Krotox Engine › Docs › Start Here › Concepts

Glossary

Plain-language definitions of the terms used across the Krotox docs, from AAB and ADB to Vulkan and Tilemap.

Terms you will meet in the editor, the docs and the scripting API.

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Engine and editor

Term	Meaning
Asset	Any file your game uses: a texture, sound, font, shader, script or scene.
.meta file	A sidecar next to every asset holding its permanent 64-bit ID. Keeps references intact when you move or rename inside the editor.
Component	A small bundle of data that gives an entity one ability, such as a sprite or a collider.
Console	The editor panel that lists engine and script messages. Filter by Info, Warning, Error.
Content Browser	The editor panel that shows your project's files.
ECS	Entity-Component System. Objects are entities, abilities are components. Krotox uses EnTT.
Entity	An empty identity in a scene. It becomes a player, a coin or a wall through its components.
Gizmo	The on-screen handle in the Viewport for moving, rotating or scaling. Keys Q, W, E, R.
Hierarchy	The tree of every entity in the current scene, with parent-child nesting.
ImGui	The immediate-mode UI library the editor is built on. It provides the dockable panels.
Inspector (Properties)	The panel where you view and edit the components of the selected entity.
.ktx	A scene file.
.ktxproj	The project file with the project's settings.
Prefab	A saved entity you can spawn many times at runtime.
Profiler	The panel showing CPU and GPU frame time, draw calls and memory use.
Project Hub	The launch screen for creating and opening projects.
Scene	One level or screen of your game, saved as a .ktx file.
Sorting layer	A named draw layer (such as Background or Foreground) that decides which sprites draw over others.
Viewport	The panel that shows the scene as a player would see it.

Rendering

Term	Meaning
Batching	Merging many sprites into few draw calls so the GPU does less work.
Lavapipe	A software Vulkan renderer bundled as a fallback when no GPU supports Vulkan 1.3. Slow, but it works.
MoltenVK	A layer that translates Vulkan into Apple's Metal on macOS.
MSDF	Multi-channel signed distance field. The technique that keeps text sharp at any size.
Orthographic camera	A camera with no perspective, which is the normal view for 2D.
SPIR-V	The compiled shader format Vulkan uses. Krotox caches it in your project's Cache folder.
Tilemap	A grid of reusable square tiles used to build levels quickly.
Vulkan	The modern graphics API Krotox renders with. Version 1.3 is required.

Physics

Term	Meaning
Box2D	The 2D physics library inside Krotox (version 3.x).
CCD	Continuous collision detection. Stops fast objects, such as bullets, passing through thin walls.
Collider	The invisible shape that decides what an entity touches.
Dynamic / Kinematic / Static	The three rigidbody types: moved by physics / moved by you / never moves.
Fixed update	A step that runs at a constant 60 Hz so physics stays stable at any frame rate.
Joint	A constraint that links two bodies, such as a hinge or a spring.
Rigidbody	The component that lets physics move an entity.
Trigger	A collider that detects overlap without blocking movement, used for pickups and zones.

Scripting

Term	Meaning
Coroutine	A method that can pause and resume over several frames, written with yield return.
Full-AOT	Ahead-of-time compilation. On Android, your C# is turned into native code before packaging, so there is no runtime JIT stutter.
Hot reload	On desktop, saving a script updates the running game within seconds.
Lifecycle	The fixed order in which OnAwake, OnCreate, OnUpdate and the others are called.
Mono	The open-source .NET runtime that runs your C# scripts.
Tween	A smooth change of a value over time, such as moving or fading an entity.

Android

Term	Meaning
AAB	Android App Bundle. The format Google Play prefers for uploads.
ABI	The processor architecture a build targets: arm64-v8a, armeabi-v7a or x86_64.
ADB	Android Debug Bridge. The tool that connects your computer to a phone, by USB or Wi-Fi.
APK	Android application package. The installable file.
data.pak	The compressed archive of your assets inside the built app.
Keystore	The file holding your signing key. Keep it safe and backed up.
Min / Target SDK	The oldest Android version you support / the version you compile against. Krotox defaults to 24 and 36.
Predictive Back	Android's back-gesture system. Krotox routes the gesture to your game safely.

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