Coming from another host
You already have a GameStream host. Here is what changes.
Polaris keeps the GameStream protocol lineage that Sunshine, Apollo, and every Moonlight client already speak. What it changes is the Linux host model — and it does not ask you to uninstall anything to find out whether you prefer it.
What carries over
Nothing you already run has to go.
Polaris is another GameStream host, not a migration project. It keeps its own configuration, leaves your existing host alone, and expects you to judge it by running it.
- Your existing hostPolaris keeps its configuration in ~/.config/polaris, so installing it does not remove or overwrite a Sunshine or Apollo setup.
- Your existing clientsAny Moonlight client keeps working for pairing, app launch, input, and streaming.
- Your way backSwitching back is stopping one host and starting the other. Nothing is migrated or converted.
- A desktop that survivesGames launch into a private labwc compositor instead of rearranging your physical displays and desktop layout.
- Capture-path truthPolaris prefers GPU-native DMA-BUF capture and reports the real path when it falls back, rather than leaving you to infer it from logs.
- Explicit launch intentPrivate Stream, Host Virtual Display, and Mirror Desktop are choices you make, not behavior you discover afterwards.
- A client that understands the hostWith Nova, launch modes, ownership, tuning provenance, and session health come from the host instead of being guessed.
Your client, and ours
Every Moonlight client works. Nova explains more.
The protocol is the same, so the client you already trust keeps working. The difference is how much the host is able to tell it before, during, and after a stream.
| Area | Any Moonlight-compatible client | Nova with Polaris |
|---|---|---|
| Pairing, launch, input, streaming | Works. Polaris speaks the Moonlight protocol. | Works, plus host-reported launch context before anything starts. |
| Library | The standard app list the host advertises. | Host-backed library with metadata, artwork, source badges, and playtime. |
| Launch intent | Launch what the host is configured to launch. | Private Stream, Host Virtual Display, or Mirror Desktop as an explicit choice. |
| Session ownership | Standard client ownership of the active stream. | Owner and viewer roles, so a second device can watch without taking over. |
| Diagnostics | Client-side stream status. | Command Center and NovaHUD reporting host-backed session and health state. |
| Tuning | Whatever the client exposes locally. | Live tuning and Polaris Sync, with the provenance of each setting visible. |
Nova is the Android client built alongside Polaris. The product page covers what it does; the docs cover launch modes and controller shortcuts.
Try it in three steps
One host at a time.
Two GameStream hosts collide on the same default ports and discovery records, so the only real rule is to run one at a time. Everything else is reversible.
- 01
Stop the host you have
Two GameStream hosts collide on the same default ports and discovery records, so run one at a time while you try Polaris.
systemctl --user stop sunshine - 02
Install and start Polaris
Install the package for your distro, run the host setup once, then create your web console account in the first-run wizard.
systemctl --user enable --now polaris - 03
Pair the client you already use
Pair any Moonlight client with a manual PIN, or use Trusted Pair and QR pairing with Nova. Switch back at any time by reversing step one.
https://localhost:47990/#/welcome
Switching questions
The questions people actually ask.
Straight answers about coexistence, clients, and what is genuinely different underneath.
Q01Do I need to uninstall Sunshine or Apollo?
No. Polaris keeps its host configuration separate at ~/.config/polaris, so installing it should not remove or overwrite an existing setup. Stop the other host while you try Polaris, because both are GameStream hosts and can collide on the same default ports and discovery records, then switch back whenever you want.
Q02Will my current Moonlight client still work?
Yes. Polaris speaks the Moonlight protocol, so any Moonlight client can pair, browse apps, launch, send input, and stream. Nova is what adds the Polaris-specific experience — launch-mode choice, watch and resume state, live tuning, and deeper session health.
Q03What is actually different about the Linux host model?
Traditional hosts stream your real desktop session, which means mode switches, broken layouts, portal prompts, and post-session cleanup become your problem. Polaris launches games into a private labwc Wayland compositor instead, so your KDE, GNOME, or wlroots session keeps its layout and display state. Mirror Desktop still exists when streaming the real desktop is what you actually want.
Q04Is Polaris a fork of Sunshine?
Polaris shares the GameStream protocol lineage, which is why standard Moonlight clients work unchanged. The Linux host model — the private runtime, capture-path reporting, input isolation, and session cleanup — is where it diverges, and that is the part worth evaluating.
Try it without burning your setup down.
Stop one host, install the other, pair the client you already own. If you prefer what you had, reversing it is one command.