> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.otter-shell.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# otter-bench

> Desktop app for Otter HUD layouts, telemetry, benchmarks, and session reports. Install with otter-gaming-utils.

Otter Bench is the desktop front end for Otter HUD and the benchmarking suite. Edit overlay layouts against a live preview that uses the same draw stream as the in-game HUD. Browse recorded sessions, run benchmark plans, and launch games with the HUD attached.

It is **not** part of `otter-shell`. Install the gaming metapackage:

```bash theme={null}
pikman install otter-gaming-utils
```

That pulls `otter-bench`, `otter-benchd`, `otter-benchctl`, `otter-hud`, and `otter-bench-hardwared`. Packaging lives in [otter-gaming-utils](https://git.pika-os.com/otter-shell/otter-gaming-utils).

## Packages

| Package                 | Role                                                   |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| `otter-bench`           | Desktop app, `.desktop` entry, icons                   |
| `otter-benchd`          | Per-user metrics and session daemon (socket-activated) |
| `otter-benchctl`        | CLI for config, capture, benchmarks, reports           |
| `otter-hud`             | Vulkan layer, OpenGL hook, and `otter-hud` launcher    |
| `otter-bench-hardwared` | Optional privileged hardware helper (polkit)           |

`otter-bench` depends on the daemon, CLI, and HUD. The hardware helper is recommended; without it, those readings show as unavailable instead of zero.

<Note>
  **`otter-benchd` must be running** for full use of the desktop app, [otter-benchctl](/apps/otter-benchctl), and [otter-hud](/apps/otter-hud). The daemon owns metrics, layouts, captures, and sessions. Without it, the GUI and CLI cannot do useful work, and the in-game HUD only shows a diagnostic banner.
</Note>

## Launch

```bash theme={null}
otter-bench
```

Or open **Otter Bench** from [otter-launcher](/desktop/otter-launcher). `otter-benchd` is socket-activated through its user systemd unit — starting the app or CLI usually brings it up. Check with `otter-benchctl status` or `systemctl --user status otter-benchd`.

Game lists show Steam artwork from the local Steam cache. Nothing in this package contacts the network.

## What you can do

Edit HUD layouts with a live preview that uses the same scene compiler as the injected overlay. Import MangoHud configs through a review wizard — nothing is dropped silently. Set collection profiles and per-game launch overrides, arm captures, run benchmark plans, and browse sessions.

Reports and offline upload bundles stay on disk. There is no network upload client.

Display smoothing (`style_smoothing`) only changes what the OSD draws. Captures and analysis always see raw samples.

## Configuration

Configs live under `~/.config/otter-shell/`:

```
otter-bench.conf                 UI, daemon, storage, privacy defaults
otter-hud.conf                   injection, renderer, default layout
otter-hud/layouts/*.conf         widget trees and styling
otter-bench/collection/*.conf    metrics, sampling, retention
otter-bench/profiles/*.conf      per-game bindings and launch overrides
otter-bench/benchmarks/*.conf    warm-up, measured region, repetitions
```

Unknown and duplicate keys are **errors** here (unlike most Otter Shell apps). A typo in a benchmark plan should fail loudly.

## Related

* [otter-hud](/apps/otter-hud) — inject the overlay into a game
* [otter-benchctl](/apps/otter-benchctl) — drive the suite from a terminal
* [Installation](/installation) — metapackage contents