Viewers
A comparison of Second Life viewers and their RLV/RLVa support.
Viewer Activity
As of August 2026, some viewers have not received active updates for years. Those are marked as "Stale".
Viewer Comparison
| Viewer | Type | RLV/RLVa | Version | Status | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firestorm | Popular TPV | RLVa (v2.4.2) | 7.2.5.81383 | ✅ Active | firestormviewer.org |
| Alchemy | Performance TPV | RLVa (v2.5.0) | 7.1.9.2516-beta | ✅ Active | alchemyviewer.org |
| Kokua | Catznip-based TPV | RLV (v2.09.35.00) | v26_2_0_62339 | ✅ Active | kokua.atlassian.net |
| RestrainedLove | Original RLV viewer | RLV | — | ✅ Active | erestraints.com |
| Cool VL Viewer | Legacy viewer | RLV | v1.32.5 | ✅ Active | sldev.pages-perso.free.fr |
| LL Official | Linden Lab viewer | None | — | ✅ Active | secondlife.com |
| Black Dragon | High-fidelity TPV | 5.6.0 | ✅ Active | niranv-sl.blogspot.com | |
| Catznip | Primary RLVa viewer | RLVa | — | ⚠️ Stale (1+ year) | get.catznip.com |
| Genesis | Lightweight TPV | RLVa | — | ⚠️ Stale (1+ year) | genesisviewer.org |
| Singularity | Classic-style TPV | RLVa | — | ⚠️ Stale (1+ year) | singularityviewer.org |
Black Dragon
RLVa was integrated via upstream PR #2830 but was deliberately removed (labelled "Broken RLVa" in commit history). Only XML UI shells and settings remain; no functional RLV/RLVa support.
Kokua
Ships in three variants: No RLV (no RLV support), RLV (standard RestrainedLove), and FTRLV (full-time RLV, latest v26_2_0_62339). This wiki was verified against the RLV branch (Kokua-MKRLV).
Feature Comparison
| Feature | RLVa | RLV |
|---|---|---|
| Basic RLV commands | ✅ | ✅ |
| Camera commands | ✅ Extended | ✅ Basic |
| Overlay effects | ✅ | ❌ |
| Sphere effects | ✅ | ❌ |
| Additional inventory commands | ✅ | ❌ |
| Environment commands | ✅ | ✅ |
| Touch commands | ✅ | ✅ |
Choosing a Viewer
For RLVa Features
Choose an RLVa viewer if you need extended camera controls, overlay/sphere effects, or additional inventory commands.
For Maximum Compatibility
Both RLV and RLVa viewers support standard RLV commands. Use RLVa-specific commands only when targeting RLVa viewers. Check for command support with @getcommand.
For Development
Test on both RLV and RLVa viewers. Use standard RLV commands for maximum compatibility.
Getting Help
- Catznip Discord: discord.gg/rxKQMG7
- Firestorm Support: firestormviewer.org/support
- Second Life Forums: Search for "RLV" or "RLVa"
See also: RLV vs RLVa | FAQ