Built something? We create video reels & spotlights for GitHub projects.Promote your project →
PCSX2
Home / C++ / pcsx2

PCSX2/pcsx2

PCSX2 - The Playstation 2 Emulator

C++ ◇ cpp GPL-3.0
★15.6KSTARS
⑂2.2KFORKS
!794ISSUES
🏆#522GLOBAL RANK
🔥5DAYS TRENDING
🚀
Maintainer Growth Kit for pcsx2

Claim this project, add your verified backlink badge to your README, and download milestone cards.

Claim Repo

Star History

Continuous Observations
Interactive star growth chart for PCSX2/pcsx2
CSV

Momentum

+391

STARS · LAST 30 DAYS

13

PER DAY

#30

MOST-STARRED C++

Window7 days30 days90 days
Stars gained+91+391+1.2K
Per day131313
Forks gained+11+45+112

pcsx2 gained 391 stars in the last 30 days, about 13 a day, and now has 15.6K. It is about 13 years old and has averaged roughly 1.2K stars a year. It ranks #30 among C++ repositories and #522 across all languages on GitHubRepo.

Trending Record

pcsx2 has maintained a continuous presence across global trending indexes, peaking at #385. Below is the 30-day activity profile:

💡 Overview

pcsx2 is an open-source project written in C++: PCSX2 - The Playstation 2 Emulator.

Engineered for speed, consistency, and developer ease, it solves common hurdles in cpp, emulation, emulator. It provides clear interfaces, comprehensive configuration options, and seamless integration with existing tools across the modern development stack.

⚡ Key Features

1

Optimized execution pipeline written in C++ for predictable speed.

2

Zero-friction configuration with comprehensive sensible defaults out of the box.

3

Cross-platform runtime support across Linux, macOS, and Windows environments.

4

Strong typing and modular architecture designed for easy extension and maintainability.

5

Standardized CLI and API interfaces for smooth integration into CI/CD workflows.

6

Active community maintenance with regular dependency updates and security patches.

📥 Installation

terminal
$ git clone https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2.git
cd pcsx2

⚙ System Requirements

Platforms

  • • macOS
  • • Linux
  • • Windows

Runtime & Dependencies

C++20 compliant compiler (GCC 11+, Clang 13+, MSVC)

Architecture

x86_64, ARM64 (Apple Silicon & Graviton)

🧠 How It Works

pcsx2 coordinates its core functionality through a modular C++ pipeline. It parses configuration parameters, validates inputs, and resolves dependencies asynchronously. By minimizing runtime overhead and keeping allocations localized, it delivers predictable performance in both local development environments and automated production workloads.

🎯 Production Use Cases

Production System Integration

Embed pcsx2 into C++ backend services to handle core application logic.

CI/CD Automated Pipelines

Run automated validation, builds, and integration suites during deployments.

Developer Tooling & Workflows

Accelerate developer onboarding with pre-configured project utilities.

Open Source Extension

Fork and customize internal modules under the repository's open GPL-3.0 license.

🚀 Getting Started

1

Install pcsx2 using your package manager: `git clone https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2.git`

2

Initialize your project workspace or configuration file for pcsx2.

3

Import pcsx2 into your codebase or invoke it directly from your terminal.

4

Execute your test suite or run `pcsx2 --help` to verify successful setup.

👍 Strengths

Active community backing with 15,624 GitHub stars and verified adoption.
Permissive open-source distribution under the GPL-3.0 license.
Built in C++ for high execution speed and developer familiarity.
Cross-platform compatibility across modern Linux, macOS, and Windows environments.
Clean modular design allowing flexible configuration and pipeline integration.

⚠️ Considerations

Requires familiarity with C++ and modern CLI workflows.
Ecosystem extensions may require manual configuration depending on environment constraints.
Active development roadmap means breaking API changes may occur across major versions.

⇄ Alternatives & Direct Competitors

T
tensorflow/tensorflow ★ 200.6K C++

An Open Source Machine Learning Framework for Everyone

Compare ↗
L
ggml-org/llama.cpp ★ 129.8K C++

LLM inference in C/C++

Compare ↗
R
react/react-native ★ 126.8K C++

A framework for building native applications using React

Compare ↗
T
microsoft/terminal ★ 105K C++

The new Windows Terminal and the original Windows console host, all in the same place!

Compare ↗

👥 Who Should Use This

Developers and engineering teams building with C++, seeking reliable, tested, and actively maintained tooling for production workloads.

🏆 Nearby in the Rankings

PCSX2/pcsx2 is currently ranked #522 by stars across every repository tracked on GitHubRepo. These are adjacent projects:

RankRepositoryLanguageStarsAction
#517 zaproxy/zaproxy Java ★ 15.8K Compare ↗
#518 jasmine/jasmine JavaScript ★ 15.8K Compare ↗
#519 OrcaSlicer/OrcaSlicer C++ ★ 15.8K Compare ↗
#520 spree/spree Ruby ★ 15.7K Compare ↗
#521 ifixai-ai/iFixAi Python ★ 15.7K Compare ↗
#522 PCSX2/pcsx2 This Project C++ ★ 15.6K
#523 Homebrew/homebrew-core Ruby ★ 15.6K Compare ↗
#524 opensandbox-group/OpenSandbox Python ★ 15.5K Compare ↗
#525 gojue/ecapture C ★ 15.5K Compare ↗
#526 redis/ioredis TypeScript ★ 15.3K Compare ↗
#527 seerge/g-helper C# ★ 15.3K Compare ↗

Frequently Asked Questions

What does pcsx2 do? +

PCSX2 - The Playstation 2 Emulator

What language is pcsx2 written in? +

The primary language is C++. Topics include: cpp, emulation, emulator, pcsx2, ps2.

Is pcsx2 actively maintained? +

Yes, the last recorded push was on Sep 27, 2026 with 794 open issues being tracked.

How many stars does pcsx2 have? +

pcsx2 has 15,649 stars and 2,236 forks on GitHub.

How does pcsx2 rank among GitHub repositories? +

With 15,649 stars, PCSX2/pcsx2 is ranked #522 globally across all repositories tracked on GitHubRepo and #30 among C++ projects.

What license is pcsx2 distributed under? +

The repository reports a GPL-3.0 license. Always verify the repository LICENSE file for legal terms.

From our network
FOR MAINTAINERS

Built something? Put it in front of millions of developers.

We make a short reel about your project and post it across YouTube, Instagram, Threads, and X. Send a link, we do the rest.