0`
   - Local installs: `/usr/local/lib/girepository-1.0`

3. **Architecture Support**: Detected paths for x86_64, ARM64, ARMHF, RISC-V, POWER, and s390x

### Wrapper Scripts

The source installer creates wrapper scripts (`~/.local/bin/voculinux` and `~/.local/bin/voculinux-gui`) that:
- Set the correct `GI_TYPELIB_PATH` environment variable
- Handle input group permissions for Wayland keyboard shortcuts
- Provide seamless cross-distro compatibility

### Desktop Entry

For source installs, the `.desktop` entry is automatically configured with the detected `GI_TYPELIB_PATH`, ensuring the application launches correctly from the application menu regardless of distribution.

## Officially Supported Distributions (source checkouts)

For source-checkout builds with `install.sh`, these distributions are tested and known to
work well with Voculinux. A
derivative is judged by the Python and package repositories it ships rather
than by its own version number, which rarely tracks the base release. In
particular, `install.sh` does not interpret a Debian-based derivative's product
version as a Debian release number.

| Distribution | Version | Status | Notes |
|--------------|---------|--------|-------|
| Ubuntu | 24.04+ | ✅ Full Support | 22.04 ships Python 3.10, below the 3.11 floor |
| Debian | 12+, Testing | ✅ Full Support | Primary target; use Ayatana AppIndicator |
| Fedora | 42+ | ✅ Good Support | Uses lib64 paths; 42 is the oldest Fedora upstream still supports, and the one in the CI matrix |
| Arch Linux | Rolling | ✅ Good Support | Community tested, rolling release compatible |
| openSUSE | Tumbleweed | ✅ Good Support | Good support with zypper package manager |
| Linux Mint | On Ubuntu 24.04+ | ✅ Good Support | Mint 22 qualifies; Mint 21 is on Ubuntu 22.04, below the floor |
| Pop!_OS | 24.04+ | ✅ Good Support | Uses Ubuntu's own numbering |
| elementary OS | On Ubuntu 24.04+ | ✅ Good Support | elementary 8 qualifies; 7 is on Ubuntu 22.04 |
| Zorin OS | On Ubuntu 24.04+ | ✅ Good Support | Zorin 17 is on Ubuntu 22.04, below the floor |
| Manjaro | Rolling | ✅ Good Support | Arch base, inherits Arch compatibility |
| EndeavourOS | Rolling | ✅ Good Support | Arch base, inherits Arch compatibility |

## Experimental Support

These distributions may work but have known limitations or are less tested:

| Distribution | Status | Known Issues |
|--------------|--------|--------------|
| Gentoo | ⚠️ Experimental | No package manager support, manual install required. Packages are compiled from source which takes longer. |
| Alpine Linux | ⚠️ Experimental | Uses musl libc (not glibc). Some Python packages may not have pre-built wheels and may need to be compiled. |
| Void Linux | ⚠️ Experimental | Source-checkout builds are untested here. The published xbps package is the supported route; see [Void Linux](#void-linux). |
| Solus | ⚠️ Experimental | Untested, manual install required. Uses eopkg package manager. |
| Mageia | ⚠️ Experimental | Untested, uses dnf/urpmi package managers. |

## Not Supported

These distributions are known to be incompatible:

| Distribution | Status | Reason |
|--------------|--------|--------|
| Debian 11 and earlier | ❌ Not Supported | EOL and below the Python 3.11 floor; the installer requires Debian 12+ |
| NixOS | ❌ Not Supported | Completely different filesystem layout (/nix/store), incompatible with standard installer |

## Requirements by Distribution

These are baseline commands for source-checkout builds. The exact inventory used
by `install.sh`, including package alternatives and conditional dependencies,
lives in [`scripts/distro-package-map.yaml`](../scripts/distro-package-map.yaml).
For the complete developer setup sequence, including native build prerequisites,
see [CONTRIBUTING.md](../CONTRIBUTING.md#manual-setup).

