# R2 — Community Libraries & Asset Portal > **Category:** reference · **Engine:** Defold · **Related:** [E1 Architecture Overview](../architecture/E1_architecture_overview.md) · [G6 Native Extensions & Build](../guides/G6_native_extensions_and_build.md) · [R1 API Reference](R1_api_reference.md) --- Defold has a first-party **Asset Portal** (defold.com/assets) and a library dependency system built into the editor. Community libraries are ZIP archives hosted on GitHub (or anywhere) and added via URL in `game.project`. This reference catalogues the most widely used libraries by domain. --- ## Adding a Library Dependency 1. Open `game.project` in the editor. 2. Under **Project → Dependencies**, add the library's ZIP URL (typically a GitHub release archive). 3. Select **Project → Fetch Libraries** (or reopen the project). 4. The library's files appear in a read-only mount in the editor's asset browser. ```ini # game.project excerpt [project] dependencies = https://github.com/britzl/monarch/archive/refs/tags/5.2.0.zip,https://github.com/Insality/druid/archive/refs/tags/1.2.zip ``` **Tip:** Pin to a specific tag or commit hash rather than `master.zip` to avoid surprise breakages. --- ## UI & Screen Management | Library | Description | Use when… | |---|---|---| | **Druid** | Full-featured UI component framework — buttons, text input, scroll, data list, rich text, hotkeys, layout. The most comprehensive Defold UI solution. | You need production UI: menus, HUDs, settings screens, scrollable lists. | | **Monarch** | Screen manager with stack-based navigation, transitions, popups, and focus handling. Works via collection proxies. | You need scene/screen transitions with back-stack support. | | **Gooey** | Lightweight GUI framework — buttons, checkboxes, radio buttons, lists, text input. | You want something simpler than Druid for jam-scale projects. | | **Flow** | Flexbox-style declarative UI with markdown rendering. | You prefer layout-driven UI composition. | | **Dear ImGUI** | Immediate-mode debug GUI — panels, sliders, trees, plots. Rendered as a native extension. | Debug tooling and runtime inspectors, not shipping UI. | --- ## Camera & Rendering | Library | Description | Use when… | |---|---|---| | **Orthographic** | Orthographic camera with screen-to-world projection, follow targets, shake, bounds, and zoom. The de facto standard Defold camera. | Any 2D game that scrolls or needs coordinate conversion. | | **Defold Rendy** | Versatile camera suite and render pipeline replacement. Supports multiple cameras, layers, and post-processing. | You need multi-camera setups or custom render pipeline features. | | **Scene3D** | 3D model rendering, prefabs, and basic 3D camera. | Rapid prototyping of 3D or 2.5D games in Defold. | --- ## Physics & Collision | Library | Description | Use when… | |---|---|---| | **DAABBCC** | Dynamic AABB tree for fast overlap queries and raycasts — a lightweight alternative to Box2D. | You want spatial queries without full rigid-body physics. | | **defold-box2d** | Direct Lua bindings for Box2D, bypassing Defold's built-in physics wrapper for full control. | You need joints, motors, or Box2D features not exposed by Defold's built-in physics. | | **Platypus** | 2D platformer physics — ground detection, slopes, one-way platforms, wall jumps. Kinematic-based, no Box2D. | You are building a platformer and want ready-made movement logic. | --- ## Networking & Multiplayer | Library | Description | Use when… | |---|---|---| | **Nakama** | Client SDK for Nakama open-source server — matchmaking, realtime multiplayer, leaderboards, chat, storage. | Full multiplayer backend with self-hosted or Heroic Cloud. | | **Colyseus** | Client for Colyseus Node.js multiplayer framework — room-based state sync. | Room-based realtime multiplayer on Node.js. | | **WebSocket** | Native WebSocket extension for persistent connections. | Custom server protocols or simple realtime communication. | | **Photon Realtime** | Official Photon Realtime extension (partnership with Exit Games). | Hosted multiplayer infrastructure via Photon. | | **DefNet** | Lightweight networking — TCP, UDP, HTTP helpers, and P2P discovery. | Simple networking or LAN multiplayer. | --- ## Animation & VFX | Library | Description | Use when… | |---|---|---| | **Rive** | Runtime for Rive animations — state machines, interactive motion graphics. | Designers use Rive for UI animation or character rigs. | | **Panthera 2.0** | Runtime for Panthera animation editor — skeletal and keyframe animation. | You use the Panthera tool for sprite animation. | | **Acid Rain** | Pure-Lua particle system with emitter presets. | You want particles without native extensions. | --- ## Audio | Library | Description | Use when… | |---|---|---| | **FMOD** | Native extension binding for FMOD Studio — events, buses, spatial audio. | Production audio with designer-driven sound design in FMOD Studio. | | **OpenAL** | 3D spatial audio with pitch, gain, and positioning. | Lightweight 3D audio without a middleware dependency. | | **Debeat** | Simple Lua audio manager — play, loop, fade, duck. | Jam-scale audio management. | --- ## Input & Controls | Library | Description | Use when… | |---|---|---| | **Defold-Input** | Gesture detection (swipe, pinch, long press) and input state querying (is_pressed, is_released). | Mobile games or any project needing gesture recognition. | | **Kinematic Walker** | 3D character controller — smooth movement, slopes, steps, and collision response. | 3D first/third-person movement. | --- ## AI & Pathfinding | Library | Description | Use when… | |---|---|---| | **A\* Pathfinding** | Grid-based A\* using the MicroPather algorithm (native extension, fast). | Grid or tile-based pathfinding for NPCs. | | **DefGraph** | Graph data structure with Dijkstra/BFS pathfinding. | Waypoint-based or non-grid navigation. | | **DefArmy** | Group/formation management for game objects — steering, spacing, selection. | RTS-style unit management. | --- ## Monetization, Analytics & Services | Library | Description | |---|---| | **Google AdMob** | Banner, interstitial, and rewarded ads via native extension. | | **Firebase Remote Config** | A/B testing and feature flags from Firebase console. | | **PlayFab SDK** | Backend platform — player data, leaderboards, economy, matchmaking. | | **Game Analytics** | Event tracking and analytics dashboard integration. | --- ## Dev Tools | Library | Description | |---|---| | **DefCon** | In-game developer console — run Lua at runtime, inspect state. | | **ts-defold** | Write Defold scripts in TypeScript with full type checking and autocompletion. | | **VS Code Defold Kit** | Extensions for VS Code — autocompletion, API docs, build integration. | | **Tiled** | TMX/TSX tilemap import via community exporter. | --- ## Choosing Libraries 1. **Check the Asset Portal** (defold.com/assets) — it is the canonical index and shows compatibility info. 2. **Pin versions** — use tagged release ZIPs in your dependency URL. 3. **Prefer official extensions** — libraries under the `defold` GitHub org receive maintenance from the Defold team. 4. **Watch dependency size** — each library adds to the build. Remove unused dependencies to keep bundle size small. 5. **Test on target platforms** — native extensions compile per-platform. Verify on mobile/web/console early.