Bazzite: A Cloud-Native Fedora Image for Enhanced Gaming and Daily Use

Introduction

Bazzite is an innovative custom Fedora Atomic image, developed by ublue-os, that leverages cloud-native technology to deliver a smoother and simpler experience for gaming and everyday computing. Designed to run across a wide range of hardware, including desktop PCs, handhelds like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally, tablets, and home theater PCs (HTPCs), Bazzite aims to bring the best of Linux gaming to all your devices.

Built upon the stable foundation of Fedora Linux (Kinoite & Silverblue) and Universal Blue, Bazzite offers expanded hardware support and includes essential drivers out of the box. Key features include a custom Bazzite kernel for HDR and enhanced hardware compatibility, full hardware-accelerated codec support, drivers for Xbox controllers, DisplayLink support, and pre-installed gaming utilities like vkBasalt, MangoHud, and OBS VkCapture. It also integrates tools like Distrobox for containerized environments, Waydroid for Android apps, and the Bazzite Portal for easy application and tweak management.

Installation

Bazzite offers various images tailored for different needs. For ISO downloads and a comprehensive installation guide, please visit the official Bazzite website and installation documentation.

If you are rebasing from an existing upstream Fedora Atomic system, you can use the following commands:

Desktop (Open Source GPU Drivers):

rpm-ostree rebase ostree-unverified-registry:ghcr.io/ublue-os/bazzite:stable

Desktop (NVIDIA Proprietary Drivers):

rpm-ostree rebase ostree-unverified-registry:ghcr.io/ublue-os/bazzite-nvidia:stable

Steam Deck/Home Theater PCs (HTPCs):

rpm-ostree rebase ostree-unverified-registry:ghcr.io/ublue-os/bazzite-deck:stable

GNOME Desktop (Open Source GPU Drivers):

rpm-ostree rebase ostree-unverified-registry:ghcr.io/ublue-os/bazzite-gnome:stable

GNOME Desktop (NVIDIA Proprietary Drivers):

rpm-ostree rebase ostree-unverified-registry:ghcr.io/ublue-os/bazzite-gnome-nvidia:stable

GNOME Steam Deck/HTPC:

rpm-ostree rebase ostree-unverified-registry:ghcr.io/ublue-os/bazzite-deck-gnome:stable

For users with Secure Boot enabled:
Prior to rebasing, follow the secure boot documentation. You can enroll the custom key by running ujust enroll-secure-boot-key and entering the password universalblue if prompted.

Examples

Bazzite provides a versatile and visually appealing experience across its different variants. The official GitHub repository showcases various desktop themes, including the KDE Vapor Theme and VGUI2 Theme, alongside its dedicated Steam Gaming Mode. You can also find examples of Waydroid integration for Android apps, Distrobox terminals for isolated environments, and the sleek GNOME desktop environments. These examples highlight Bazzite's commitment to both aesthetics and functionality.

Why Use Bazzite?

Bazzite was initiated to address common challenges found in other gaming-focused operating systems, such as outdated packages and limitations in package management. Unlike some alternatives, Bazzite allows you to install any Fedora package directly from the command line, with these packages persisting across updates. This flexibility, combined with multiple weekly updates from upstream Fedora, ensures you always have access to the latest features and optimal performance on a stable base.

Built on Fedora, Bazzite offers a rock-solid and secure foundation, with SELinux preinstalled and configured, full support for secure boot, and disk encryption. Its rpm-ostree architecture enables easy rollbacks to previous versions, providing peace of mind. Bazzite is not just for gaming, it's a capable solution for general computing tasks, including printing support via CUPS. It delivers a modern, secure, and highly customizable Linux experience for all your needs.