Linux QuickStart / FAQs
stuff to know that get asked frequently
Where to get the engine
- get the binary builds https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/linux
- compile from source (TODO link)
- follow instructions on the repo. don't do as root.
What editor?
- Rider is the most feature complete. Now it's free for opensource and education. They also have free options for a range of other things. https://blog.jetbrains.com/blog/2024/10/24/webstorm-and-rider-are-now-free-for-non-commercial-use/
- any editor will do actually if you are ok with compiling from the terminal.
- vs code has some issues.
Distros in which it works
- k/ubuntu, fedora, arch, others. stability varies. depends on each person. ubuntu is the default used by epic.
Wayland/X11
X11 has the best support. Wayland has some issues.
How good does it works?
Depens on your needs. It's usable, stable and production ready. There are some features that don't work as well (or at all) compared to windows. (TODO make a list)
Can i package to windows?
Not directly. Licence issue with MS includes (afaik). You can by using a virtual machine. Does not need to have gpu access. You trigger the packaging via command line.
Launcher
There are two replacement for the ue launcher.
When installing from source, you get context-menu actions on kde.
Associations
You can edit a config file, with the version number instead of the UUID, and projects will open normally. (TODO expand)
Fab
- Can be installed from source (TODO)
- Binaries are here https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/linux
Bridge
TODO link to how to
Discord
Unreal Source's Linux channel : https://discord.com/channels/187217643009212416/375022233875382274
UI Scale and HighDPI
When running on high dpi (4k), the ui might look tiny. Here are some options:
- On 5.4 (at least, but not on 5.2) There's a functionality on the engine. Editor Preferences> Appearance > UI Scale (TODO find the actual name)
- There are a few plugins around that do what 5.4 has. On github they are free. (TODO Link)