Inspect the file
Read architecture, imports, manifests, version data, .NET requirements, DirectX signals, and AppX/MSIX metadata without launching it.
Open source · Linux · v1.0
Run Windows apps on Linux with less trial and error.
RunEXE is a native Linux frontend for Wine and Proton. It inspects Windows executables before launch, explains likely requirements, chooses a runtime, and keeps each app in its own managed environment.
Quick install
User install · no sudo
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CDJuaum/RunEXE/main/install.sh | sh
No account. No analytics. No bundled Wine build. Your Windows apps and RunEXE state stay on your machine.
Desktop
Qt Quick / QML
CLI included
BackendsWine + Proton
PackagesEXE · AppX · MSIX
Linux packagesDEB · RPM · Arch
LicenseLGPL-2.1
01 / Workflow
Before you double-click
RunEXE turns an unknown Windows app into a launch plan.
Wine can run a lot of Windows software, but getting from “I have an EXE” to the right prefix, runtime, dependencies, and graphics path is often the hard part. RunEXE puts those decisions in one place and keeps them inspectable.
Match the host
Check Wine, Proton, Winetricks, Vulkan, GPU readiness, Qt libraries, and the current Linux distribution before setup begins.
Choose a runtime
Prefer Wine for regular desktop apps and Proton for games when that makes sense, while keeping every choice manually overrideable.
Launch in isolation
Create or reuse a per-app environment, install known dependencies when requested, and keep launch presets and backups scoped to that app.
Readable diagnostics
Compatibility information you can act on.
RunEXE does not claim to predict whether every Windows program will work. It shows the evidence it can observe locally and tells you what changed the recommendation.
See CLI examplesrunexe analyze paintdotnet.exeread-only
ApplicationPaint.NET installer
Architecturex86_64
BackendWine
WindowsWindows 11 profile
Dependency.NET Framework 4.7.2
GraphicsDirect2D / Vulkan checked
Actionable compatibility report ready
02 / Capabilities
Built around real Linux workflows
A frontend for the messy parts around Wine and Proton.
The desktop app and CLI share the same backend services, so analysis, runtime selection, environments, backups, and diagnostics behave consistently whichever interface you prefer.
Understand the executable before running it.
Bounded PE parsing, imports, manifests, version information, architecture, .NET detection, anti-cheat signals, AppX/MSIX inspection, and JSON output for automation.
PE metadata.NET / CLRDirectXAppX/MSIX
Wine or Proton, with reasons.
Discover installed runtimes, prefer a sensible backend, select Proton builds, or install a managed GE-Proton release without root.
One app, one managed setup.
Per-app prefixes and compat data, saved launch choices, disk usage, native Wine tools, guarded cleanup, and restorable backups.
See the DirectX path.
Probe Vulkan readiness, GPU vendors, DXVK state, likely DirectX translation, and optional diagnostic tuning for Proton.
Keep failures debuggable.
Live process output, host diagnostics, completion notifications, activity history, and exportable JSON support reports.
03 / Positioning
What RunEXE is for
Use it when you want control without rebuilding the same Wine setup by hand.
TaskRunEXE approach
Run a random EXEAnalyze first, then build a launch plan
Choose Wine vs ProtonAutomatic recommendation with explicit override
Keep prefixes tidyStable per-application managed environments
Install common Windows runtimesKnown Winetricks dependencies can be provisioned
Debug a failureHost checks, live logs, graphics readiness, support export
04 / Install
RunEXE 1.0
Install it the way your Linux distribution expects.
Official x86-64 desktop releases bundle RunEXE, Python, and Qt. Wine, Proton, graphics drivers, and the host display stack stay native to your system.
A
Arch Linux / Manjaropacman package · .pkg.tar.zst
D
Debian / Ubuntu / Kalinative package · .deb
F
Fedora / RPM systemsnative package · .rpm
P
Portable Linuxglibc desktop / musl CLI · .tar.gz
Need the details? The README covers package choices and the full installation guide documents distro prerequisites, Wayland/X11, pipx, and custom runtime paths.
05 / FAQ
Common questions
Before you install.
Does RunEXE replace Wine or Proton?
No. RunEXE is a frontend and management layer. It analyzes the Windows software, discovers or installs compatible runtimes, prepares isolated environments, and launches through Wine or Proton.
Can RunEXE run any Windows EXE on Linux?
No compatibility frontend can guarantee that. Windows APIs, drivers, anti-cheat, DRM, GPU support, and application-specific assumptions still matter. RunEXE aims to make the local compatibility evidence and failure path clearer.
Does analysis run the executable?
No. runexe analyze performs bounded, read-only inspection and can run without Wine. Launching or preparing an environment is a separate action.
What Linux distributions are supported?
Official desktop packages target x86-64 Arch, Debian/Ubuntu-family systems, Fedora/RPM systems, and portable glibc Linux. The CLI also has a musl build for Alpine. RunEXE understands additional package-manager families for host guidance.
Is RunEXE a sandbox?
No. Wine and Proton are compatibility layers, not security sandboxes. Only run software you trust, and use a VM or dedicated sandbox for untrusted executables.
Built in the open
Open-source Windows compatibility tooling for Linux.
RunEXE is LGPL-2.1 licensed. The source, release workflow, compatibility logic, and issue tracker are public, and the project does not require an account or send local application state to this website.