by Suchaaver·Workflow
Images © Suchaaver. Used for product review; image policy.
Stands out in the Blender extensions library for a narrow, practical job: mapping separate mesh pieces to bones automatically. The single-mesh and one-island-per-group limits are documented by the developer, with expansions noted as planned.
Armature Deform with Linked Groups automates part of the rigging process in Blender by building an armature deformation and assigning vertex groups based on vertex islands. A vertex island is every vertex selected when Blender's "select linked" (Ctrl-L) command is used, so each connected piece of geometry maps to a bone.
The add-on is aimed at mechanical rigs, where a single mesh is often built from several separate pieces that move together. Bones that don't have a close vertex island simply create an empty vertex group, which suits control bones. To use it, install through the add-on interface, select your mesh and then your armature with the armature active, then choose Object → Parent → Armature Deform with Linked Groups.
There are known limits. Only one mesh can be auto-deformed at a time, and each bone receives only the island nearest to it, measured by the lowest average vertex-to-bone-center distance. Smaller parts such as bolts may be left unassigned or misassigned. Both points are noted by the developer as planned for future releases.
Armature Deform with Linked Groups is best for mechanical rigging in Blender, where a single mesh is made up of several distinct pieces that need to be tied to individual bones.
Armature Deform with Linked Groups is completely free to download and use.
Armature Deform with Linked Groups is compatible with Blender 4.2 LTS and newer, so it runs on current long-term-support releases and later versions. It was published at version 1.0.0 in January 2025 and does not require any special permissions. Because it hooks into Blender's own armature deform workflow and the "select linked" selection behaviour, it fits alongside the standard rigging tools. If you're on a Blender build older than 4.2 LTS, check the developer's GitHub page before installing to confirm it will load.
Armature Deform with Linked Groups installs through Blender's add-on interface, where you look for its name in the list. To apply it, first select your mesh and then your armature with the armature active, exactly as you would when creating a normal armature deform. Then go to Object → Parent → Armature Deform with Linked Groups. From there the add-on assigns each bone's vertex group to the nearest vertex island, where an island is every vertex caught by Blender's "select linked" (Ctrl-L) command.
Armature Deform with Linked Groups currently handles a single mesh at a time, so you can auto-deform only one mesh with the armature per operation; the developer lists multi-mesh support as planned for a future release. Each bone also receives just one vertex island, the one nearest to it as measured by the lowest average vertex-to-bone-center distance. Because of this, small parts such as bolts may be left unassigned or misassigned, which is also noted as planned for a future release.
Armature Deform with Linked Groups is listed as free here in the catalog, and it's released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later. It requires no special permissions to run. For current licensing terms, source code, and issue reporting, the developer's GitHub page is the place to check, since it hosts the repository and release history. A single version, 1.0.0, is available, published in January 2025 under developer Suchaaver.
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