Open-source software in Malbec
Last updated: [OWNER: the date of the release this page describes]
Malbec’s app is closed source. The engine it uses to run Windows games is open source: Wine and DXMT with changes from the Recall project and from us. This page lists every open-source part Malbec ships and where to get its source code.
Source code
The complete corresponding source for every engine Malbec ships is on the source page, and on the same server as the app itself (downloads.malbec.app/source/). Each archive holds the upstream sources exactly as our build used them, Recall’s build scripts and patches, our patches and build scripts, an inventory with checksums, and instructions to rebuild the engine and use your own build with Malbec. We keep each archive available for at least three years after the last Malbec release that shipped that engine.
The archives are also mirrored at [OWNER: URL of the public malbec-engine repository on GitHub, once created]. To ask for the source in another way, write to support@malbec.app.
The engine
Malbec’s engine ships inside the app and is installed into Malbec’s data folder. Its license texts are in the app and in the engine’s licenses folder.
| Component | What it is | License |
|---|---|---|
| Wine, from CodeWeavers’ CrossOver 26.3.0 sources | Runs Windows programs on macOS | GNU LGPL 2.1 or later |
| DXMT by Feifan He, from NerRobDog’s fork at a pinned commit | Turns DirectX 10 and 11 into Metal | GNU LGPL 2.1 or later |
| DirectX headers from the MinGW-w64 project (part of DXMT’s source) | Headers used to build DXMT | MinGW-w64 license (see its COPYING) |
| Soju’s runtime recipe | Its ncrypt patch is applied to Wine | GNU GPL 3.0 |
| Wine Mono 10.4.1 | .NET support for Windows programs | Several licenses (see its COPYING); full source included |
| FreeType 2.13.3 | Font rendering | FreeType License |
| GnuTLS 3.8.13 | Secure connections for Windows programs | GNU LGPL 2.1 or later |
| Nettle 3.10.2 | Cryptography used by GnuTLS | GNU LGPL 3.0 or later, or GNU GPL 2.0 or later |
| GMP | Arithmetic used by GnuTLS | GNU LGPL 3.0 or later, or GNU GPL 2.0 or later |
| libinotify-kqueue | File change notices | MIT License |
| SDL2 2.32.10 | Game controllers | zlib License |
| MoltenVK 1.2.9 | Vulkan on Metal | Apache License 2.0 |
| pkgconf 2.5.1 | Build tool; its notice ships with the engine | ISC-style license |
| LLVM-MinGW and the MinGW-w64 runtime | Compiler runtime inside the engine’s Windows libraries | Apache License 2.0 with LLVM Exceptions; MinGW-w64 license |
| LLVM 15 runtime parts | Compiler runtime inside the engine’s Mac libraries | Apache License 2.0 with LLVM Exceptions |
| Recall’s build scripts, patches and configuration (Recall 1.2.0) | How the engine is patched and assembled | Apache License 2.0 with NOTICE (releases through 1.0: MIT) |
| Our changes: Wine patches, changes to Recall’s build scripts, our build scripts | Fixes and the build | Wine patches under Wine’s license (LGPL 2.1 or later); [OWNER: license for our build scripts, for example Apache License 2.0] |
FreeType asks for this line: Portions of this software are copyright © The FreeType Project (www.freetype.org). All rights reserved.
Nothing in Malbec’s terms limits the rights these licenses give you. You may modify the LGPL libraries, build them yourself and use your build with Malbec; the README in each source archive explains how.
Helpers inside the app
Malbec’s app contains four small helper programs that prepare game shaders: ow2-pipeline, pipeline-prepare, pipeline-warm and libpipeline_prepare.dylib. They are built from Recall’s source code (Apache License 2.0) and DXMT’s source code (GNU LGPL 2.1 or later). Release builds use helpers we build ourselves from those published sources, and their source is in the engine’s source archive.
Inside Malbec’s own app
| Component | What it is | License |
|---|---|---|
| Sparkle 2.10.0 | Software updates | MIT License |
| AreWeAntiCheatYet games list | Anti-cheat facts behind Malbec’s Won’t run labels | MIT License |
| Code adapted from Recall | Moving Malbec to the Applications folder (AppLocation.swift, modified by Malbec); parts of the launch steps for Overwatch, which follow Recall’s | Apache License 2.0 (Recall 1.1 and later), MIT License (Recall through 1.0) |
Recall
Malbec includes work from Recall by Joshua Asher Nelson (https://github.com/AsherJN/recall), used under the Apache License 2.0, and under the MIT License for code from Recall releases through 1.0. Files we changed carry a note that Malbec modified them. Recall’s NOTICE file, reproduced as Apache License 2.0 section 4(d) requires:
Recall
Copyright 2026 Joshua Asher Nelson
Originally created by Joshua Asher Nelson.
Original project: https://github.com/AsherJN/recallNot included
Malbec never includes Apple’s D3DMetal or any other part of Apple’s Game Porting Toolkit; its license doesn’t allow that. Rosetta 2, Metal and the other system parts Malbec uses come with macOS.
Fonts
Malbec’s app uses the fonts that come with macOS. Our website uses Malbec Serif, a subset of Source Serif 4 by Adobe, under the SIL Open Font License 1.1 (license).