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LDtk

ldtk.io

Free plan Open source WindowsmacOSLinuxAPI
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Spec score 8.7 #2 of 28 in Game Level Editors

What it is

LDtk is a free, open-source 2D level editor for game developers, available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. It supports Grid-vania, linear, and free-world layouts, with levels rearranged by drag and drop. Its visual auto-layering editor lets users define rules for tile skinning, while custom entities can hold typed properties such as hit points, patrol paths, or inventories. LDtk exports PNGs and JSON entity data, with optional Tiled TMX export. It can load Aseprite files directly and reload them when saved. The editor focuses on platformer and top-down perspectives, rather than isometric 3D. Backups can restore unsaved changes after an application crash. The maker lists community importers and loaders for engines including Unity, MonoGame, Godot, Playdate, GameMaker Studio, Löve 2D, and Bevy. LDtk has no usage limitations stated, and content created with it may be used commercially. Documentation and an official Discord community are linked from its site.

Spec sheet

What it does
LDtk is a desktop 2D level editor designed for game developers, with a focus on platformer and top-down projects.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Product
LDtk is a 2D level editor designed for game developers.Read 2 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Integrations
The maker lists community importers and loaders for engines including Unity, MonoGame, Godot, Playdate, GameMaker Studio, Löve 2D, and Bevy.Read 2 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Support
The site links to an official Discord community and documentation.Read 2 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
License
The source repository identifies the project as MIT licensed.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Founded
2020Read 28 Sep 2026 · ldtk.io
Maker
LDtk was developed by Sébastien Benard, aka deepnight, who founded the one-person studio Deepnight Games.Read 2 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Aseprite
LDtk loads Aseprite files directly and supports live reloading when they are saved.Read 2 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Aseprite integration
LDtk loads Aseprite files directly and refreshes changes when the source artwork is saved.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Auto-layering
A visual editor lets users define rules for automatic tile skinning.Read 2 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Auto-layers
Auto-layers can draw textures and details automatically from collision or other rule inputs.Read 15 Oct 2026 · deepnight.itch.io
Auto-rendering
Visual rules can automatically generate tiles and decorative details from level data.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Backup behavior
LDtk includes backups and can restore unsaved changes after a crash.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Backups
LDtk offers backups and can restore unsaved changes after an application crash.Read 2 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Company registration
AFJV lists Deepnight Games as a one-person French studio founded in 2020 with Bordeaux headquarters and one employee.Read 15 Oct 2026 · afjv.com
Custom entities
Users can create entities with typed custom properties such as hit points, patrol paths, or inventories.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Documentation and support
Official documentation covers the interface and in-game implementation, with JSON resources, bug reporting, and an official Discord community.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Documentation depth
An independent technical review says the online documentation is comparatively lacking, although built-in tool documentation is strong.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
Engine integrations
The official importer directory lists integrations for Unity, MonoGame, Godot, Playdate, GameMaker Studio, LÖVE, and Bevy.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Entities
Users can define custom game entities with typed properties such as hit points, patrol paths, or inventories.Read 2 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Enums
Projects can define enums for entity fields, and enums can be synchronized from Haxe source files.Read 15 Oct 2026 · deepnight.itch.io
Export
LDtk exports PNGs and JSON entity data, and offers optional Tiled TMX export.Read 2 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Haxe orientation
