# ValveSoftware/openvr

OpenVR SDK

Repository: https://github.com/ValveSoftware/openvr
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/openvr
Homepage: http://steamvr.com
Language: C++
License: BSD-3-Clause
License Family: permissive
Topics: steamvr, sdk, vr, openvr-sdk, steamvr-plugin, hardware
Last push: 2026-03-27T22:08:42+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 69/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 74, release rhythm 45, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 4153, "days_push": 159, "days_rel": 159, "gap_med": 219, "n_releases_24m": 2}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 6642, forks 1312 (observed 2026-08-28T04:09:45.916743+00:00)

## What it is
The OpenVR SDK provides the API, headers, and samples for accessing VR hardware from multiple vendors through SteamVR without hardware-specific code. It includes both the Application API for VR apps and the Driver API for hardware vendors.

## Use cases
- build a VR application that works across headsets
- develop a SteamVR plugin for custom VR hardware
- access VR controller and headset tracking data
- create VR games for Valve Index and HTC Vive
- write a VR device driver for SteamVR

## When to choose
- you need vendor-agnostic VR hardware access via SteamVR
- you are building VR apps or drivers targeting SteamVR
- you want a stable, well-supported C++ VR API

## When to avoid
- you target standalone mobile VR headsets outside SteamVR
- you need OpenXR specifically instead of the OpenVR API
- you want a high-level game engine rather than an SDK

## Facets
- artifact type: library
- maturity: stable
- function: sdk, graphics, simulation
- domain: gaming-tools, hardware, developer-tools
- platform: windows, cpp, cross-platform
- tags: vr, openvr, steamvr, virtual-reality, headset, hmd, game-engine-plugin, linux

## Member repositories
- ValveSoftware/openvr (main) score 69

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:45.916743+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-29T17:43:11.692176+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/ValveSoftware/openvr (fetched 2026-08-28T04:09:45.916743+00:00, sha 98a55d4a07a8)
  - homepage: http://steamvr.com (fetched 2026-08-29T08:39:29.964916+00:00, sha 4a4e4c910da3)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.