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Install Otter Shell’s native PikaOS packages with pikman. They are built and versioned together in otter-zenith. Gaming tools ship from otter-gaming-utils. Otter Shell v0.13.0 uses otr 0.2.0 to build its native applications. You do not need a compiler to install or run the packages.

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System requirements

  • Otter Shell packages target PikaOS repositories.
  • You need a Wayland compositor that supports the protocols your apps use. The bar, launcher, and most overlays need zwlr_layer_shell_v1.
  • Apps ship as native binaries with their Otter libraries statically linked. You do not need otr or Zig on your desktop.
Otter Shell does not install a compositor. You pick and configure your own Wayland session. Hyprland, Sway, and Niri are common on PikaOS. The display manager (otter-greeter) uses Hyprland only for the login screen. Your user session compositor is separate.Screenshot and color-picker tools (otter-screenshot, otter-pick, otter-shot) need the compositor to expose ext_image_copy_capture_v1.

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Install with pikman

1

Update package lists

Refresh available packages:
2

Install Otter Shell

Install the desktop metapackage:
That installs the base desktop and its dependencies. It does not install every package built by zenith. See the exact metapackage dependencies below.For speech tools and Otter Assistant:
otter-shell-extras is separate from the base metapackage. Transcription, voice synthesis, Assistant, and their model packages are not dependencies of otter-shell.For Otter Bench and the in-game HUD:
This metapackage is separate from otter-shell. See otter-bench.
3

Install individual packages (optional)

For specific tools only:

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Metapackages

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Exact metapackage dependencies

Zenith’s debian/control defines these direct dependencies:
  • otter-shell-core: xdg-desktop-portal-otter, otter-bar, otter-launcher, otter-term, otter-wallpaper, otter-osd, otter-notifications, otter-polkit, otter-idle, otter-lock, otter-logout, otter-theme-gen, otter-search, otter-clip, otter-weather, otter-screenshot, otter-rec, otter-overview, otter-shell-fonts.
  • otter-shell: otter-shell-core, otter-files, otter-dock, otter-taskbar, otter-keybindhelp, otter-settings, otter-pkg, otter-monitor, otter-jade, otter-clicker, otter-shot, otter-cal, otter-calc, otter-emoji, otter-note, otter-pick, otter-timer, otter-greeter, otter-shell-plugins, otter-plugin-factory, otter-nightlight.
  • otter-shell-extras: otter-transcribe, otter-vox, otter-assist, otter-assistant, otter-assist-data, otter-assist-model, otter-transcribe-model, otter-vox-model.
Dependencies of those packages can pull in more packages. For example, otter-shell-plugins depends on otter-bluetooth-plugin, and the portal backend depends on otter-files and otter-pick. The core metapackage is not a strict exclusion list for desktop apps.

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Packages in otter-shell

Installed directly or transitively by pikman install otter-shell: Not in the base metapackage (install via otter-shell-extras): otter-transcribe, otter-vox, otter-assist, otter-assistant, otter-assist-data, otter-assist-model, otter-transcribe-model, and otter-vox-model. otter-browser, its engine packages, otter-installer, otter-first-setup, and otter-welcome exist in zenith but are not dependencies of these shell metapackages. otter-cue and otter-hypr are not standalone end-user packages in debian/control.

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Packages in otter-gaming-utils

Installed by pikman install otter-gaming-utils. Built from otter-gaming-utils, not otter-zenith. See otter-bench and otter-hud.

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Verify the installation

A terminal window should open on your Wayland session. Then follow Quick Start and Session setup to autostart shell daemons.