arcdEx vs Kuriimu2

arcdEx is a free Linux tool for listing and extracting files from .arcd archives made by the Defold game engine. It handles compressed files and can decrypt files only when they use Defold's default encryption key. The tool can inspect .texturec resources and extract their contained textures, as well as inspect compiled .luac files and extract Lua source code. To work with an archive, provide the .arcd file; arcdEx guesses paths to the associated .arci index and .dmanifest manifest files. The repository says this version supports manifest version 5, while the README also lists versions 1 through 4. Multiple .arcd files from a Defold web game must be combined before use. The README distinguishes desktop applications, which contain compiled Lua bytecode, from web projects through Defold 1.3.4, which contain Lua source code. It supports command-line and batch extraction, and runs as a Java JAR. The project is licensed under AGPL v3, and its author is credited as Christian Weiske. Archive repacking is not supported.

Kuriimu2 is a free, open-source project manager and toolkit for game translators, ROM hackers, and game modders. It helps inspect, extract, edit, and rebuild game resources across formats. Its tools handle archive, image, and text extraction and injection, as well as font inspection and modification; archive repacking is also supported. The project provides graphical and command-line builds, a modular plugin architecture, and an API for custom plugins. A compatibility spreadsheet lists its large collection of supported game formats. Version 1.2.1 is the latest stable release and adds all image plugins from Kukkii plus batch injection in the command line. Kuriimu2 is listed for Windows; the quick start directs users to launch Kuriimu2.exe. The project says to install the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable before use. It is under GPL-3.0, with no paid plans or usage limits stated. The project describes preservation, translation, research, and modding as intended uses.