Linux has matured into an excellent platform for artists, photographers, animators, and designers. With inexpensive hardware, free software, and a modicum of talent and inspiration, anyone can create professional-looking computer graphics.
There is a huge range of open source software available to create, modify and convert 2D and 3D computer graphics. In the field of 2D animation, Linux is endowed with a good range of open source software.
With the right tool and a large dollop of creative juices, you can create superb animations.
Captured in a legendary LinuxLinks chart, we make the following recommendations. Each program is free and open source.
Note the ratings reflect a program’s animation functionality only.
Let’s explore the 13 animation tools. For each program we have compiled its own portal page, a full description with an in-depth analysis of its features, a screenshot of the program in action, together with links to relevant resources.
| Animation Tools | |
|---|---|
| Synfig | Capable of producing feature-film quality animation |
| Blender | 3D creation suite with a huge variety of uses including animation |
| LibreSprite | Create 2D animations for videogames |
| Pencil2D | Easy, intuitive tool to make 2D hand-drawn animations |
| Tahoma2D | Full-featured 2D and Stop Motion animation creation based on Toonz Studio |
| Drawpile | Draw, paint and animate together with others on the same canvas |
| Glaxnimate | Simple and fast vector graphics animation program |
| OpenToonz | Based on Toonz Studio Ghibli Version |
| Friction | Motion graphics software for vector and raster animations |
| Inochi Creator | Tool to create and edit Inochi2D puppets |
| EagleAnimation | Stop-motion animation application |
| K-3D | 3D modeling and animation software |
| enve | Create vector animations, raster animations, with sound and video files |
This article has been updated to reflect the changes outlined in our recent announcement.
 Explore our carefully curated directory of recommended free and open source software, covering every major software category.The directory forms part of our extensive collection of articles for Linux enthusiasts. It includes hundreds of detailed reviews, together with free and open source alternatives to proprietary software from companies such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk. LinuxLinks also covers interesting projects worth exploring, Linux-compatible hardware, free programming books and tutorials, and much more. Know a useful free and open source Linux application that we haven’t covered? Tell us about it using our submission form. |
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I don’t understand how you forgot to include Krita.
Krita is primarily a graphics editor / painting software and included in our Painting Tools roundup. It’s always best to use the search option.
We’re fully aware Krita includes frame-by-frame raster animation. Lots of other graphics software includes some sort of animation functionality. But that doesn’t mean they are best included in this roundup.
That’s true, I sometimes use GIMP for basic animation. But I wouldn’t describe it as animation software.
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