Install on Linux¶

On Linux, MC9 runs inside a sandbox: Wine + a virtual display (Xvfb) + bubblewrap. Your files and your normal Wine prefix are never touched, there is no network access, and nothing pops up on your screen.

1. System packages¶

Tool	Why	Arch	Debian / Ubuntu	Fedora
wine	runs MC9	`wine`	`wine`	`wine`
bubblewrap	the sandbox	`bubblewrap`	`bubblewrap`	`bubblewrap`
Xvfb	virtual display	`xorg-server-xvfb`	`xvfb`	`xorg-x11-server-Xvfb`
xdotool	mouse/keyboard	`xdotool`	`xdotool`	`xdotool`
ImageMagick	screenshots (`import`)	`imagemagick`	`imagemagick`	`ImageMagick`

2. Python package¶

Install it into a virtual environment (a private folder for Python packages, so nothing is installed system-wide):

python3 -m venv ~/mc9-env
source ~/mc9-env/bin/activate            # repeat this in every new terminal
pip install mc9py
mc9 version

Alternatives: pipx install mc9py puts the mc9 command on your PATH without activating anything. For the MCP server for AI assistants add the extra: pip install "mc9py[mcp]" (see the MCP guide).

3. A Wine prefix with MC9¶

Install MC9 once into any Wine prefix (the default ~/.wine is fine):

WINEPREFIX=~/.wine wine /path/to/mc9-setup.exe

4. Create the sandbox snapshot¶

mc9 setup ~/.wine       # copies the prefix into ~/.local/share/mc9/prefix-pristine and removes links to your home folders
mc9 doctor              # checks that everything is in place

mc9 setup also records where mc9.exe is inside the prefix. The working copy of the prefix (prefix-work) is created from the snapshot on first use; mc9 reset throws it away.

UI language

The menu/dialog coordinates in mc9.layout were calibrated on the Russian GUAP Edition of MC9 9.0.3 at a 1900x980 window. The Wine locale is set to ru_RU.UTF-8 for that edition. Other editions need a one-time calibration - see Supporting other MC9 editions.

Where things live¶

~/.local/share/mc9/ (override with MC9_HOME or mc9.config.home):

prefix-pristine/   snapshot of the Wine prefix (read-only use)
prefix-work/       private working copy MC9 runs in
exchange/          circuits, numeric output, screenshots  (C:\exchange inside Wine)
settings.json      location of mc9.exe, written by `mc9 setup`