Open Control, Forged for Linux.
Decksmith is a native Linux app for your Elgato Stream Deck +. Build pages of shortcuts, control application and device audio, and customize keys, dials and the touch strip through a GTK4/libadwaita editor. Background controls can start at login while the editor stays closed.
V1 is supported on Fedora Workstation 44, x86_64, GNOME/Wayland, with one Stream Deck +. Debian, Ubuntu and COSMIC have separate experimental previews.
Install · User guide · Release notes · Report an issue · Roadmap
Watch the 3-minute desktop tour · English subtitles · Interface gallery
The tour shows actual Fedora, Debian, Ubuntu and COSMIC test desktops, with VirtualDeck sample layouts. Gauge close-ups use illustrative signal values from the shared renderer; they demonstrate appearance rather than hardware testing. The original V1 tour is also available.
- Create and organize pages; navigate using keys or touch-strip swipes.
- Launch applications and websites, use media controls, and assign system actions such as Lock, Suspend, Do Not Disturb and Night Light. Reboot and Shutdown ask for confirmation on the desktop.
- Adjust application, speaker/headphone, microphone and system-sound levels; use mute, push-to-talk and live audio activity feedback.
- Customize labels, artwork, colors, themes and bundled fonts, including decorative Viking Runes. The editor follows the desktop's light/dark appearance.
- Set device brightness, background-only login startup and optional Auto-Lock. Closing the editor leaves controls running; Quit Decksmith stops them and blanks the entire device.
Optional actions depend on the desktop's services. The Homebridge integration is experimental; general plugin support, independent multiple devices and the 15-key Stream Deck MK.2 are planned for V1.5. See the roadmap.
All current downloads require Linux x86_64. They are per-user runtime bundles, not RPM or DEB packages. No Rust compiler, OpenDeck or Elgato Windows software is needed to run them.
| System | Status | Download and installation details |
|---|---|---|
| Fedora Workstation 44, GNOME/Wayland | Supported V1 | v1.0.0 · Verified guide |
| Debian 13, GNOME/Wayland | Experimental native preview | Debian preview · Guide and limits |
| Ubuntu 26.04, GNOME/Wayland | Experimental native preview | Ubuntu preview · Guide and limits |
| Pop!_OS 24.04, COSMIC | Experimental preview; Ubuntu 24.04 library baseline | COSMIC preview · Guide and limits |
| Fedora Workstation 45 Beta | Test environment | Testing scope; no separately supported release |
| openSUSE Tumbleweed, GNOME/Wayland | Development test environment | OS testing plan; no public package |
Preview VM checks do not establish physical USB/audio or lifecycle support on those platforms. COSMIC does not inherit GNOME-only integrations. Review the linked limits before installing. Broader GNOME/Wayland compatibility is a V1.5 goal.
The inner blue arc shows configured volume; the outer arc shows audio activity. Muted controls retain a red crossed-out icon and red Muted text; unmuted microphones show Live in green. Classic bars remain available.
Availability: dual-arc gauges are in the development build and published COSMIC preview. The single-arc meter, with volume percentage on its right and unchanged assigned actions, is development-only. The original Fedora V1, Debian and Ubuntu downloads retain their earlier displays. All gauge styles and limitations.
One setup helper handles dependencies, signed downloads and installation. It detects your OS, selects the correct package and offers to install missing runtime packages. No Rust compiler is needed.
Download and run as your normal desktop user:
curl --fail --location --proto '=https' --proto-redir '=https' \
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/infamous-pattern/decksmith/main/scripts/install.sh \
--output decksmith-install.sh && sh decksmith-install.shOn Debian 13, Ubuntu 26.04 or Pop!_OS 24.04, opt into the experimental package:
sh decksmith-install.sh --experimentalSimplified Installer: downloadable shortcut, options and first start
Review the linked helper before running it. Do not run it with sudo. Your saved layouts and login preference are preserved. The helper never starts or restarts background controls and never enables login startup.
Prefer to install dependencies and download/verify the files yourself? Follow the matching step-by-step guide:
- Fedora Workstation 44 — supported V1
- Debian 13 — experimental
- Ubuntu 26.04 — experimental
- Pop!_OS 24.04 COSMIC — experimental
Both methods verify signatures, checksums and archive contents before executing release installer code. Checksums alone do not prove authenticity. Never skip signature verification if it fails.
- Close other Stream Deck controllers and open Decksmith from your app menu.
- Choose Start under Background controls. An update to a running service takes effect when you stop and start those controls deliberately.
- Optionally enable Start Decksmith at login. New installations leave it off; updates preserve your saved preference.
Use a normal graphical session with D-Bus and working PipeWire audio services. USB access may need a separate administrator-installed udev rule. The optional GNOME panel extension is installed separately. Dependencies and optional services · USB access, update, backup and recovery.
Application volume changes an app's Linux playback streams, not sliders inside the app or website. For example, adjusting Brave in Decksmith leaves YouTube's volume slider unchanged and affects matching Brave streams together.
YouTube volume → Brave app volume → speaker/headphone output volume
System sounds controls desktop event sounds independently of application and output-device levels. Choose a named output device to adjust overall listening volume. Ordinary Volume Up/Down/Mute key actions control the default output. The percentage shows configured volume; the live meter shows signal activity. Audio setup and behavior · Live meters · Media player selection.
- User guide and interface gallery.
- Installation and recovery, desktop integration and Auto-Lock.
- V1 known limits and qualification evidence.
- Source-build prerequisites, contributing and security reporting.
- V1.5 feature plan, product design and architecture.
When reporting an issue, include your distribution/version, desktop session, Decksmith build and device model, plus steps to reproduce. Remove credentials and private information from logs. Do not include Homebridge passwords or two-factor codes.
The interface is currently English-only. English, German, French, Spanish and Italian localization is planned for V2; see the localization plan.
Decksmith is developed with ChatGPT/Codex assistance, alongside human design, review and testing. Core controls do not require a cloud account.
Original project code is Apache-2.0. Bundled fonts and icons have their own notices: font licenses and icon sources and licenses.
Elgato and Stream Deck are trademarks of Corsair Memory, Inc. Decksmith is an independent project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Elgato or Corsair.
If you enjoy Decksmith, you can buy me a coffee.
