sbox-public README

The project's README from github.com/Facepunch/sbox-public. As one markdown file: README.md.

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Website | Getting Started | Forums | Documentation | Contributing

s&box

s&box is a modern game engine, built on Valve's Source 2 and the latest .NET technology, it provides a modern intuitive editor for creating games.

s&box editor

If your goal is to create games using s&box, please start with the getting started guide. This repository is for building the engine from source for those who want to contribute to the development of the engine.

Getting the Engine

Steam

You can download and install the s&box editor directly from Steam.

Compiling from Source

If you want to build from source, this repository includes all the necessary files to compile the engine yourself.

Prerequisites

Building

# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/Facepunch/sbox-public.git

Once you've cloned the repo simply run Bootstrap.bat which will download dependencies and build the engine.

The game and editor can be run from the binaries in the game folder.

Contributing

If you would like to contribute to the engine, please see the contributing guide.

If you want to report bugs or request new features, see sbox-issues.

Documentation

Full documentation, tutorials, and API references are available at sbox.game/dev/.

License

The s&box engine source code is licensed under the MIT License.

Certain native binaries in game/bin are not covered by the MIT license. These binaries are distributed under the s&box EULA. You must agree to the terms of the EULA to use them.

This project includes third-party components that are separately licensed. Those components are not covered by the MIT license above and remain subject to their original licenses as indicated in game/thirdpartylegalnotices.

sbox-public (Facepunch/sbox-public)

visual-studio
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6.5K ·GitHub
Sbox-public
What is this?s&box is a modern game engine built on Valve's Source 2 technology and the latest .NET, with an editor for creating games. This specific repo is the engine's source code, meant for people who want to build or contribute to the engine itself.
What do I need installed before I can compile it?You need Git, Visual Studio 2026, and the .NET 10 SDK installed.
Is there an easier way to just use s&box without compiling it myself?Yes — most people should skip this repo entirely and just download the s&box editor directly from Steam rather than build from source.
Can I build this engine on Mac or Linux, or is it Windows-only?The build process relies on Visual Studio 2026 and a Bootstrap.bat script, both Windows-specific tools, and no other OS is mentioned, so building from source is effectively Windows-only.
Is the whole engine covered by one open license?The engine source code itself is MIT licensed, but certain native binaries in game/bin fall under a separate s&box EULA you must agree to, and some third-party components keep their own original licenses.
What underlying tech actually powers s&box?It combines Valve's Source 2 engine with modern .NET technology, giving the editor Source 2's rendering and tooling foundation alongside a .NET-based scripting and game logic layer.
Where do I learn how to actually make games with s&box?Full documentation, tutorials, and API references for actually building games (rather than compiling the engine) live at sbox.game/dev, separate from this source repository.
What are similar projects?MonoGame, bgfx, ArcadeMaker, Chisel, BRUTAL, CircuitLordVRModInstaller, DaVinciResolve-likeColorGradePanel4UE, Hazel
Which topics is it in?visual-studio, engine, steam, game-engine, gamedev, native, rendering, game-development, dotnet, game, c#, csharp
Creator
Facepunch
Size
28.9 MB
Stars
6.5K
Updated
CommitOct 17
Age
10mo
Commits · 90 Days