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is there a download manager for Linux that just works? (libreddit.oxymagnesium.com)
submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by Im28xwa@lemdro.id to c/linux@lemmy.ml
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Something as simple and as convenient to use as internet download manager

If you have ever used IDM before then you know what I mean, I'm yet to find an alternative that's on par with its ease of use and convenience

Here are my requirements:

  • I don't have to copy-paste any links or right click on any links (just like IDM)
  • it works on all sites, well except for mega.nz (just like IDM)
  • it can scan the website and show me a download button on top of the media if it detects media like a YouTube video or an audio file playing, etc... (just like IDM)
  • It works perfectly with Firefox (just like IDM)
  • it doesn't have to keep running in the background, starting a direct download link should initiate it and show me a pop download dialog/window (just like IDM)

I have tried:

  • Persepolis: it has failed me miserably, the download fails 99% of the time (like from GitHub) so I ended up disabling the browser extension because it was getting in my way.
  • Motrix: I have tried it on Windows with Firefox, but it doesn't auto-detect the downloads and I have to copy and paste the download links and in some cases this is very difficult as many websites don't show the direct download link to the user.
  • Varia: tried it quickly yesterday, and it failed to auto capture the download link and Firefox built in download manager started instead.
  • FDM: I have tried to download it off the package manager (a flatpak from Linux mint software manager) but it failed to install for some reason and now the download option doesn't load at all! But I have used FDM on Windows before, and it is not as good as IDM.

I just downloaded KGet, and it doesn't seem to be what I'm looking for, but we will see.

Some notes:

  • youtube-dl: I never used it before but from what I know about it, I'm pretty sure it doesn't fit my criteria
  • I'm using 1DM+ on my android phone, and it is so damn good, it's almost perfect, it is the golden standard for download managers on android, this app is another example of "it just works".
  • I think I'm losing hope, and I'm going to see if IDM can run perfectly using WINE

final update

Tested JDownloader2 with the Download with JDownloader Firefox extension vs FDM and the winner is FDM because it just worked out of the box no configuration was needed beyond just installing the browser extension, and it did a better job at meeting my requirements except for the 3rd one, but thankfully I found this great extension so it's alright

  • ah I almost forgot, yes I tested DownThemAll, and it didn't automatically capture downloads, so this was an instant no
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[-] LainTrain@lemmy.dbzer0.com 72 points 4 months ago

I have nothing to contribute, but I'm extremely curious as to why someone would need a "download manager"? What's the use case?

I seem to recall most downloader programs just being malware like Orbit downloader etc.

[-] thequantumcog@lemmy.world 18 points 4 months ago

I mostly use a download manager for parallel downloading a file. (downloading multiple parts of a single file at the same time).

[-] Dariusmiles2123@sh.itjust.works 18 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

I might be dumb but I still don’t understand the use of such a download manager.

I mean I guess I have an integrated download manager in Firefox and it’s sufficient for my user case.

[-] maxprime@lemmy.ml 50 points 4 months ago

You’re not dumb you just haven’t needed that use case before.

Here’s an example of the last time JDownloader saved me. There was a website where people were posting archives of old skateboard videos. There were hundreds of links across dozens of pages in a forum. All links to sites like mega.

I was able to view all pages in one document and extracted all of the hundreds of links and put them in JDownloader. Over the course of the next several weeks JDownloader was able to manage those downloads without clogging my bandwidth. If a download failed it would notify me and I could retry it.

Can you imagine trying to do that in Firefox?

[-] Dariusmiles2123@sh.itjust.works 15 points 4 months ago

Thanks for the explanation 👍

[-] LainTrain@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 4 months ago

Fair enough! That's so good you managed to get all that

[-] teawrecks@sopuli.xyz 1 points 4 months ago

Sounds like nzb with extra steps.

[-] optissima@lemmy.world 16 points 4 months ago

Aria2 in the terminal has this feature:

aria2c -X 16 [URL]

[-] Tetsuo@jlai.lu 3 points 4 months ago

A long time ago I used a CLI download manager that could download from different mirrors at the same time.

I think it was a tool called axel and it worked very well.

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[-] Owljfien@lemm.ee 14 points 4 months ago

When I used to use one it was due to sites limiting downloads to 200kb/s or similar. 32 parallel requests got that up to 6.4MB/s

[-] LainTrain@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 4 months ago

Neat! I haven't had to use download sites in ages so TIL you could bypass it like this. I thought all that stuff died with Rapidshare and letitbit etc.

