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ZIDE

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What ZIDE is

ZIDE is a free, open-source pixel art editor for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Its minimal interface is aimed at artists making anything from simple sprites to intricate animations. Drawing tools cover draw, fill, and erase, while undo and redo help revise changes. You can pan or zoom around the editing space and import pixel-art palettes in .gpl format. Indexed color tools support palette-based work. For animation, ZIDE provides multiple frames and an animation timeline, allowing drawings to be assembled into animations. Finished artwork can be exported as PNG or rendered as sprite sheets. The project uses the MIT License, which permits use, modification, and distribution under its terms. The repository’s build instructions list Node.js and npm, Git, and Rust and Cargo as prerequisites. ZIDE’s GitHub Releases page currently lists no releases, so the stated route is to build from the repository rather than download a listed release package. The project is free and has no paid plan listed.

Who it suits

ZIDE suits pixel artists who want a free editor for sprites, palette-based artwork, and frame animations on Windows, macOS, or Linux.

What it does well

  • Free and open-source under MIT
  • Draw, fill, and erase tools
  • Animation timeline with multiple frames
  • PNG and sprite-sheet export
  • Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux

What to know first

  • GitHub lists no releases
  • Build requires Node.js, npm, Git, Rust, and Cargo

Verdict

ZIDE provides core pixel drawing, palette, animation, and export tools without a listed cost. Users should be prepared to build it from source because no release downloads are listed.

Facts from ZIDE's own pages

Animation
Users can create multiple frames and make them into animations. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Audience
The project says it was made for artists creating pixel art, from simple sprites to intricate animations. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Availability
The repository's Releases page says there are no releases. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Drawing tools
The editor includes draw, fill, and erase tools. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Editing
Users can undo and redo changes, and pan or zoom through the edit space. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Export
The editor can render drawings as sprite sheets. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Installation
The README’s build instructions list Node.js and npm, Git, and Rust and Cargo as prerequisites. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
License
The project says it is licensed under the MIT License, which permits use, modification, and distribution under its terms. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Palette import
Users can import pixel-art palettes in .gpl format. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Palettes
Users can import pixel art palettes in .gpl format. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Product
ZIDE is an open-source pixel art editor with a minimal, easy-to-use interface. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026
Release availability
The GitHub releases page says there are no releases available there. · github.com, 11 Oct 2026

Where ZIDE stands on Freedom251

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