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php-steamworks

Native PHP extension providing access to the Steamworks SDK via a flat C API.

Requirements

• PHP 8.1+
• Steamworks SDK 1.65 (download from partner.steamgames.com) — see SDK compatibility
• macOS (arm64/x86_64), Linux (x86_64), or Windows (x86_64)

Installation

Via PIE (recommended)

PIE is the official PHP extension installer.

After installation, copy libsteam_api.dylib (macOS) or libsteam_api.so (Linux) from the SDK's redistributable_bin/ directory next to the built extension:

Note (Laravel Herd / custom PHP builds): If PIE fails to auto-install the .so due to a read-only filesystem, the build output still exists at ~/.pie/php*/vendor/hmennen90/php-steamworks/modules/steamworks.so. Copy it to your extension directory manually and use an absolute path in php.ini:

Manual build

1. Download the Steamworks SDK and extract it.

2. Build the extension:

3. Copy the Steam shared library next to the extension (see PIE section above).

4. Enable the extension in php.ini:

See INSTALL.md for detailed platform-specific instructions.

Quick Start

Available Functions

150 functions across 11 Steamworks interfaces. Full signatures with docblocks live in stubs/steamworks.php (IDE autocompletion).

Core

• steam_init(): bool
• steam_shutdown(): void
• steam_run_callbacks(): void — call every frame

User

• steam_user_get_steam_id(): int|false
• steam_user_is_logged_on(): bool
• steam_user_get_player_steam_level(): int|false
• steam_user_get_auth_session_ticket(): array|false
• steam_user_begin_auth_session(string $ticket, int $steam_id): int|false
• steam_user_end_auth_session(int $steam_id): bool
• steam_user_cancel_auth_ticket(int $handle): bool
• steam_user_get_auth_ticket_for_web_api(?string $identity = null): int|false
• steam_user_get_web_api_ticket_result(int $handle): ?array — null until the callback arrived

Friends

• steam_friends_get_name(): string|false
• steam_friends_set_rich_presence(string $key, ?string $value = null): bool
• steam_friends_activate_overlay(string $dialog): void
• steam_friends_activate_overlay_to_web_page(string $url, bool $modal = false): void
• steam_friends_get_persona_state(): int|false
• steam_friends_get_friend_count(int $flags = STEAM_FRIEND_FLAG_IMMEDIATE): int|false
• steam_friends_get_friend_by_index(int $index, int $flags = STEAM_FRIEND_FLAG_IMMEDIATE): int|false
• steam_friends_get_friend_relationship(int $steam_id): int|false
• steam_friends_get_friend_persona_state(int $steam_id): int|false
• steam_friends_get_friend_persona_name(int $steam_id): string|false
• steam_friends_request_user_information(int $steam_id, bool $name_only = false): bool
• steam_friends_get_friend_avatar(int $steam_id, int $size = STEAM_AVATAR_MEDIUM): ?array — RGBA pixels
• steam_friends_invite_user_to_game(int $friend_id, string $connect): bool — invite into the running game; the connect string (1–255 bytes) arrives at the friend's game
• steam_friends_activate_invite_dialog_connect_string(string $connect): bool — overlay invite dialog
• steam_friends_activate_overlay_invite_dialog(int $lobby): bool — overlay invite dialog for a lobby
• steam_friends_get_friend_rich_presence(int $friend_id, string $key): string|false — '' for a key not set
• steam_friends_get_friend_game_played(int $friend_id): array|false — ['game_id', 'app_id', 'ip', 'port', 'query_port', 'lobby'], false if not in a game
• steam_friends_get_join_requests(): array — friends who accepted an invite or clicked "Join": [['friend' => int, 'connect' => string], ...], drains the queue

Stats & Achievements

• steam_stats_set_achievement(string $id): bool
• steam_stats_clear_achievement(string $id): bool
• steam_stats_store(): bool
• steam_stats_get_int(string $name): int|false
• steam_stats_set_int(string $name, int $value): bool
• steam_stats_get_float(string $name): float|false
• steam_stats_set_float(string $name, float $value): bool
• steam_stats_indicate_achievement_progress(string $id, int $cur, int $max): bool
• steam_stats_get_achievement(string $id): ?bool
• steam_stats_get_achievement_unlock_time(string $id): ?int
• steam_stats_get_num_achievements(): int|false
• steam_stats_get_achievement_name(int $index): string|false
• steam_stats_get_achievement_display_attribute(string $id, string $key): string|false
• steam_stats_reset_all_stats(bool $achievements_too = false): bool

Leaderboards (async — see below)

