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Guide · Open source

How to use Hydra Launcher: install, build and manage your library

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

Hydra Launcher is a free, open-source desktop program that aims to be one place to manage your games. This guide explains what it is designed to do, how to get it running, and what you need if you want to build it from source. By the end you will know whether it fits your setup and where to look next.

Hydrahydralauncher/hydra · ★ 17.6k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Read the documentation. Open docs.hydralauncher.gg/getting-started, which the README names as the place for build and contribution instructions.
  2. 2Check your prerequisites. Confirm you have Node.js with Yarn, the Rust toolchain, Git and a C++ toolchain for your operating system.
  3. 3Clone the repository. Run git clone https://github.com/hydralauncher/hydra to get the source code.
  4. 4Install dependencies. Install the project dependencies so the postinstall step can build the Rust native addon.
  5. 5Decide on the torrent bridge build. On Windows x64 and Linux x64 the prebuilt bridge is used; set HYDRA_TORRENT_BRIDGE_FROM_SOURCE=1 if you want to build it from source.

What Hydra Launcher is designed to do

According to its README, Hydra Launcher is an open-source gaming platform meant to be the single tool you need to manage your gaming library. Its listed features are adding games you own to your library, a profile that shows friends what you are playing, cloud saves through Hydra Cloud, achievements, and browsing and discovering new games.

  • Add games that you own to your library
  • Set up a profile that shows what you are playing to friends
  • Save game progress in the cloud with Hydra Cloud
  • Unlock achievements
  • Browse a catalogue with a suggestion algorithm
  • Discover games you have not played before

Install Hydra Launcher or build it from source

The project's own documentation is the place to start for installation. The README points to docs.hydralauncher.gg/getting-started for build-from-source and contributing instructions. The one install command the README gives is to clone the repository.

Building from source needs a toolchain. The README lists these prerequisites: Node.js with Yarn, the Rust toolchain (for hydra-native), Git, and a C++ toolchain. The C++ toolchain is Visual Studio C++ Build Tools on Windows, GCC or Clang on Linux, and Xcode command-line tools on macOS.

  • Node.js + Yarn
  • Rust toolchain (for hydra-native)
  • Git and a C++ toolchain
  • Visual Studio C++ Build Tools on Windows, GCC/Clang on Linux, Xcode command-line tools on macOS
git clone https://github.com/hydralauncher/hydra

What happens after you install dependencies

After installing dependencies, the README says the postinstall step builds the Rust native addon automatically, producing hydra-native/hydra-native.node. The native build includes a Rust wrapper around a pinned libtorrent, and the README says development and packaged torrenting no longer require Python.

The README notes that on Windows x64 and Linux x64 the libtorrent bridge comes prebuilt from native/torrent-bridge/prebuilt, so installs skip compiling it. On other platforms the bridge is built from source. Setting HYDRA_TORRENT_BRIDGE_FROM_SOURCE=1 forces a source build.

HYDRA_TORRENT_BRIDGE_FROM_SOURCE=1

Who Hydra Launcher suits and who should look elsewhere

Hydra Launcher fits gamers who want one launcher for their library, people who want a profile that shows friends their games, and users who want cloud save sync through Hydra Cloud. It also suits developers who want to contribute to an Electron and Rust desktop app.

It is a poor fit if you only want a simple game store without library management, if you need a fully offline setup (cloud save and profile features depend on Hydra Cloud), or if you want a quick one-click tool, since source builds need a toolchain.

How Hydra Launcher compares to similar projects

Comparable projects named for this guide are Playnite, Lutris and Heroic Games Launcher. The README does not compare Hydra with them, so choose based on which features you need: Hydra's listed strengths are its profile, Hydra Cloud saves and achievements, while library management and cloud features are the parts to check against each alternative.

What people use it for

  • Keeping owned games in one library managed from a single launcher
  • Showing friends what you are currently playing through a profile
  • Syncing game saves to the cloud with Hydra Cloud
  • Exploring a catalogue to find new games to try
  • Contributing code to an Electron, React, TypeScript and Rust desktop app

Frequently asked questions

Is Hydra Launcher free and open source?

Yes. The README says Hydra is licensed under the MIT License, and the repository is on GitHub under hydralauncher/hydra. The MIT License is a permissive open-source licence.

What do I need to build Hydra Launcher from source?

The README lists Node.js with Yarn, the Rust toolchain for hydra-native, Git, and a C++ toolchain. On Windows that means Visual Studio C++ Build Tools, on Linux GCC or Clang, and on macOS Xcode command-line tools.

Does Hydra Launcher work offline?

Not fully. The README says cloud save and profile features depend on Hydra Cloud, so an offline-only setup will not get those features.

Do I need Python to use Hydra Launcher?

According to the README, development and packaged torrenting no longer require Python, because the native build includes a Rust wrapper around a pinned libtorrent.

How does Hydra Launcher compare to Playnite, Lutris or Heroic?

The README does not compare them. Check each project's features against what you need, such as library management, cloud saves and achievements, before choosing.

Where do I get help if the build fails?

Start with the documentation at docs.hydralauncher.gg/getting-started, as the README directs. Check that your prerequisites match the list in the README before rebuilding.

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Our verdict

Hydra Launcher suits gamers who want one launcher with cloud saves and a friends profile, and developers who want to work on an Electron and Rust app. Skip it if you need a fully offline setup, a simple store without library management, or a one-click install, since building from source requires a full toolchain.

Install options & downloads