Starting with GIMP 2.10.10, the core program can load and export DDS files without any extra steps. This native plugin supports standard DXT compression and mipmap generation.
The DDS plugin allows GIMP to read and write DDS files, which are a type of raster image file. DDS files are used to store textures, images, and other graphical data for various applications. The plugin supports various DDS formats, including DXT1, DXT3, DXT5, and more. gimp dds plugin
Best for images with alpha channels (transparency). Starting with GIMP 2
Installing the plugin is straightforward: Starting with GIMP 2.10.10
The modern standard for high-quality textures in newer game engines (available natively in GIMP 3.2).