• steam_stats_find_leaderboard(string $name): int|false
• steam_stats_find_or_create_leaderboard(string $name, int $sort, int $display): int|false
• steam_stats_upload_score(int $leaderboard, int $score, int $method = STEAM_LEADERBOARD_UPLOAD_KEEP_BEST, ?array $details = null): int|false — $details = optional int[] game-specific values stored with the score (max STEAM_LEADERBOARD_DETAILS_MAX = 64)
• steam_stats_download_leaderboard_entries(int $leaderboard, int $request, int $start, int $end): int|false
• steam_stats_get_downloaded_entry(int $entries, int $index): ?array — returns ['steam_id' => int, 'global_rank' => int, 'score' => int, 'details' => int[], 'ugc' => int]; ugc is the attached file, STEAM_UGC_HANDLE_INVALID if none
• steam_stats_get_leaderboard_entry_count(int $leaderboard): int
• steam_stats_attach_leaderboard_ugc(int $leaderboard, int $ugc): int|false — attach a shared file to your own entry (upload a score first) → leaderboard_ugc_set

Async CallResults

• steam_get_call_result(int $handle): array|false|null — poll the result of an async call (null = pending, false = failed, array = result with a type field)

Remote Storage (Cloud Saves)

• steam_remote_file_write(string $filename, string $data): bool
• steam_remote_file_read(string $filename): string|false
• steam_remote_file_exists(string $filename): bool
• steam_remote_file_delete(string $filename): bool
• steam_remote_file_list(): array|false

Shared files (Remote Storage UGC)

A cloud file shared with steam_remote_file_share gets a UGC handle that can be attached to a leaderboard entry; anyone who downloads the entry can fetch the file.

• steam_remote_file_share(string $filename): int|false — async → remote_file_shared with ugc
• steam_remote_ugc_download(int $ugc, int $priority = 0): int|false — async → remote_ugc_downloaded with size, name, owner
• steam_remote_ugc_read(int $ugc, int $size, int $offset = 0): string|false
• steam_remote_get_ugc_details(int $ugc): array|false — ['app_id', 'name', 'size', 'owner'], after the download completed

Apps

• steam_apps_is_subscribed(): bool
• steam_apps_is_dlc_installed(int $dlc_id): bool
• steam_apps_get_app_id(): int|false
• steam_apps_get_language(): string|false
• steam_apps_is_subscribed_app(int $app_id): bool
• steam_apps_get_current_beta_name(): string|false
• steam_apps_get_earliest_purchase_time(int $app_id): int|false
• steam_apps_get_installed_depots(int $app_id): array|false
• steam_apps_get_dlc_count(): int|false
• steam_apps_get_app_build_id(): int|false
• steam_apps_get_launch_command_line(): string|false — the line Steam started the game with, e.g. after an accepted invite

Utils

• steam_utils_get_app_id(): int|false
• steam_utils_is_overlay_enabled(): bool
• steam_utils_get_country_code(): string|false
• steam_utils_is_steam_deck(): bool — deprecated since SDK 1.65, see below
• steam_utils_get_hardware_type(): int|false — STEAM_HARDWARE_TYPE_*
• steam_utils_get_hardware_default_config(): int|false — STEAM_HARDWARE_CONFIG_*
• steam_utils_is_running_under_proton(): bool
• steam_utils_get_steam_ui_language(): string|false
• steam_utils_get_server_real_time(): int|false
• steam_utils_get_current_battery_power(): int|false — 0–100 %, 255 = on AC power
• steam_utils_get_seconds_since_app_active(): int|false

Timeline (Game Recording)

Annotate the Steam Game Recording timeline. Most calls are fire-and-forget (bool); the two does_*_recording_exist calls are async (return a handle — poll steam_get_call_result). Verified against Steamworks SDK 1.65 (STEAMTIMELINE_INTERFACE_V004).

• steam_timeline_set_game_mode(int $mode): bool — STEAM_TIMELINE_GAME_MODE_*
• steam_timeline_set_tooltip(string $description, float $time_delta = 0.0): bool
• steam_timeline_clear_tooltip(float $time_delta = 0.0): bool
• steam_timeline_add_instantaneous_event(string $title, string $description, string $icon, int $icon_priority = 0, float $start_offset_seconds = 0.0, int $possible_clip = STEAM_TIMELINE_CLIP_PRIORITY_NONE): int
• steam_timeline_add_range_event(string $title, string $description, string $icon, int $icon_priority = 0, float $start_offset_seconds = 0.0, float $duration_seconds = 0.0, int $possible_clip = STEAM_TIMELINE_CLIP_PRIORITY_NONE): int
• steam_timeline_start_range_event(...): int / steam_timeline_update_range_event(int $event, ...): bool / steam_timeline_end_range_event(int $event, float $end_offset_seconds = 0.0): bool
• steam_timeline_remove_event(int $event): bool
• steam_timeline_does_event_recording_exist(int $event): int|false — async (type = timeline_event_recording_exists)
• steam_timeline_start_game_phase(): bool / steam_timeline_end_game_phase(): bool
• steam_timeline_set_game_phase_id(string $phase_id): bool
• steam_timeline_does_game_phase_recording_exist(string $phase_id): int|false — async (type = timeline_game_phase_recording_exists)
• steam_timeline_add_game_phase_tag(string $tag_name, string $tag_icon, string $tag_group, int $priority = 0): bool
• steam_timeline_set_game_phase_attribute(string $attribute_group, string $attribute_value, int $priority = 0): bool
• steam_timeline_open_overlay_to_game_phase(string $phase_id): bool / steam_timeline_open_overlay_to_event(int $event): bool

