I’m excited to share a project I’ve been working on to help indie developers and hobbyists with their 2D animation pipeline: DB Reborn.
What is DB Reborn?
DB Reborn is a free, open-source tool designed to bridge the gap between the old and classic DragonBones editor and modern game engines. It converts DragonBones JSON files (v3.3) into the Spine JSON format, making them ready to be imported directly into Defold.
While I originally built this with Defold in mind, it is now a universal tool that supports multiple output extensions (.spinejson for Defold or .json for Godot, Unity, GameMaker, etc.).
Key Features:
Easy Conversion: Simple UI to transform your DragonBones animations into Spine-compatible data.
Multi-platform: Ready-to-use executables for Windows, macOS and Linux. No Python installation required!
Engine Specific Output: A dedicated dropdown to choose between .spinejson (Defold) and standard .json extensions.
Ease Curve Support: Attempts to preserve your animation curves, with a “Force Linear” fallback for maximum compatibility.
Completely Free: Distributed as freeware to support the gamedev community.
How to get it?
You can download the latest release for your OS on GitHub or Itch.io:
Export your animation from DragonBones as a JSON file.
Open DB Reborn and select your input file.
Choose your output folder and the desired extension (.spinejson for Defold).
Click Convert!
Import the generated file and your textures into Defold as a Spine component.
You can see DB Reborn in action in a tutorial in DB Reborn channel.
Feedback Welcome!
DB Reborn was developed using Python during my free time in the 2025 as a hobby and it was my first public project. So, in this first public release (v1.0.0) I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you find any bugs or have suggestions for new features, please feel free to report them on the GitHub Issues page.
DB Reborn was tested using Dragonbones 5.6.2.0001 in Defold 1.12.0 with the Spine Extension 4.2.0 version as seen in the Youtube channel tutorial.
I hope this tool helps you bring your characters to life in Defold!
Hello! Thank you for reporting this. Regarding the source code, DB Reborn is currently distributed as Freeware (Closed Source), which is why the GitHub repository contains only documentation and issue tracking.
About the macOS issue: The app was built and tested on macOS Big Sur using a virtual environment. Since I don’t have access to multiple physical Mac hardwares, some compatibility issues may occur on different versions or M1/M2/M3 (Apple Silicon) chips.
To help me investigate, could you please provide:
Your macOS version (e.g., Monterey, Sonoma).
Your Mac model (Intel or Apple Silicon/M1/M2).
Any error message that appears (or a screenshot of the terminal if you try to run the executable from there).
I’ve just updated the macOS executable in the GitHub Releases. I’ve improved the app’s bundle structure and ensured that execution permissions are correctly preserved in the new .zip file.
A quick tip for the first run:
The first launch may take up to a minute while macOS verifies the app’s security. Subsequent launches will be much faster.
If the app doesn’t open normally, please Right-Click the DB_Reborn.app, select Open, and then click Open again in the warning dialog.
Could you please download the latest version and let me know if it works for you? Your feedback is very important to help me polish the tool for the community!
thanks, but dragonbones won’t work on apple silicon, or it will require dancing with a tambourine. I found the loongbones website and this is the web version of dragonbones with export to spine.
For what it does, this is a huge red flag to me. You can do the format conversion in a web page. Why is it closed source? Why is it ~100MB? Please be careful people.
Hi! Thank you for the feedback. You’re right, LoongBones is a great web-based alternative for those who prefer an online workflow.
I created DB Reborn as a local, offline tool for developers who:
Prefer to keep their assets on their own machines (privacy/security).
Need a quick, dedicated converter without the overhead of a full web editor.
Want a tool specifically tested for the Defold + Spine Extension workflow.
Regarding Apple Silicon: You’re correct that running Intel-based Python apps on M1/M2/M3 chips sometimes requires Rosetta 2. I’m a solo developer working with the hardware I have available (macOS Big Sur VM), but I’m always looking for ways to improve compatibility.
DB Reborn is just another ‘tool in the toolbox’ for the community. It’s 100% free, and I hope it can be useful for those who prefer a local desktop application!
Yeah, great work! I have old projects that still use DB, and I haven’t been able to upgrade the spine version for them because DB is no longer supported. This is fantastic for improving the performance of my older games.
Hi! Thank you for your feedback and for raising these points. Security and transparency are very important, especially for community tools. I’d like to clarify the technical aspects of DB Reborn:
1. Why is it ~100MB?
The tool is built using Python 3.11 and the PySide6 (Qt) framework. To ensure a ‘plug-and-play’ experience without requiring users to install Python or complex dependencies, I used PyInstaller to bundle the entire Python runtime and the Qt libraries into a single executable. This naturally increases the file size, but it guarantees it works out of the box for everyone.
2. Why Closed Source?
As a solo developer, I’ve chosen the Freeware (Closed Source) model for this initial release to maintain control over the project’s development while keeping it 100% free for the community. I understand the caution regarding closed-source tools, and I respect that choice.
3. Security & ‘Red Flags’
I’ve scanned the Windows executable on VirusTotal. As is common with non-signed PyInstaller apps, only one minor engine (1/70) flagged it with a generic ‘AI Detection’ alert due to the way PyInstaller bundles the Python runtime. However, all major engines (Microsoft, Kaspersky, Bitdefender, Symantec, etc.) have flagged the file as 100% CLEAN.
You can check the full, transparent report here: 0e472c8b8d6c8fb3958dc4d3dd3e6841d70bf29f75859d7f6d07960392c422a8
4. Why not a Web Version?
While web tools like LoongBones are great, DB Reborn was designed as a local, offline tool for those who:
Prefer to keep their assets (IP) on their own machines (Privacy).
Need a dedicated, fast converter specifically tested for the Defold + Spine Extension workflow.
I apologize for the confusion in the README regarding the ‘Open Source’ term; it was a mistake and has been corrected to Freeware. My goal is simply to provide a free alternative for hobbyists who cannot afford a Spine license.
Feel free to run it in a sandbox or VM if you have any concerns. Thanks for helping me keep the community safe!"
That’s exactly why I created DB Reborn! I know how frustrating it is to have great projects stuck in older versions because of tool compatibility.
My goal was to bridge that gap, allowing hobbyists and indie devs to bring their DragonBones animations into the modern Defold + Spine 4.2+ workflow without having to redo everything from scratch. I’m thrilled to hear it will help improve the performance of your older games!
Please let me know how the conversion goes for your projects. If you encounter any specific files that behave unexpectedly, feel free to reach out. Happy developing!
What is DB Reborn?
Key Features:
How to get it?
Quick Tutorial:
Feedback Welcome!