### Ubuntu/Debian-based
```bash
sudo apt install -y python3-gi gir1.2-gtk-3.0 gir1.2-ibus-1.0 gir1.2-gdkpixbuf-2.0 \
  portaudio19-dev python3-dev python3-venv pkg-config
```

**Note for Debian 12+:** Use `gir1.2-ayatanaappindicator3-0.1` instead of `gir1.2-appindicator3-0.1`

### Debian-specific notes

Debian's standard repositories differ from Ubuntu in a few ways that matter for Voculinux:

**pywhispercpp build prerequisites.** On a clean Debian install the following packages are not
pulled in transitively (unlike Ubuntu) but are required when `pywhispercpp` must be compiled
from source (e.g. for GPU support):

```bash
sudo apt install -y libssl-dev autoconf automake libtool patchelf
```

The installer now installs these automatically, but if you hit a CMake error like
`Could not find OpenSSL` during a manual reinstall, add the above first.

**ydotool.** `ydotool` is not packaged in Debian's standard repos. The installer falls back
gracefully to IBus or `wtype` for most Wayland compositors. KDE Plasma Wayland users should
first select **IBus Wayland** in **System Settings -> Keyboard -> Virtual Keyboard**. If you
specifically need `ydotool` as a fallback, compile it from source:

```bash
sudo apt install -y git cmake libevdev-dev
git clone https://github.com/ReimuNotMoe/ydotool.git /tmp/ydotool
cmake -S /tmp/ydotool -B /tmp/ydotool/build
sudo cmake --build /tmp/ydotool/build --target install
sudo systemctl enable --now ydotoold
```

**Scoped source builds.** If you need to force `pywhispercpp` to rebuild from source, use the
installer's flag. It rebuilds the whisper.cpp bindings and leaves the rest of the venv alone,
so unrelated dependencies such as NumPy are not compiled from source:

```bash
./install.sh --auto --rebuild-whispercpp
```

**Verifying libwhisper.so resolution.** If Voculinux starts with
`libwhisper.so.1: cannot open shared object file`, check for unresolved symbols:

```bash
ldd $(find venv -name '*.so' -path '*/pywhispercpp*' 2>/dev/null | head -1) | grep 'not found'
```

If any libraries are listed, re-run the installer with `--rebuild-whispercpp` or switch to
the VOSK engine (`--engine=vosk`) as an alternative.

### Fedora/RHEL-based
```bash
sudo dnf install -y python3-gobject gtk3-devel ibus-devel cairo-devel gobject-introspection-devel \
  portaudio-devel python3-devel python3-virtualenv pkg-config
```

### Arch Linux-based
```bash
sudo pacman -S --needed python-gobject gtk3 ibus gobject-introspection \
  portaudio python pkg-config
```

### openSUSE
```bash
PYVER=$(python3 -c 'import sys; print(f"python{sys.version_info.major}{sys.version_info.minor}")')

sudo zypper install -y \
  "${PYVER}-pip" "${PYVER}-gobject" "${PYVER}-gobject-cairo" \
  "${PYVER}-devel" "${PYVER}-virtualenv" \
  gtk3 ibus typelib-1_0-IBus-1_0 \
  typelib-1_0-AyatanaAppIndicator3-0_1 libayatana-appindicator3-1 \
  typelib-1_0-Notify-0_7 libnotify4 \
  gobject-introspection-devel portaudio-devel pkg-config cmake wget curl unzip \
  gcc gcc-c++ make patchelf \
  xdotool wtype

# Optional: only needed for whisper.cpp Vulkan GPU builds
sudo zypper install -y vulkan-tools vulkan-devel shaderc
```

**Note:** openSUSE Tumbleweed often uses versioned Python package names such as
`python313-devel`. The `-devel` suffix means development headers for compiling
native dependencies; it does **not** mean beta or unstable packages. If
`${PYVER}-virtualenv` is unavailable on your snapshot, try `${PYVER}-venv`.

