Installation

PyPI (Recommended)

uv tool install rdc-cli    # or: pipx install rdc-cli

This installs the rdc command. You still need the renderdoc Python module for local replay (see bootstrap commands below).

AUR (Arch Linux)

The AUR packages build the renderdoc Python module automatically, so no extra setup is needed. 

# Recommended: tracks latest master
yay -S rdc-cli-git

# or stable: tracks tagged releases
yay -S rdc-cli

From Source

git clone https://github.com/BANANASJIM/rdc-cli.git
cd rdc-cli
pixi install && pixi run sync
pixi run setup-renderdoc

Platform Support

Platform Local capture/replay Split client
Linux Supported Supported
macOS Not supported yet Supported (recommended)
Windows Supported Supported

macOS Split Mode

Local replay on macOS is not supported right now. Use macOS as a Split client and run replay on a Linux/Windows daemon. 

# On Linux/Windows replay host
rdc open /tmp/frame.rdc --listen 0.0.0.0:54321

# On macOS client
rdc open --connect host:54321 --token TOKEN

Windows Notes

  • Windows 10/11 64-bit
  • Python minor version must match renderdoc .pyd
  • Visual Studio 2022 Build Tools with C++ workload

RenderDoc Python Module

rdc requires the renderdoc Python module (renderdoc.cpython-*.so), which is not included in most system packages. Your Python version must match the one used to compile renderdoc.

Bootstrap (Recommended)

After installing rdc-cli, build the renderdoc Python module: 

rdc setup-renderdoc

Building Manually

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/baldurk/renderdoc.git
cd renderdoc
cmake -B build -DENABLE_PYRENDERDOC=ON -DENABLE_QRENDERDOC=OFF
cmake --build build -j$(nproc)
export RENDERDOC_PYTHON_PATH=$PWD/build/lib

Module Discovery

rdc-cli searches for the renderdoc module in this order:

  1. RENDERDOC_PYTHON_PATH environment variable
  2. macOS: ~/.local/renderdoc, /opt/homebrew/opt/renderdoc/lib, /usr/local/opt/renderdoc/lib
  3. Windows: C:\Program Files\RenderDoc, %LOCALAPPDATA%\renderdoc, %LOCALAPPDATA%\rdc\renderdoc
  4. Linux: /usr/lib/renderdoc, /usr/local/lib/renderdoc
  5. Sibling directory of renderdoccmd on PATH

Verification

rdc doctor

This checks renderdoc module availability, Python version compatibility, and system configuration.

Shell Completions

# Bash
rdc completion bash > ~/.local/share/bash-completion/completions/rdc

# Zsh
rdc completion zsh > ~/.zfunc/_rdc

# Fish
rdc completion fish > ~/.config/fish/completions/rdc.fish