Sunshine

github.com/LizardByte/Sunshine Remote Desktop Open-source projectOpen source

Sunshine hosts game streams for devices connecting through a Moonlight client.

github.com/LizardByte/Sunshine
Sunshine homepage screenshot

About Sunshine

Sunshine is a self-hosted game stream host for Moonlight. It provides low-latency streaming with hardware encoding from AMD, Intel, and Nvidia GPUs, and software encoding is also available. A web UI allows configuration and client pairing from a browser, including from mobile devices.

It runs on FreeBSD, Linux, macOS, and Windows, with feature support varying by platform. The documentation notes that system requirement tables are a work in progress and should not be used for hardware purchases.

Key features

  • Self-hosted game stream host for Moonlight clients.
  • Low-latency cloud gaming server capabilities.
  • Hardware encoding for AMD, Intel, and Nvidia GPUs; software encoding available.
  • Web UI for configuration and client pairing from a browser or mobile device.
  • Gamepad emulation for multiple controllers, with platform-specific support.
  • Screen capture via DXGI, KMS/DRM, ScreenCaptureKit, X11, and Wayland.
Best for: Users who want to self-host game streaming from their own hardware to Moonlight clients on various devices.
Good for
  • Open source and self-hosted.
  • Supports hardware encoding from AMD, Intel, and Nvidia GPUs, plus software encoding.
  • Runs on FreeBSD, Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Watch out for
  • Full gamepad emulation profiles on macOS and Windows require a separately installed and licensed Virtual HID Broker; FreeBSD lacks several gamepad features.
  • System requirement tables are a work in progress; documentation warns against purchasing hardware based on them.
  • Feature support varies by platform, with many capture and encoding combinations marked not applicable or not yet supported.

Sunshine at a glance

Type
Open-source project
Pricing
Not confirmed. Check the site
Open source
Yes · Source code
Language
English
Last checked
Oct 6, 2026 · Online when checked
Listed
Oct 5, 2026

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Sunshine FAQ

What Moonlight clients can connect to Sunshine?
Any Moonlight client on a variety of devices.
Does Sunshine support hardware encoding?
Yes, it supports hardware encoding on AMD, Intel, and Nvidia GPUs, and software encoding is also available.
Can I configure Sunshine and pair clients remotely?
Yes, a web UI allows configuration and client pairing from a browser, including from mobile devices.
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