Chimera GFX

Chimera GFX is an experimental, open-source graphics abstraction for native PlayStation 5 homebrew. It provides a small C11 API, a deterministic host backend, and disabled-by-default platform adapters so graphics code can be designed and tested without a console.

The project is useful today for:

• developing and testing renderer-independent code on a normal workstation;
• reviewing a capability-honest PS5 backend without enabling device actions;
• integrating the API boundary with SDL2 or RetroArch scaffolding; and
• reproducing the project's safety, provenance, and compatibility checks.

It is research software, not a finished PS5 graphics driver. There is no GNM renderer, shader compiler, GPU allocator, deployment command, automatic startup, or supported device-execution workflow in this repository.

Current status

Area	Status
Public C API	Implemented and versioned
Host mock backend	Implemented and covered by tests
PS5 capability probe	Compile-only and fail-closed by default
SDL2 / RetroArch adapters	Offline scaffolding; not a supported runtime
Hardware-accelerated rendering	Not implemented
Device deployment or execution	Intentionally absent

The default firmware identifier is NONE. A firmware allowlist permits an offline build only; it is not a compatibility claim or permission to transfer or execute an artifact. See SAFETY.md and FIRMWARE_COMPATIBILITY.md.

Build and test on a workstation

Requirements:

• CMake 3.21 or newer;
• Ninja;
• a C11 compiler; and
• Python 3.10 or newer.

cmake --preset host-debug
cmake --build --preset host-debug
ctest --preset host-debug

The host build is deterministic and does not communicate with a console. Windows users can run the equivalent helper:

./tools/build-host.ps1

Use the API

Include the public header:

#include <chimera/gfx/chimera_gfx.h>

The API models contexts, capabilities, surfaces, textures, uploads, presents, errors, and ordered cleanup. Application code should query capabilities, validate every result, and destroy child resources before their context.

The mock backend is the supported starting point for application development. It performs host-memory state transitions only and produces no real graphics output. The public declarations and lifecycle rules live in include/chimera/gfx/chimera_gfx.h; the tests are executable usage examples.

Optional PS5 compile check

The locked public SDK reference and checksum are recorded in manifests/upstreams.lock.json. After placing that SDK in an ignored local workspace, a compile-only probe can be configured:

cmake -S . -B build-ps5 \
  -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE="$PS5_PAYLOAD_SDK/toolchain/prospero.cmake" \
  -DCHIMERA_GFX_BUILD_PS5_PROBE=ON
cmake --build build-ps5

Do not run the produced ELF. Building does not authorize transfer or execution, and the repository deliberately contains no deploy, upload, boot, or run target.

Repository map

• include/chimera/gfx/ — stable public API and adapter interfaces
• src/core/ — backend-independent validation and lifecycle logic
• src/backends/mock/ — deterministic host backend
• src/backends/ps5/ — fail-closed capability-probe implementation
• samples/ — disabled or host-reviewable examples
• adapters/ — SDL2 and RetroArch integration boundaries
• tests/ — host tests and policy checks
• manifests/ — upstream pins, provenance, and historical decisions
• docs/ — architecture decisions, research history, and safety evidence
• tools/ — reproducibility, validation, and audit helpers

For design context, read ARCHITECTURE.md. Contributors should start with CONTRIBUTING.md, and security reports should follow SECURITY.md.

Scope and safety

Chimera GFX accepts only public, redistributable technical information. Do not contribute proprietary SDK material, leaked headers or binaries, exploit code, DRM bypasses, firmware dumps, credentials, private network data, or copyrighted game content.

Historical manifests document why experimental paths are blocked. They are not instructions or active approvals. Every tracked execution authorization is consumed or false, and generated artifacts, device captures, SDK archives, and local operator records remain outside Git.

License

Chimera GFX is licensed under GPL-3.0-or-later. Third-party references and their license evidence are listed in THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md.