Glossary

Find definitions of the terms this documentation uses:

• Steam: Valve's platform for distributing Windows, macOS, and Linux applications and games to users. Steam includes the servers that run the platform.
• Steam client: A desktop application that users run to buy, manage, and launch published applications and games on the Steam platform. Client applications need the Steam client to run while game servers don't need it.
• Steamworks: Valve's set of tools and services for developers who want to develop and publish their applications and games on the Steam platform.
• Steamworks SDK: Valve's C++ SDK for building applications and games on the Steam platform. The SDK contains headers, steam_api libraries, and the steam_api.json file.
• Steamworks API: Valve's C API in the Steamworks SDK. Your application calls it for initialization, callbacks, call results, and the client and game-server pipes.
• Steamworks API package: A Unity C# wrapper for the Steamworks SDK. The package doesn't ship Valve's compiled libraries. You must download those separately.