@@ -58,6 +58,14 @@ though BSD systems are not tested well.
 
 If the PulseAudio server is not discoverable automatically, set `PULSE_SERVER`.
 
+When no PulseAudio server is reachable, Oto falls back to ALSA. This fallback also requires no Cgo:
+`libasound.so.2` is loaded dynamically at runtime, so no ALSA development headers are needed to
+build, though `libasound.so.2` itself must be present at runtime.
+
+On FreeBSD, building with `CGO_ENABLED=0` (for example when cross-compiling) additionally requires
+`-gcflags="github.com/ebitengine/purego/internal/fakecgo=-std"`; native FreeBSD builds, where Cgo
+is enabled by default, need nothing extra.
+
 ## Usage
 
 The two main components of Oto are a `Context` and `Players`. The context handles interactions with
 
@@ -0,0 +1,348 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Oto Authors
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+//go:build ((linux && !android) || freebsd || netbsd) && !nintendosdk && !playstation5
+
+package oto
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"unsafe"
+
+	"github.com/ebitengine/purego"
+
+	"github.com/ebitengine/oto/v3/internal/mux"
+)
+
+const (
+	_SND_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK       = 0
+	_SND_PCM_FORMAT_FLOAT_LE       = 14
+	_SND_PCM_ACCESS_RW_INTERLEAVED = 3
+)
+
+var (
+	_snd_strerror                           func(errnum int32) string
+	_snd_pcm_open                           func(pcm *uintptr, name string, stream int32, mode int32) int32
+	_snd_pcm_close                          func(pcm uintptr) int32
+	_snd_pcm_hw_params_malloc               func(ptr *uintptr) int32
+	_snd_pcm_hw_params_free                 func(obj uintptr)
+	_snd_pcm_hw_params_any                  func(pcm, params uintptr) int32
+	_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_access           func(pcm, params uintptr, access uint32) int32
+	_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_format           func(pcm, params uintptr, format int32) int32
+	_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_channels         func(pcm, params uintptr, val uint32) int32
+	_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_resample    func(pcm, params uintptr, val uint32) int32
+	_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_near        func(pcm, params uintptr, val *uint32, dir *int32) int32
+	_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_buffer_size_near func(pcm, params uintptr, val *uint) int32
+	_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_period_size_near func(pcm, params uintptr, val *uint, dir *int32) int32
+	_snd_pcm_hw_params                      func(pcm, params uintptr) int32
+	_snd_pcm_writei                         func(pcm uintptr, buf []float32, size uint) int
+	_snd_pcm_recover                        func(pcm uintptr, err int32, silent int32) int32
+
+	_snd_device_name_hint      func(card int32, iface string, hints *unsafe.Pointer) int32
+	_snd_device_name_free_hint func(hints unsafe.Pointer) int32
+	_snd_device_name_get_hint  func(hint unsafe.Pointer, id string) unsafe.Pointer
+
+	_free func(ptr unsafe.Pointer)
+)
+
+func init() {
+	newALSAContext = func(sampleRate, channelCount int, mux *mux.Mux, bufferSizeInBytes int) (unixBackend, error) {
+		c, err := newALSAContextImpl(sampleRate, channelCount, mux, bufferSizeInBytes)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		return c, nil
+	}
+}
+
+// loadALSA loads libasound and binds the functions above. A context is created at most once
+// per process (see NewContext), so this runs at most once and needs no synchronization.
+func loadALSA() error {
+	var handle uintptr
+	var err error
+	for _, name := range []string{"libasound.so.2", "libasound.so"} {
+		handle, err = purego.Dlopen(name, purego.RTLD_LAZY|purego.RTLD_GLOBAL)
+		if err == nil {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	if handle == 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("oto: failed to load libasound: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_strerror, handle, "snd_strerror")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_pcm_open, handle, "snd_pcm_open")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_pcm_close, handle, "snd_pcm_close")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_pcm_hw_params_malloc, handle, "snd_pcm_hw_params_malloc")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_pcm_hw_params_free, handle, "snd_pcm_hw_params_free")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_pcm_hw_params_any, handle, "snd_pcm_hw_params_any")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_access, handle, "snd_pcm_hw_params_set_access")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_format, handle, "snd_pcm_hw_params_set_format")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_channels, handle, "snd_pcm_hw_params_set_channels")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_resample, handle, "snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_resample")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_near, handle, "snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_near")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_buffer_size_near, handle, "snd_pcm_hw_params_set_buffer_size_near")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_pcm_hw_params_set_period_size_near, handle, "snd_pcm_hw_params_set_period_size_near")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_pcm_hw_params, handle, "snd_pcm_hw_params")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_pcm_writei, handle, "snd_pcm_writei")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_pcm_recover, handle, "snd_pcm_recover")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_device_name_hint, handle, "snd_device_name_hint")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_device_name_free_hint, handle, "snd_device_name_free_hint")
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_snd_device_name_get_hint, handle, "snd_device_name_get_hint")
+
+	// libc free, for the strings snd_device_name_get_hint allocates. It resolves through the
+	// libasound handle, whose dependency tree includes libc, so no OS-specific libc name is needed.