### Gentoo
```bash
sudo emerge dev-python/pygobject:3 x11-libs/gtk+:3 dev-libs/libayatana-appindicator \
  media-libs/portaudio dev-lang/python:3.11
```

**Note:** Gentoo compiles packages from source, which will take longer.

### Alpine Linux
```bash
sudo apk add py3-gobject3 py3-pip gtk+3.0 py3-cairo portaudio-dev \
  py3-virtualenv pkgconf
```

**Note:** Alpine uses musl libc. Some Python packages may need to be compiled from source.

### Void Linux

The published Voculinux package for Void is described in
[INSTALL.md](INSTALL.md#void-linux-signed-xbps-repo). This section covers source-checkout
builds on Void, which are experimental. Packages from the `install.sh` inventory:

```bash
sudo xbps-install -S python3-pip python3-gobject gtk+3 libayatana-appindicator \
  gobject-introspection portaudio-devel cairo-devel python3-devel pkg-config cmake \
  base-devel wget curl unzip shaderc patchelf Vulkan-Tools xclip xsel wl-clipboard \
  xdotool wtype
```

Note: `ydotool` is not packaged for Void, so the ydotool injection
fallback rung is unavailable there. On niri, text is typed directly through
`wtype` with no permission prompt. IBus is not used on niri. On GNOME and
KDE the RemoteDesktop portal is tried first where it is available.

### Solus
```bash
sudo eopkg install python3-pip python3-gobject gtk3 libappindicator \
  gobject-introspection-devel portaudio-devel python3-virtualenv pkg-config
```

### Mageia
```bash
sudo dnf install -y python3-gobject gtk3-devel gobject-introspection-devel \
  portaudio-devel python3-devel python3-virtualenv pkg-config
# or
sudo urpmi -y python3-gobject gtk3-devel gobject-introspection-devel \
  portaudio-devel python3-devel python3-virtualenv pkg-config
```

## Text Injection Tools

Voculinux requires text injection tools to work with X11 or Wayland:

### For X11
- **xdotool**: Required for X11 sessions

### For Wayland
- **IBus**: Recommended for KDE Plasma Wayland and generally the most reliable direct text input path
- **wtype**: Recommended for wlroots-style Wayland compositors such as sway
- **ydotool**: Universal alternative that works with both X11 and Wayland. Current distro packages use the per-user `ydotool.service`; source builds can install the system-level `ydotoold.service`. Voculinux uses clipboard paste with `wl-clipboard`, `xclip`, or `xsel` to avoid non-US layout scrambling.
- **xdotool**: May work via XWayland fallback

### Installation by Distribution
```bash
# Void/Ubuntu/Debian/Fedora/Arch/openSUSE
sudo xbps-install -S xdotool wtype wl-clipboard xclip xsel # Void
sudo apt install xdotool wtype wl-clipboard xclip xsel     # Ubuntu/Debian
sudo dnf install xdotool wtype wl-clipboard xclip xsel     # Fedora
sudo pacman -S xdotool wtype wl-clipboard xclip xsel       # Arch
sudo zypper install xdotool wtype wl-clipboard xclip xsel  # openSUSE
```

Ubuntu releases which package `ydotool` install a **user** unit named
`ydotool.service`. Enable it only for the account running Voculinux:

```bash
sudo apt install ydotool
sudo usermod -aG input $USER  # then log out and back in
systemctl --user enable --now ydotool.service
```

Do **not** use `sudo systemctl --global enable ydotool.service`. Global user-unit
enablement also starts the input-injection daemon for the display-manager greeter
and other accounts. If it was previously enabled globally, repair the setup with:

```bash
sudo systemctl --global disable ydotool.service
systemctl --user enable --now ydotool.service
```

The command is different for the Debian source-build path documented above: the
upstream install supplies the system unit `ydotoold.service`, so
`sudo systemctl enable --now ydotoold.service` is correct only for that route.

## Manual Installation

For unsupported or experimental distributions:

1. **Run the dependency checker:**
   ```bash
   bash scripts/check-system-deps.sh
   ```

2. **Install missing dependencies** using your package manager based on the checker output

3. **Run the installer with --skip-system-deps:**
   ```bash
   ./install.sh --skip-system-deps
   ```

4. **Or set up a development checkout** with `./install.sh --dev`, as described in
   [CONTRIBUTING.md](../CONTRIBUTING.md#development-setup).