Workshop (UGC)

Subscribe/unsubscribe, create, submit and delete are async (poll steam_get_call_result).

• steam_ugc_subscribe_item(int $file_id): int|false / steam_ugc_unsubscribe_item(int $file_id): int|false
• steam_ugc_get_num_subscribed_items(bool $include_locally_disabled = false): int|false
• steam_ugc_get_subscribed_items(bool $include_locally_disabled = false): array|false
• steam_ugc_get_item_state(int $file_id): int|false
• steam_ugc_get_item_install_info(int $file_id): array|false
• steam_ugc_get_item_download_info(int $file_id): array|false
• steam_ugc_download_item(int $file_id, bool $high_priority = false): bool
• steam_ugc_create_item(int $app_id, int $file_type = STEAM_UGC_FILE_TYPE_COMMUNITY): int|false
• steam_ugc_start_item_update(int $app_id, int $file_id): int
• steam_ugc_set_item_title(int $handle, string $title): bool
• steam_ugc_set_item_description(int $handle, string $description): bool
• steam_ugc_set_item_visibility(int $handle, int $visibility): bool
• steam_ugc_set_item_content(int $handle, string $content_folder): bool
• steam_ugc_set_item_preview(int $handle, string $preview_file): bool
• steam_ugc_set_item_tags(int $handle, array $tags): bool
• steam_ugc_submit_item_update(int $handle, ?string $change_note = null): int|false
• steam_ugc_get_item_update_progress(int $handle): array
• steam_ugc_delete_item(int $file_id): int|false

Networking (P2P over the Steam relay)

• steam_net_init_relay_network_access(): bool
• steam_net_create_listen_socket_p2p(int $virtual_port = 0): int|false
• steam_net_connect_p2p(int $steam_id, int $virtual_port = 0): int|false
• steam_net_accept_connection(int $connection): int|false
• steam_net_close_connection(int $connection, int $reason = 0, ?string $debug = null, bool $linger = false): bool
• steam_net_send_message(int $connection, string $data, bool $reliable = true): int|false
• steam_net_receive_messages(int $connection, int $max = 32): array|false
• steam_net_get_connection_events(): array — connection state changes since the last call; listen_socket names the socket an incoming connection arrived on (0 for outgoing)
• steam_net_close_listen_socket(int $socket): bool
• steam_net_create_poll_group(): int|false / steam_net_destroy_poll_group(int $group): bool
• steam_net_set_connection_poll_group(int $connection, int $group): bool
• steam_net_receive_messages_on_poll_group(int $group, int $max = 32): array|false — all connections of a group in one call
• steam_net_get_connection_status(int $connection): array|false — ping, quality_local/quality_remote (0–1), byte and packet rates, pending bytes, queue time

Lobbies (Matchmaking)

Creating and joining are async (poll steam_get_call_result → lobby_created / lobby_entered); everything that happens in the lobby afterwards arrives through steam_matchmaking_get_events().

• steam_matchmaking_create_lobby(int $type, int $max_members): int|false — STEAM_LOBBYTYPE*
• steam_matchmaking_join_lobby(int $lobby): int|false / steam_matchmaking_leave_lobby(int $lobby): bool
• steam_matchmaking_invite_user_to_lobby(int $lobby, int $user): bool
• steam_matchmaking_get_num_lobby_members(int $lobby): int|false / steam_matchmaking_get_lobby_member_by_index(int $lobby, int $index): int|false
• steam_matchmaking_get_lobby_owner(int $lobby): int|false / steam_matchmaking_set_lobby_owner(int $lobby, int $owner): bool
• steam_matchmaking_get_lobby_data(int $lobby, string $key): string|false / steam_matchmaking_set_lobby_data(int $lobby, string $key, string $value): bool — keys up to 255 characters, values under 8192 bytes
• steam_matchmaking_get_lobby_member_data(int $lobby, int $user, string $key): string|false / steam_matchmaking_set_lobby_member_data(int $lobby, string $key, string $value): bool
• steam_matchmaking_set_lobby_joinable(int $lobby, bool $joinable): bool / steam_matchmaking_set_lobby_type(int $lobby, int $type): bool
• steam_matchmaking_send_lobby_chat_msg(int $lobby, string $message): bool — 1–4096 bytes, binary-safe
• steam_matchmaking_get_events(): array — in arrival order, drains the queue: join_requested (lobby, friend), data_update (lobby, member, success), chat_update (lobby, user, changed_by, state = STEAM_CHAT_MEMBERSTATE* bits), chat_message (lobby, user, entry_type, message)