An independent review notes that the codebase and companion API are written in Haxe, making Haxe developers the natural audience even though other languages can parse the JSON.Read 15 Oct 2026 · hysenlabs.com
JSON format
LDtk stores project data in JSON and publishes schemas and QuickType files for version 1.5.3.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Language loaders
Community loaders or APIs are listed for Haxe, C, C++, C#, JavaScript/TypeScript, Haskell, Go, Python, Rust, and Kotlin.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Layer types
The editor supports integer-grid, tile, and entity layers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · deepnight.itch.io
Legal entity
Pappers identifies Deepnight Games as an EURL registered in Bordeaux, with €2,500 share capital and electronic-game publishing as its principal activity.Read 15 Oct 2026 · pappers.fr
Level design
Users can arrange levels in Grid-vania, linear, or free world layouts and reorganize them by drag and drop.Read 2 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Limit: 3D perspective
The official site explicitly says LDtk does not support isometric 3D.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Limit: automapping
The same comparison says LDtk's automapping was less expressive for complex projects than Tiled's.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
Limit: collision authoring
An itch.io commenter requested built-in collision data because their workflow had no way to create it in LDtk.Read 15 Oct 2026 · deepnight.itch.io
Limit: Linux packaging
An itch.io commenter requested an AppImage distribution for Linux.Read 15 Oct 2026 · deepnight.itch.io
Limit: multi-layer editing
A Reddit user reports that copying, pasting, reflecting, and rotating content across multiple layers was inadequate compared with Tiled.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
Limit: Windows compatibility
Users reported black-screen startup problems on Windows and an entry-point error tied to newer releases dropping Windows 7 support.Read 15 Oct 2026 · deepnight.itch.io
Maintenance update
The official release-notes page says LDtk is actively maintained and updated, with version 1.5.4 listed as a preview.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Maker identity
Deepnight Games says it is a one-person studio founded in 2020 by Sébastien Benard, the former Dead Cells lead developer and game designer.Read 15 Oct 2026 · deepnight.net
No usage limits
LDtk can be used for free without limitation, and content made with it can be used commercially.Read 2 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Notable release
GitHub records version 1.5.3 released on January 15, 2024 with crash fixes, macOS input behavior changes, and new neighbor-direction values in JSON.Read 15 Oct 2026 · github.com
Official Haxe API
Deepnight provides a typed Haxe API that works with Haxe engines and adds support for HeapsIO and HaxeFlixel.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Open source
The maker describes LDtk as free and open source and links to its source code.Read 2 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Open-source status
The maker describes LDtk as free and open source.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Praise: project organization
A Reddit user praises the project-based workflow, automatic propagation of changes, world editing, and straightforward autotiling.Read 15 Oct 2026 · reddit.com
Praise: workflow
A user review says LDtk filled the need for a level editor in a LÖVE project and felt easier to use than Tiled.Read 15 Oct 2026 · deepnight.itch.io
Rating on itch.io
4.9 out of 5 from 180 ratingsRead 15 Oct 2026 · deepnight.itch.io
Simple export
Super Simple Export produces one PNG per layer, a composite level PNG, and an optional per-level JSON file.Read 15 Oct 2026 · deepnight.itch.io
Supported desktop systems
Stable downloads are provided for Windows, Ubuntu Linux, and macOS; the macOS and Linux builds are marked experimental on itch.io.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Supported perspectives
LDtk focuses on platformer and top-down perspectives and does not support isometric 3D.Read 2 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Tiled export
The editor offers optional TMX export for Tiled compatibility.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
World layouts
Worlds can use grid-based, linear, or free layouts and levels can be reorganized by drag and drop.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io