## Desktop Environment Compatibility

| Desktop Environment | Status | Notes |
|---------------------|--------|-------|
| GNOME | ✅ Full Support | Primary target, uses AppIndicator |
| KDE Plasma | ✅ Full Support | On Wayland, select IBus Wayland in System Settings -> Keyboard -> Virtual Keyboard |
| Xfce | ✅ Full Support | Works with AppIndicator |
| Cinnamon | ✅ Full Support | Works with AppIndicator |
| MATE | ✅ Full Support | Works with AppIndicator |
| LXQt | ✅ Full Support | Works with AppIndicator |
| sway | ✅ Good Support | Wayland native, uses wtype |
| i3 | ✅ Good Support | X11, uses xdotool |
| Hyprland | ⚠️ Experimental | Wayland, may need wtype configuration |

### Autostart Compatibility

Voculinux uses **XDG autostart desktop entries** for "Start on Login".

- Desktop-session autostart file location:
  - `$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/autostart/voculinux.desktop`, or
  - `~/.config/autostart/voculinux.desktop` (fallback)
- This launches Voculinux as a user GUI app after login.
- Voculinux does **not** create a `systemd` service/unit for this feature.

Practical caveat:

- Mainstream desktop environments generally honor XDG autostart.
- Minimal/custom WM sessions may need an explicit autostart manager or WM startup hook.

## Display Server

| Display Server | Status | Notes |
|----------------|--------|-------|
| X11 | ✅ Full Support | Uses xdotool for text injection |
| Wayland | ✅ Full Support | Uses IBus, wtype, ydotool, or xdotool fallback depending on compositor |
| XWayland | ✅ Full Support | Automatically detected, falls back to xdotool if needed |

## Architecture Support

| Architecture | Status | Notes |
|--------------|--------|-------|
| x86_64 (AMD64) | ✅ Full Support | Primary target |
| arm64 (AArch64) | ✅ Good Support | Tested on Raspberry Pi, ARM64 servers |
| armhf | ⚠️ Experimental | Limited testing |
| riscv64 | ⚠️ Experimental | Limited testing, may need to compile dependencies |

## Reporting Issues

When reporting issues, please include:

1. **Distribution information:**
   ```bash
   cat /etc/os-release
   ```

2. **Desktop environment:**
   ```bash
   echo $XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP
   echo $SESSION_TYPE
   ```

3. **Dependency checker output:**
   ```bash
   bash scripts/check-system-deps.sh
   ```

4. **Python version:**
   ```bash
   python3 --version
   ```

5. **Error messages or logs:**
   - Any error messages from the installer
   - Output from running `voculinux-gui` from terminal
   - Relevant journal logs if applicable

6. **Steps to reproduce:**
   - What you were trying to do
   - What happened instead
   - Expected behavior

## Testing Checklist

Use this checklist when testing on a new distribution:

### Pre-Install
- [ ] Run dependency checker: `bash scripts/check-system-deps.sh`
- [ ] Note missing packages
- [ ] Check desktop environment
- [ ] Check display server (X11/Wayland)

### Installation
- [ ] Run installer: `./install.sh`
- [ ] Check for errors during installation
- [ ] Verify virtual environment was created
- [ ] Check wrapper scripts exist

### Post-Install
- [ ] Launch from terminal: `~/.local/bin/voculinux-gui`
- [ ] Launch from application menu
- [ ] Verify tray icon appears
- [ ] Test keyboard shortcuts (Hold Right Alt by default)
- [ ] Test audio recording
- [ ] Test text injection in different applications
- [ ] Test Settings dialog opens correctly
- [ ] Test model download if using Whisper

### Known Issues to Watch For
- AppIndicator not showing in tray
- Audio device not detected
- Text injection not working
- Model download failures
- Permission errors with udev/input

## Contributing Compatibility Fixes

If you successfully get Voculinux working on an unsupported or experimental distribution:

1. Test thoroughly using the checklist above
2. Document any distribution-specific requirements
3. Submit a PR with:
   - Distribution detection logic (if needed)
   - Package installation commands
   - Any patches or workarounds required
   - Update to this compatibility document

## See also

- [Installation guide](INSTALL.md)
- [Troubleshooting](TROUBLESHOOTING.md)
- [User guide](USER_GUIDE.md)
- [Update guide](UPDATE.md)
- [Open issues](https://git.bongbetic.com/xavierk/voculinux/issues)