Glossary
Gaming tech terms, explained simply.
Short, plain-language definitions so you can follow our gaming and graphics articles without any background knowledge.
- Binary translation
- Turning a program's machine code (the 1s and 0s a processor runs) from one format or system into another, so it can run somewhere it was not built for.
- Example: Tools like Proton translate how Windows games talk to the system so they can run on Linux.
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- Compatibility layer
- Software that sits between a program and an operating system and translates requests, so the program runs without a full emulator.
- Example: Wine and Proton are compatibility layers for running Windows software on Linux.
- Emulator
- A program that pretends to be a different machine, copying how its hardware behaves while a game or app runs. It is flexible but usually needs a lot of computing power.
- Example: A retro console emulator lets a PC act like an old game console.
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- Executable
- The file that actually starts a program. Windows uses .exe files; Linux and the PS5 use a format called ELF.
- Example: Double-clicking an .exe file on Windows launches the program.
- Frame rate (FPS)
- How many images per second a game shows. Higher numbers look smoother; 30 and 60 FPS are common targets.
- Example: A game running at 60 FPS draws 60 frames every second.
- GPU (graphics processing unit)
- The chip that draws images on screen. It does thousands of small calculations at the same time, which makes it ideal for graphics and AI.
- Example: A graphics card in a gaming PC contains a GPU.
- GPU shader decoding
- Reading a shader's compiled instructions and recognizing what each one means. It is the first step before a shader can be converted for different hardware. Recognizing an instruction does not guarantee it will behave correctly in every game.
- Example: AnyPS5 reached 100% decoding of the PS5 shader instructions it tracks, but games still need much more work.
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- Instruction set
- The list of basic commands a processor or GPU understands. Software must use commands from that list.
- Example: Most PCs and the PS5 processor both use the x86-64 instruction set.
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- Native
- Running directly on a system in its own format, without an emulator in between. Native software usually runs faster.
- Example: A native Windows game is built specifically for Windows.
- Open source
- Software whose code is public, so anyone can read it and, under its license, use, change and share it.
- Example: AnyPS5 is open source under the GPL v2.0 license.
- Port (PC port)
- A version of a game rebuilt by its developer or publisher to run on another platform.
- Example: Many PlayStation games later receive official PC ports.
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- Ray tracing
- A way of drawing light by simulating how light rays bounce around a scene. It creates realistic reflections and shadows but needs a lot of GPU power.
- Example: Puddles that mirror neon signs often use ray-traced reflections.
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- RDNA
- AMD's family of GPU designs. The PS5 uses a custom GPU based on RDNA 2.
- Example: Many AMD Radeon graphics cards are also based on RDNA designs.
- Relinker
- A tool that rewrites how an executable connects to the system libraries it needs, and changes its file format for a new system.
- Example: AnyPS5's relinker converts a PS5 executable into a Linux or Windows program.
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- Reverse engineering
- Studying how an existing product works, usually without its original design documents, by observing and analyzing it. Laws on reverse engineering vary by country and purpose, and it does not make copying or piracy legal.
- Example: Researchers study how a console's functions behave so they can write compatible versions.
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- Shader
- A small program that runs on the GPU to decide how surfaces look: color, light, shadows, reflections and effects.
- Example: A water shader makes a lake shimmer and reflect the sky.
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- Shader recompilation
- Converting a decoded shader into a format another GPU or graphics system understands.
- Example: Converting PS5 shaders into SPIR-V so a PC graphics card can run them through Vulkan.
- SPIR-V
- A standard, shared format for GPU programs, managed by the Khronos Group. Vulkan uses it so shaders can run on many brands of graphics card.
- Example: A shader compiled to SPIR-V can run on AMD, NVIDIA or Intel GPUs that support Vulkan.
- System library
- A shared set of ready-made functions that programs call for common jobs, such as playing sound, reading a controller, or using the network.
- Example: A game asks a sound library to play an explosion instead of writing its own audio code.
- System requirements
- The minimum and recommended hardware a developer says you need to run a PC game. Only the developer or publisher can publish official ones.
- Example: A requirements list might name a processor, graphics card, memory and storage space.
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- Vulkan
- A graphics API: a standard way for games to give instructions to a GPU. It works on Windows, Linux and other systems.
- Example: Many PC games and compatibility tools use Vulkan for graphics.
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These definitions are simplified for general readers and are not legal or technical advice. See our About page for how we work.