You can download the Spine Trial for free. It includes all the professional features (Meshes, IK, etc.), allowing you to practice and learn the workflow. The only limitation is that you cannot save or export your work.
Files created in 2.1.27 often require manual "fixing" (scale/flip adjustments) when imported into modern versions like Spine 3.8+ due to significant changes in how the software handles data. Risks of "Extra Quality" Downloads "extra quality" spine 2127 download extra quality