> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/dolphin-emu/dolphin/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction to Dolphin Emulator

> Dolphin is a high-performance emulator for GameCube and Wii games on Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android

Dolphin is an emulator for running GameCube and Wii games on Windows, Linux, macOS, and recent Android devices. It's licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License, version 2 or later (GPLv2+).

As an open-source project, Dolphin has been in active development for over a decade, bringing the best of Nintendo's GameCube and Wii era to modern platforms with enhanced graphics, performance, and features far beyond the original hardware.

## Key features

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="High compatibility" icon="check">
    Run thousands of GameCube and Wii titles with high accuracy and compatibility across multiple platforms
  </Card>

  <Card title="Enhanced graphics" icon="sparkles">
    Play games in HD resolutions with anti-aliasing, anisotropic filtering, and post-processing effects
  </Card>

  <Card title="Save states" icon="floppy-disk">
    Save and load your game progress at any point, with support for multiple save slots per game
  </Card>

  <Card title="Netplay" icon="network-wired">
    Play multiplayer games online with friends using Dolphin's built-in netplay functionality
  </Card>

  <Card title="Controller support" icon="gamepad">
    Use real GameCube controllers via adapters, modern controllers, or keyboard and mouse
  </Card>

  <Card title="Graphics mods" icon="palette">
    Apply custom textures, shaders, and graphics modifications to enhance your favorite games
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Supported platforms

Dolphin runs on multiple platforms with varying requirements:

* **Windows** - Windows 10 1903 or higher
* **Linux** - Most modern distributions
* **macOS** - macOS 11.0 Big Sur or higher
* **Android** - Android 5.0 Lollipop or higher with 64-bit support

<Note>
  Before using Dolphin, please read the [FAQ](https://dolphin-emu.org/docs/faq/) to understand the emulator's capabilities and legal usage.
</Note>

## Quick navigation

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Installation" icon="download" href="/installation">
    Download and install Dolphin on your platform of choice
  </Card>

  <Card title="Quick start guide" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart">
    Get your first game running in minutes
  </Card>

  <Card title="System requirements" icon="microchip" href="/system-requirements">
    Check if your system meets the requirements
  </Card>

  <Card title="Official website" icon="globe" href="https://dolphin-emu.org/">
    Visit the official Dolphin website for downloads and news
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Open source development

Dolphin is developed by a passionate community of contributors from around the world. The project is completely open source and hosted on [GitHub](https://github.com/dolphin-emu/dolphin).

<Warning>
  Dolphin does not condone or support piracy. You must own the games you play on Dolphin. The emulator does not come with any games or BIOS files.
</Warning>

## Available video backends

Dolphin supports multiple graphics rendering backends:

* **Vulkan** - Modern, cross-platform API with excellent performance
* **OpenGL** - Widely compatible across all platforms
* **Direct3D 11** - Windows-only, reliable performance
* **Direct3D 12** - Windows-only, modern API
* **Metal** - macOS-only, optimized for Apple hardware
* **Software Renderer** - CPU-based rendering for debugging purposes
* **Null** - No rendering, for testing purposes

## Audio emulation

Dolphin offers two audio emulation modes:

* **HLE (High Level Emulation)** - Faster but less accurate
* **LLE (Low Level Emulation)** - Slower but close to perfect accuracy with Interpreter and Recompiler submodes