Leaderboards & async calls

Leaderboard calls (and other SteamAPICall_t-based APIs) are asynchronous: they return an integer handle. Poll steam_get_call_result($handle) each frame until it stops returning null:

See examples/leaderboard.php for a full round-trip.

Constants

• Sort: STEAM_LEADERBOARD_SORT_ASCENDING, STEAM_LEADERBOARD_SORT_DESCENDING
• Display: STEAM_LEADERBOARD_DISPLAY_NUMERIC, STEAM_LEADERBOARD_DISPLAY_TIME_SECONDS, STEAM_LEADERBOARD_DISPLAY_TIME_MILLISECONDS
• Upload: STEAM_LEADERBOARD_UPLOAD_KEEP_BEST, STEAM_LEADERBOARD_UPLOAD_FORCE_UPDATE
• Download: STEAM_LEADERBOARD_DATA_GLOBAL, STEAM_LEADERBOARD_DATA_GLOBAL_AROUND_USER, STEAM_LEADERBOARD_DATA_FRIENDS
• Hardware type: STEAM_HARDWARE_TYPE_NONE, STEAM_HARDWARE_TYPE_STEAM_DECK, STEAM_HARDWARE_TYPE_STEAM_MACHINE, STEAM_HARDWARE_TYPE_STEAM_FRAME
• Hardware preset: STEAM_HARDWARE_CONFIG_NONE, ..._LOW, ..._MEDIUM, ..._HIGH, ..._MAX, ..._STEAM_DECK, ..._STEAM_MACHINE, ..._STEAM_FRAME
• Shared files: STEAM_UGC_HANDLE_INVALID (-1, a leaderboard entry without an attached file)
• Lobby type: STEAM_LOBBY_TYPE_PRIVATE, ..._FRIENDS_ONLY, ..._PUBLIC, ..._INVISIBLE, ..._PRIVATE_UNIQUE
• Lobby member change (bits): STEAM_CHAT_MEMBER_STATE_ENTERED, ..._LEFT, ..._DISCONNECTED, ..._KICKED, ..._BANNED
• Lobby entry and chat: STEAM_CHAT_ROOM_ENTER_SUCCESS, STEAM_CHAT_ENTRY_TYPE_CHAT_MSG

SDK compatibility

Built and verified against Steamworks SDK 1.65, which is the minimum: the 1.65-only ISteamUtils calls are link-time dependencies. sdk/redistributable_bin/ already ships the matching Steam runtime libraries, so a default build needs no extra download.

Steam interfaces are resolved by version string at runtime rather than through the SDK's versioned SteamAPI_Steam*_vNNN() accessor symbols. Those accessors are version-locked link-time symbols, so every SDK release that bumps an interface breaks the build outright — SDK 1.65 removed SteamAPI_SteamUtils_v010. With the runtime lookup, an interface bump is a one-line change to a version table instead.

Old Steam clients

Where it is safe, an older interface version is accepted as a deprecated fallback; using one raises E_DEPRECATED once per process.

A fallback is only safe when the older interface has the same vtable layout: the flat SteamAPI_ISteamX_* functions inside libsteam_api call fixed vtable slots. SDK 1.65 removed two methods from the middle of ISteamUtils, so SteamUtils010 is not layout-compatible and is deliberately not accepted. A Steam client that offers only the old interface gets a clear E_WARNING ("the Steam client is older than this build") and a false return, rather than a call into the wrong vtable slot.

Since Steam clients update themselves, this only affects clients that have not run in a long time.

Deprecated functions

steam_utils_is_steam_deck() still works — it is now implemented on IsRunningOnSteamHardware() — but SDK 1.65 removed the underlying IsRunningOnSteamDeck() call, and it raises E_DEPRECATED. Valve's guidance is to avoid device checks entirely: use steam_utils_get_hardware_default_config() for graphics defaults, or a capability-specific query, so the game keeps behaving correctly on Steam hardware that did not exist when it shipped. Use steam_utils_get_hardware_type() only for analytics and diagnostics.

License

MIT