How does Polychromatic relate to OpenRazer?

Updated

Polychromatic is a graphical front-end for OpenRazer: OpenRazer provides the underlying driver support for Razer hardware on GNU/Linux, while Polychromatic gives you a local desktop interface to control lighting effects and other hardware features. You need both for the full experience — OpenRazer to make the device work, Polychromatic to configure it without touching config files or command-line tools.

The division of labour

Layer Project What it does
Driver / backend OpenRazer Talks to Razer devices at the system level, exposing their capabilities on Linux
Front-end / UI Polychromatic Controller, tray applet and effects editor that let you configure those capabilities graphically

Polychromatic does not replace OpenRazer or reimplement device support. It sits on top of it. The site describes Polychromatic as "a frontend for OpenRazer that enables Razer devices to control lighting effects and more on GNU/Linux."

What Polychromatic adds on top

According to the project's own description, the front-end contributes:

  • Controller — configure hardware features and create animated effects.
  • Tray applet — quickly change settings from your desktop's system tray.
  • Local operation — "no clouds, no login"; software runs locally on your computer.

So the practical split is: if a device isn't recognised or a feature isn't exposed, that's the OpenRazer layer. If you can see and adjust it in a window, that's Polychromatic.

Device coverage

Polychromatic states it is compatible with OpenRazer, which supports over 210 devices, including keyboards, mice, mouse mats and headsets. The homepage highlights the BlackWidow keyboard family as a starting example. Device support therefore tracks OpenRazer's supported-device list rather than being maintained separately by Polychromatic.

Licensing and affiliation

  • Polychromatic is free and open source, licensed and distributed under the GPLv3.
  • Neither project is affiliated with Razer. The site states plainly that both projects are "NOT affiliated by Razer," and that the real snake logo is trademarked.

What this means if you're setting it up

  1. Install OpenRazer first — it is the component that actually communicates with the hardware.
  2. Install Polychromatic as the interface layer on top of it.
  3. Expect device and feature availability to be governed by OpenRazer's supported-device list, not by Polychromatic itself.

If you only want scripted or minimal control, OpenRazer alone may be enough. If you want animated effects, a tray applet and point-and-click configuration, Polychromatic is the piece that provides it.