GoDot Engine Installation Guide

GoDot Engine is a free, open-source game engine that supports both 2D and 3D game development. This guide will walk you through the installation process for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Step 1: Download GoDot Engine

1. Visit the official GoDot website: godotengine.org/download
2. Choose the latest stable version (currently GoDot 4.x)
3. Select your operating system:
   • Windows: Download the .zip file
   • macOS: Download the .dmg file
   • Linux: Download the .tar.gz file
4. Download the Standard version (not the Mono version for beginners)

Step 2: Install on Windows

1. Extract the downloaded .zip file
   • Right-click the downloaded .zip file
   • Select "Extract All..."
   • Choose a location (e.g., C:\GoDot)
   • Click "Extract"
2. Run GoDot Engine
   • Navigate to the extracted folder
   • Double-click "Godot_v4.x.x-stable_win64.exe"
   • If prompted by Windows Defender, click "Run anyway"
3. Create Desktop Shortcut (Optional)
   • Right-click the .exe file
   • Select "Create shortcut"
   • Move the shortcut to your desktop

Step 2: Install on macOS

1. Open the downloaded .dmg file
   • Double-click the downloaded .dmg file
   • Wait for the disk image to mount
2. Install GoDot Engine
   • Drag the GoDot app to the Applications folder
   • Wait for the copy to complete
   • Eject the disk image
3. Run GoDot Engine
   • Open Applications folder
   • Find and double-click "GoDot"
   • If prompted about an unidentified developer, go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy and click "Open Anyway"

Step 2: Install on Linux

1. Extract the downloaded .tar.gz file
   • Open terminal
   • Navigate to the download directory: cd ~/Downloads
   • Extract the file: tar -xzf Godot_v4.x.x-stable_linux_x86_64.tar.gz
2. Make the file executable
   • Run: chmod +x Godot_v4.x.x-stable_linux_x86_64
3. Run GoDot Engine
   • Execute: ./Godot_v4.x.x-stable_linux_x86_64
   • Or double-click the file in your file manager
4. Create Desktop Entry (Optional)
   • Move the executable to a permanent location: sudo mv Godot_v4.x.x-stable_linux_x86_64 /usr/local/bin/godot
   • Create a desktop shortcut for easier access

Step 3: Verify GoDot Engine Installation

1. Launch GoDot Engine
   • Start GoDot Engine from your installation location
   • Wait for the Project Manager to appear
2. Check the Interface
   • You should see the Project Manager window
   • Look for tabs like "Projects", "Templates", "Import", etc.
   • Check that the version number is displayed correctly
3. Test Basic Functionality
   • Click "New Project"
   • Choose a project name and location
   • Select "2D" as the renderer
   • Click "Create & Edit"
4. Verify Editor Opens
   • The GoDot editor should open with a 2D scene
   • Check that you can see the Scene tab, FileSystem tab, etc.
   • Try adding a simple node to test functionality

Ready to Start Learning

Congratulations! You have successfully installed GoDot Engine. You're now ready to begin your game development journey.