Tilemap Editor

Tilemap Editor is a free, open-source tool for creating and editing 2D tile maps. It supports multiple tilesets and tilemaps in one file or session, with tools to paint, pan, erase, fill areas, place random tiles, and pick tiles. Users can tag tiles and assign symbols automatically; maps can include animated or flipped tiles and layers with opacity and visibility controls. Undo and redo are available, and tilemaps can be resized non-destructively. Its mobile-friendly interface scales to portrait smartphone screens, and the README says maps can be made on a phone. The online demo is described as an installable progressive web app. The editor can be embedded in JavaScript projects, websites, and web apps through its API. Export data is customizable, while Kaboom.js boilerplate export remains a work in progress. The README describes loading tileset galleries from Imgur and tilemap data from GitHub Gists. The project is listed for Android, iOS, and web, and its MIT License permits use, modification, distribution, and sale subject to its conditions. Tiled JSON import is not implemented, with Tiled I/O listed as planned.

Tilemap Editor offers core tile-painting tools, layers, and mobile-friendly editing, with an API for embedding it in JavaScript projects. Check its unfinished Tiled import and Kaboom.js export support if those workflows matter to you.

Tilemap Editor suits people making 2D maps on mobile devices or looking for a small editor to embed in JavaScript projects. Its API and open-source license may also interest developers adapting it for a website or app.

Tilemap Editor is a free, open-source 2D tilemap editor built as a JavaScript module, with an interface designed to scale to phone screens. It best suits developers who want to embed a compact editor in a JavaScript project or make maps on mobile. Its painting and layer tools cover core map work, but unfinished Tiled import and Kaboom.js export make it a poor fit for workflows that depend on either.

Overview

The editor combines multiple tilesets and tilemaps in a single file or session, along with common drawing tools and tile metadata. It is more than a standalone canvas: an API lets developers integrate it into web apps, websites, and other JavaScript projects. That flexibility is useful for custom workflows, though the unfinished import and export paths limit interoperability with established tools.

Key features

Painting, panning, erasing, bucket fill, random placement, and tile picking provide a practical set of map-making tools. Multi-tile selection and painting speed up work across groups of tiles, while undo and redo make experimentation less risky. Non-destructive resizing is useful when a map’s dimensions need to change without committing to destructive edits.

Animated and flipped tiles, plus layers with opacity and visibility controls, give creators ways to organize and vary a map. Tags and automatically assigned symbols add tile-level metadata, which can help developers structure their content. Customizable export data offers some control over output, but Kaboom.js boilerplate export remains a work in progress. Tiled JSON import is not implemented, and Tiled I/O is planned rather than supported.

The README describes loading tileset galleries from Imgur and tilemap data from GitHub Gists using URL parameters. The online demo is presented as an installable progressive web app. Its API and npm installation make embedding a central strength for developers, while the project invites feature and bug-fix contributions through forks and pull requests.

Pricing

Tilemap Editor is free and open source, with no free trial or paid plan described. Its MIT License permits use, modification, distribution, and sale subject to the license’s conditions. There are no paid tiers to weigh against one another; the main trade-off is accepting unfinished interoperability in exchange for a free editor that can be embedded and adapted.

Platforms

Tilemap Editor is available on Android, iOS, and the web. Its interface scales to portrait smartphone screens, and the README says maps can be made on a phone.

Who it's for

This is a strong fit for JavaScript developers who want to embed tilemap editing in a project, web app, or site, and for creators who value phone-friendly map making. It is less suitable for teams that need Tiled JSON import today or expect finished Kaboom.js boilerplate export. Readers evaluating a broader set of tools can browse Game Level Editors.

Pros and cons

• Pro: An API, JavaScript module, and npm installation support embedding the editor in web projects.
• Pro: Multiple tilesets and maps, layers, animation, metadata, and a broad set of drawing tools cover substantial tilemap work.
• Pro: The mobile-scaled interface and installable web demo suit creators who want to work on a phone.
• Con: Tiled JSON import is not implemented, so existing maps in that format cannot be brought in through that workflow.
• Con: Kaboom.js boilerplate export is still in progress, limiting its usefulness for projects that need that output now.

Alternatives

• Phaser is a free, open-source framework for JavaScript and TypeScript development with WebGL and Canvas rendering; choose it when you need a game framework rather than an embedded tilemap editor.
• NetRadiant is a free, open-source 3D game level editor for Linux, macOS, and Windows, making it a better fit for desktop 3D level editing.
• Remere's Map Editor is free for Linux, macOS, and Windows, with redistribution allowed only under its stated freeware terms; consider it if those desktop platforms suit your needs.
• 2D Tiler is a free web editor with no recurring subscriptions or arbitrary limits; consider it if those terms are the priority.
• GridCraft offers a free web editor with all 19 tools and every export format; consider it if you want those stated tools and formats in a browser editor.
• GtkRadiant is a free, GPL-licensed desktop editor provided as-is without warranty or support.
• Hammer++ is a free Windows modification of Valve’s Hammer editor for the Source engine.
• QuArK is a GNU GPL v2 project with Linux and Windows platforms.

Verdict

Choose Tilemap Editor if you want a free, embeddable JavaScript tilemap editor with useful drawing and layer tools, especially if mobile map-making matters. Its main advantage is the combination of a project integration API and a phone-scaled interface. Look elsewhere if your workflow depends on Tiled import or completed Kaboom.js export.