Plans and prices

Free Free all editor features · no usage limitation · commercial use allowed Read 15 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
LDtk Free Pay-what-you-want, including free No usage limitations stated · Commercial use allowed Read 2 Oct 2026 · ldtk.io
Pay what you want Price not published optional contribution through itch.io Read 15 Oct 2026 · deepnight.itch.io

Every LDtk plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free and open source, with no stated usage limits.
  • Exports PNGs and JSON entity data.
  • Can restore unsaved work after a crash.
  • Loads Aseprite files and supports live reloading.
  • Commercial use of created content is allowed.

Limits

  • Does not support isometric 3D.
  • Its focus is platformer and top-down perspectives.

Who it suits

LDtk suits game developers designing 2D platformer or top-down levels who want typed entities and tilemap tools. It is available on Linux, macOS, and Windows, with no stated usage limits and commercial use allowed.

LDtk in depth

Read the full write-up

LDtk is a 2D level editor for game developers who want to build levels and define structured game data in one place. It is a strong fit for platformer and top-down projects; its lack of isometric 3D support rules it out for some world designs.

Overview

LDtk combines world layout, automatic tile skinning, entity definitions and export tools in a focused 2D editor. Levels can be arranged as Grid-vania, linear or free worlds, then repositioned by drag and drop. That flexibility suits projects whose map structure is still evolving, without extending to every kind of game perspective.

Developed by Sébastien Benard, known as deepnight, through the one-person studio Deepnight Games, LDtk is free and open source. There is no usage limit, and content created with it can be used commercially.

Key features

Layout options: Grid-vania, linear and free-world arrangements give designers different ways to organize levels. Drag-and-drop reorganization makes it practical to adjust the world as progression changes.

Automatic tile skinning: A visual rule editor handles auto-layering. This can cut repetitive tile placement while letting designers define the rules that shape the result.

Typed entities: Custom entities can carry properties such as hit points, patrol paths or inventories. That makes LDtk more useful than a layout-only editor when levels need to provide structured gameplay data.

Export and art workflow: PNG and JSON entity-data exports cover image and data needs, while optional Tiled TMX export gives another format choice. LDtk can load Aseprite files directly and reload them when saved, which helps keep art changes in step with level work.

Crash recovery: Backups can restore unsaved changes after an application crash, a practical safeguard for work in progress.

Engine community: Community importers and loaders are listed for Unity, MonoGame, Godot, Playdate, GameMaker Studio, Löve 2D and Bevy. Their community status means this should not be mistaken for a single built-in integration layer.

Pricing

LDtk costs nothing, billed pay-what-you-want, including free. The LDtk plan has no usage limitations and allows commercial use, so independent developers and commercial teams can use the same editor without a usage cap or paid tier requirement. Payment is optional; there are no seat or trial terms to weigh.

Platforms

LDtk runs on Linux, macOS and Windows. It is a desktop tool rather than a web-only editor, so it fits developers who want a local level-design workflow across those systems.

Who it's for

LDtk is best suited to 2D game developers working in platformer or top-down perspectives, especially those who need both flexible level organization and typed entity data. Its visual tile rules and Aseprite reloading are useful for projects where tile appearance and art assets change alongside map design. It is not the right choice for isometric 3D work.

The maker links to documentation and an official Discord community for learning and support. Those resources complement the editor, while community engine loaders may appeal to developers building on the listed engines.

Pros and cons

Pros: No-cost use without usage limits, including for commercial content, removes a common constraint for projects that grow in scope.

Pros: Layout modes, automatic tile skinning and typed entities address world structure, tile rules and gameplay data in the same tool.

Pros: Direct Aseprite loading with live reload, plus PNG, JSON and optional TMX exports, supports a practical art and data workflow.

Cons: The focus is platformer and top-down design; projects requiring isometric 3D need a different editor.

Cons: Engine importers and loaders are community offerings, so developers seeking a single built-in integration should look elsewhere.

Alternatives

Browse game level editors if you want to compare tools across the category.

GridCraft is another free-plan option, with a web editor, 19 tools and every export format included in its free plan.

Remere's Map Editor is a free alternative for readers who value a GPLv2-licensed project and redistribution permitted only under its stated terms.

NetRadiant is a free and open-source 3D game level editor, making it a closer fit when the project calls for 3D rather than LDtk's 2D focus.

Sprite Fusion offers a free web edition for personal and commercial use, with unlimited projects.

GtkRadiant is a free GPL-licensed alternative provided as-is without warranty or support.

SonLVL is another free option for Linux, macOS and Windows.

Tiled is a free map editor with a name-your-own-price model and voluntary payment.

DarkRadiant is an open-source level editor that requires game resources the editor does not install.

Verdict

Choose LDtk for a no-cap, open-source 2D workflow that joins flexible layouts, tile rules and typed entities, particularly for platformer and top-down games. Look elsewhere if isometric 3D perspective is central to the project, or if you need engine integration beyond community importers and loaders.

Verdict

LDtk covers level layout, tile rules, typed entities, and exports for 2D game development. Its perspective support is limited to platformer and top-down work, not isometric 3D.

Where Specifiction places it

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