+	purego.RegisterLibFunc(&_free, handle, "free")
+	return nil
+}
+
+type alsaContext struct {
+	channelCount int
+
+	suspended bool
+
+	handle uintptr
+
+	cond *sync.Cond
+
+	mux *mux.Mux
+	err atomicError
+}
+
+func newALSAContextImpl(sampleRate int, channelCount int, mux *mux.Mux, bufferSizeInBytes int) (*alsaContext, error) {
+	if channelCount != 1 && channelCount != 2 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("oto: ALSA backend supports only mono or stereo output: %d", channelCount)
+	}
+	if err := loadALSA(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	c := &alsaContext{
+		channelCount: channelCount,
+		cond:         sync.NewCond(&sync.Mutex{}),
+		mux:          mux,
+	}
+
+	// Open a default ALSA audio device for blocking stream playback.
+	var openErrs []string
+	var handle uintptr
+	var found bool
+	for _, name := range deviceCandidates() {
+		if err := _snd_pcm_open(&handle, name, _SND_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK, 0); err < 0 {
+			openErrs = append(openErrs, fmt.Sprintf("%q: %s", name, _snd_strerror(err)))
+			continue
+		}
+		found = true
+		break
+	}
+	if !found {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("oto: ALSA error at snd_pcm_open: %s", strings.Join(openErrs, ", "))
+	}
+	c.handle = handle
+
+	// TODO: Should snd_pcm_hw_params_set_periods be called explicitly?
+	const periods = 2
+	var periodSize uint
+	if bufferSizeInBytes != 0 {
+		periodSize = uint(bufferSizeInBytes / (channelCount * 4 * periods))
+		if periodSize == 0 {
+			periodSize = 1
+		}
+	} else {
+		periodSize = 1024
+	}
+	bufferSize := periodSize * periods
+	if err := c.alsaPCMHwParams(sampleRate, channelCount, &bufferSize, &periodSize); err != nil {
+		_snd_pcm_close(c.handle)
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	go func() {
+		// The loop only returns when readAndWrite hits a permanent error, so close the
+		// handle here to avoid leaking it after a terminal audio failure.
+		defer _snd_pcm_close(c.handle)
+		buf32 := make([]float32, int(periodSize)*channelCount)
+		for {
+			if !c.readAndWrite(buf32) {
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	return c, nil
+}
+
+func (c *alsaContext) alsaPCMHwParams(sampleRate, channelCount int, bufferSize, periodSize *uint) error {
+	var params uintptr
+	if err := _snd_pcm_hw_params_malloc(&params); err < 0 {
+		return alsaError("snd_pcm_hw_params_malloc", err)
+	}
+	defer _snd_pcm_hw_params_free(params)
+
+	if err := _snd_pcm_hw_params_any(c.handle, params); err < 0 {
+		return alsaError("snd_pcm_hw_params_any", err)
+	}
+	if err := _snd_pcm_hw_params_set_access(c.handle, params, _SND_PCM_ACCESS_RW_INTERLEAVED); err < 0 {
+		return alsaError("snd_pcm_hw_params_set_access", err)
+	}
+	if err := _snd_pcm_hw_params_set_format(c.handle, params, _SND_PCM_FORMAT_FLOAT_LE); err < 0 {
+		return alsaError("snd_pcm_hw_params_set_format", err)
+	}
+	if err := _snd_pcm_hw_params_set_channels(c.handle, params, uint32(channelCount)); err < 0 {
+		return alsaError("snd_pcm_hw_params_set_channels", err)
+	}
+	if err := _snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_resample(c.handle, params, 1); err < 0 {
+		return alsaError("snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_resample", err)
+	}
+	sr := uint32(sampleRate)
+	if err := _snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_near(c.handle, params, &sr, nil); err < 0 {
+		return alsaError("snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_near", err)
+	}
