How to use the command 'steam' (with examples)

Steam is a video game platform developed by Valve. It provides users with the ability to purchase and play games, connect with friends, and access various community features. The ‘steam’ command is used to launch and interact with the Steam client from the command line. It offers several options to customize the launch behavior and access additional features.

Use case 1: Launch Steam, printing debug messages to stdout

Code:

steam

Motivation: This use case allows users to launch Steam from the command line and monitor the debug messages generated by the application. It can be useful for troubleshooting and understanding the internal workings of Steam.

Explanation: The command simply launches Steam without any additional arguments.

Example output:

[Steam] Initializing Steam...
[Steam] Steam is ready.
[Steam] Opening main window...

Use case 2: Launch Steam and enable its in-app debug console tab

Code:

steam -console

Motivation: Enabling the in-app debug console allows users to access additional logging and debugging functionality within the Steam client. It can be helpful for diagnosing issues and tracking down specific errors.

Explanation: The ‘-console’ argument is passed to the ‘steam’ command, indicating that the debug console tab should be enabled upon launching Steam.

Example output: (No console output is produced. The debug console tab becomes available within the Steam client interface.)

Use case 3: Enable and open the Steam console tab in a running Steam instance

Code:

steam steam://open/console

Motivation: This use case allows users to enable and immediately open the Steam console tab in an already running Steam instance. It can be useful for accessing the console without restarting the application and losing any unsaved progress.

Explanation: The ‘steam://open/console’ URL is passed as an argument to the ‘steam’ command. This triggers Steam to enable the console and opens it in the currently running instance.

Example output: (No console output is produced. The Steam client interface is displayed with the console tab active.)

Use case 4: Log into Steam with the specified credentials

Code:

steam -login username password

Motivation: This use case enables users to automate the login process by providing the username and password as command line arguments. It can be helpful when running Steam in automated or scripted environments.

Explanation: The ‘-login’ argument followed by the username and password are passed to the ‘steam’ command. Steam attempts to log in using the provided credentials.

Example output:

[Steam] Logging in to Steam account 'username'...
[Steam] Login successful.

Use case 5: Launch Steam in Big Picture Mode

Code:

steam -tenfoot

Motivation: Big Picture Mode is a special mode within Steam designed for TVs and game controllers, providing a more immersive gaming experience. This use case allows users to directly launch Steam in Big Picture Mode.

Explanation: The ‘-tenfoot’ argument is passed to the ‘steam’ command, indicating that Steam should be launched in Big Picture Mode.

Example output: (No console output is produced. Steam opens directly in Big Picture Mode.)

Use case 6: Exit Steam

Code:

steam -shutdown

Motivation: This use case allows users to gracefully exit the Steam client from the command line. It can be helpful when needing to automate the shutdown process or restart Steam for configuration changes to take effect.

Explanation: The ‘-shutdown’ argument is passed to the ‘steam’ command. Steam initiates the shutdown process and exits.

Example output: (No console output is produced. The Steam client is successfully closed.)

Conclusion:

The ‘steam’ command provides various options to customize the launch behavior of the Steam client and access additional features like the debug console and Big Picture Mode. Understanding these use cases will enable users to utilize the command effectively for their specific needs.