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bottlesdevs/bottles

★ 8,403PythonAudience · generalComplexity · 2/5Setup · easy

TLDR

A Linux desktop app with a graphical interface for running Windows software and games using Wine and DXVK, with isolated per-app environments called bottles so programs don't interfere with each other.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((Bottles))
    What it does
      Run Windows apps on Linux
      Isolated environments
      Graphical Wine manager
    Key Tech
      Wine compatibility layer
      DXVK graphics boost
      GTK4 interface
      Flatpak packaging
    Use Cases
      Gaming on Linux
      Legacy Windows apps
      Isolated app environments
    Install Methods
      Flathub recommended
      Flatpak builder source
      Meson build option
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Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Run a Windows-only game on your Linux computer with better graphics performance via DXVK acceleration.

USE CASE 2

Install multiple Windows applications in separate isolated environments so a problem with one doesn't affect others.

USE CASE 3

Set up a specific Windows business tool on Linux without it conflicting with other Windows software you already have running.

Tech stack

PythonGTK4LibadwaitaWineDXVKFlatpak

Getting it running

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

In plain English

Bottles is a Linux application that lets you run Windows software and games on a Linux computer. It provides a graphical interface for managing compatibility layers, which are software tools that translate Windows instructions into something Linux can understand. The main technology behind this is Wine, along with additional tools like DXVK that help Windows games run with better graphics performance. The idea of a "bottle" is an isolated environment for running Windows software. Each bottle can have its own settings and compatibility tools, so one application can run under different conditions than another. This separation means that a problem with one program is unlikely to affect others. Bottles is available to install from Flathub, which is a software distribution platform for Linux. It is built with GTK4 and Libadwaita, which are the interface toolkit libraries used by modern GNOME applications on Linux. The interface has both a light and a dark mode. The README is brief and focuses mainly on installation and build instructions. Installing from Flathub is the recommended and simplest method, requiring just a few clicks. Building from source requires Flatpak developer tools, and there are two paths described: one using the standard Flatpak builder tool and one using Meson inside a Flatpak environment. GNOME Builder cannot build Bottles at this time due to a known limitation, and the README links to the relevant issue for context. The project follows the GNOME Code of Conduct for its community spaces. Sponsors include JetBrains and GitBook. A community forum and Discord server are linked from the README for support and discussion.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
I'm using Bottles (bottlesdevs/bottles) on Linux. Walk me through creating a new gaming bottle with DXVK enabled and installing a Windows game into it.
Prompt 2
What are the exact steps to install Bottles from Flathub and set up a new bottle for running a Windows application?
Prompt 3
I want to build Bottles from source using Flatpak builder. Give me the exact commands to set up the build environment and compile the app.
Prompt 4
Explain the difference between a Wine prefix and a Bottle in Bottles, and when I should create separate bottles for different Windows applications.
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