[-] Ozzy@lemmy.ml 60 points 4 months ago

I'm surprised you tried all of these downloaders that I've never heard of, but somehow missed like the biggest one. JDownloader2 , the best one imo

[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 9 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Lol, I actually know about JDownloader2 but never used it but well I'm downloading it right now so let's see

Update: close but not enough, FDM is the winner for me

[-] progandy@feddit.de 6 points 4 months ago

There seems to be a Firefox extension that can send downloads and start jdownloader as well

[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 1 points 4 months ago

Tested it but in the end I settled on FDM

[-] dvdnet62@feddit.nl 8 points 4 months ago

the thing about jdownloader it does not grab url and transfer it immediately to download manager with extension like IDM does.

[-] Ozzy@lemmy.ml 14 points 4 months ago

well yeah, that's true, but it auto grabs clipboard, so you can just Right click > copy link address. Yeah yeah 1 extra click and messes your old workflow ik, but at least it checks all the other requirements

[-] progandy@feddit.de 3 points 4 months ago

There are Browser extension available, i do not know their quality.

[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 1 points 4 months ago

Tested it but settled on FDM in the end because of its simplicity, convenience and ease of use

[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 1 points 4 months ago

THIS

[-] gravitywell@sh.itjust.works 24 points 4 months ago

Jdownloader2 is the the best, I've not used anything else for years.

[-] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 10 points 4 months ago

It's maybe a little bloated and UI is 🤮 but it never lets me down. Since I started paying for RealDebrid I love it even more!

[-] Comexs@monero.town 3 points 4 months ago

What is RealDebrid?

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[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 2 points 4 months ago

I guess it is a matter of personal preference and priorities

[-] gravitywell@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 months ago

Glad you found what you need. Ive never needed any browser plugins to use JDL2, it just works with copy and past and monitors your clipboard,

[-] cerement@slrpnk.net 13 points 4 months ago

(go old school, curl and wget)

[-] delirious_owl@discuss.online 11 points 4 months ago

curl -c in a while loop

[-] dvdnet62@feddit.nl 8 points 4 months ago

I use Java version of XDM and it work flawlessly on brave and firefox

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[-] refalo@programming.dev 7 points 4 months ago

any website

I'm sorry to say this is not possible with any app.

[-] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 8 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

He meant to say, any website that isn't soydev cloudy garbaj. Also the answer is still DownThemAll

[-] arran4@aussie.zone 6 points 4 months ago

jdownloader seems pretty close to "internet download manager"

Also I prefer yt-dlp over youtube-dl

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[-] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago

Have you tried https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/downthemall/ ?

[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 1 points 4 months ago

Tried it today and unfortunately it didn't pass the test

[-] TrickDacy@lemmy.world 2 points 4 months ago

Curious -- what made it not an option?

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[-] Hubi@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago

https://www.wfdownloader.xyz/

Wfdownloader is often overlooked but it's probably one of the best and versatile tools around.

[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 2 points 4 months ago

Thanks! I will keep this one in mind in case things don't work well with FDM

[-] refalo@programming.dev 1 points 4 months ago

ngl this site looks really sketchy

[-] Hubi@lemmy.world 1 points 4 months ago

That's fair, it kinda does lol. Alternatively you can get it from SourceForge:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/wfdownloader/

[-] Leny@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago

uGet always worked great for me.

[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 1 points 4 months ago
  • Does it auto capture download requests from the browser?
  • Do I need to copy-paste the direct download link to it?
  • Do I need to right click on links then select it?
  • does it work flawlessly with Firefox?
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[-] drwho@beehaw.org 4 points 4 months ago

Out of my toolkit:

  • Audio and video? yt-dlp, hands down.
  • Files? The plugin DownThemAll for Firefox.
[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 2 points 4 months ago

yt-dlp

Hmm seems really interesting, will take a look at it when I have time

DownThemAll

Tested it unfortunately requires an extra step (right clicking on links), I'm looking for something that will auto start whenever I left click on a link instead of the browser built in download manager

[-] impure9435@kbin.run 3 points 4 months ago

I always use https://flathub.org/apps/org.freedownloadmanager.Manager

[-] Im28xwa@lemdro.id 1 points 4 months ago

I settled on it in the end but I installed the deb package instead from FDM website, the flatpak just refuses to install and I'm not willing to troubleshoot the issue

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this post was submitted on 07 May 2024
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