+	if err := _snd_pcm_hw_params_set_buffer_size_near(c.handle, params, bufferSize); err < 0 {
+		return alsaError("snd_pcm_hw_params_set_buffer_size_near", err)
+	}
+	if err := _snd_pcm_hw_params_set_period_size_near(c.handle, params, periodSize, nil); err < 0 {
+		return alsaError("snd_pcm_hw_params_set_period_size_near", err)
+	}
+	if err := _snd_pcm_hw_params(c.handle, params); err < 0 {
+		return alsaError("snd_pcm_hw_params", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *alsaContext) readAndWrite(buf32 []float32) bool {
+	c.cond.L.Lock()
+	defer c.cond.L.Unlock()
+
+	for c.suspended && c.err.Load() == nil {
+		c.cond.Wait()
+	}
+	if c.err.Load() != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	c.mux.ReadFloat32s(buf32)
+
+	buf := buf32
+	for len(buf) > 0 {
+		n := _snd_pcm_writei(c.handle, buf, uint(len(buf)/c.channelCount))
+		if n < 0 {
+			n = int(_snd_pcm_recover(c.handle, int32(n), 1))
+		}
+		if n < 0 {
+			c.err.TryStore(alsaError("snd_pcm_writei or snd_pcm_recover", int32(n)))
+			return false
+		}
+		buf = buf[n*c.channelCount:]
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+func (c *alsaContext) Suspend() error {
+	c.cond.L.Lock()
+	defer c.cond.L.Unlock()
+
+	if err := c.err.Load(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	c.suspended = true
+
+	// Do not use snd_pcm_pause as not all devices support this.
+	// Do not use snd_pcm_drop as this might hang (https://github.com/libsdl-org/SDL/blob/a5c610b0a3857d3138f3f3da1f6dc3172c5ea4a8/src/audio/alsa/SDL_alsa_audio.c#L478).
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *alsaContext) Resume() error {
+	c.cond.L.Lock()
+	defer c.cond.L.Unlock()
+
+	if err := c.err.Load(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	c.suspended = false
+	c.cond.Signal()
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *alsaContext) Err() error {
+	return c.err.Load()
+}
+
+func alsaError(name string, errno int32) error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("oto: ALSA error at %s: %s", name, _snd_strerror(errno))
+}
+
+func deviceCandidates() []string {
+	const getAllDevices = -1
+
+	var hints unsafe.Pointer
+	if _snd_device_name_hint(getAllDevices, "pcm", &hints) != 0 {
+		return []string{"default", "plug:default"}
+	}
+	defer _snd_device_name_free_hint(hints)
+
+	var devices []string
+	ptrSize := unsafe.Sizeof(uintptr(0))
+	for i := uintptr(0); ; i++ {
+		hint := *(*unsafe.Pointer)(unsafe.Pointer(uintptr(hints) + i*ptrSize))
+		if hint == nil {
+			break
+		}
+
+		if hintString(hint, "IOID") == "Input" {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		name := hintString(hint, "NAME")
+		switch name {
+		case "", "null", "default":
+			continue
+		}
+		devices = append(devices, name)
+	}
+
+	return append([]string{"default", "plug:default"}, devices...)
+}
+
+// hintString returns the value of the given hint key as a Go string, freeing the C string that
+// libasound allocated for it.
+func hintString(hint unsafe.Pointer, id string) string {
+	p := _snd_device_name_get_hint(hint, id)
+	if p == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	s := goString(p)
+	_free(p)
+	return s
+}
+
+// goString copies a NUL-terminated C string into a Go string.
+func goString(p unsafe.Pointer) string {
+	if p == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+	var bs []byte
+	for i := uintptr(0); ; i++ {
+		b := *(*byte)(unsafe.Pointer(uintptr(p) + i))
+		if b == 0 {
+			break
+		}
+		bs = append(bs, b)
+	}
+	return string(bs)
+}