Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

aria2

aria2 is a lightweight multi-protocol & multi-source command-line download utility. It supports HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, BitTorrent and Metalink.

aria2

aria2 Reviews and Details

This page is designed to help you find out whether aria2 is good and if it is the right choice for you.

Screenshots and images

  • aria2 Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-29

Features & Specs

  1. Lightweight

    aria2 is a lightweight multi-protocol and multi-source command-line download utility that consumes minimal system resources.

  2. Versatile Protocol Support

    aria2 supports multiple protocols including HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, BitTorrent, and Metalink, making it extremely versatile.

  3. Parallel Downloading

    Can download a file from multiple sources/protocols and split it into multiple streams, significantly increasing download speeds.

  4. Command-line Interface

    Offers robust command-line interface, enabling advanced scripting and automation capabilities.

  5. Low Dependency Requirement

    Requires minimal dependencies, making it easier to install and integrate into different environments.

  6. Pause and Resume

    Supports pausing and resuming downloads, which is useful for handling large downloads and intermittent connectivity issues.

  7. Open Source

    Being open-source, aria2 allows developers to contribute to its development and adapt it for custom use cases.

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Social recommendations and mentions

We have tracked the following product recommendations or mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you see what people think about aria2 and what they use it for.
  • Faster and More Reliable Hugging Face Downloads Using aria2 and GNU Parallel
    Aria2: A lightweight multi-protocol & multi-source command-line download utility. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Bypass download limits?
    For sites with limited download speeds I usually use aria2 (via terminal) since it supports segmented/multi connection downloading. But I guess this wouldn't work with 1fichier, since with these sites you usually don't get direct link to the file and/or sites like these limit the number of parallel connections. I also used it for torrents for a while, but I wouldn't recommend doing this anymore. Source: over 2 years ago
  • What actually gets you in trouble with torrenting? Downloading or seeding?
    You could try a tool like https://aria2.github.io. Source: over 3 years ago
  • What is the best and fast way to move 30 TB of data from one site to another side a few block down the street?
    A simple example of parallel transfers of a single file are Byte-range: HTTP requests. An example of one off-the-shelf tool that does this is aria2, but there are many libraries, and it's not difficult to write code from scratch. Source: over 3 years ago
  • How to download and store 900 3 hour videos in a month?
    Like others here, I also recommend using https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp to download the videos. Pair it with https://aria2.github.io/ as an external downloader to get the max speed download. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Video downloader
    I've used "aria2" download application CLI which was good / useful e.g. https://aria2.github.io/ (not sure that's even the right official site), And it LOOKS like there may be some web add on extension someone wrote to use it from firefox, but I've zero experience with browser integration of it. Https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/aria2-integration/. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Torrent Download CLI
    I don't know about a cli tool you could use to search and download torrent files but aria2 is a CLI tool that's capable of downloading torrents. Source: over 3 years ago
  • sha256sum not matching
    Heh I wrote my own parallel/chunked downloader for large files although I hear aria2c can do something similar. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Need Help Installing Aria2
    Download the latest version of Aria2 from the official website (https://aria2.github.io/). Alternatively, you can use a package manager to install Aria2. For example, on Debian-based systems (such as Ubuntu), you can use the following command to install Aria2:. Source: over 3 years ago
  • People really need to stop using this piece of junk.
    Aria2 [https://aria2.github.io/] over termux [https://f-droid.org/en/packages/com.termux/] . It does one thing, and does it perfectly. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • small sized torrent program?
    What kind of mid-90s setup have you got going where 38mb is intolerable? Just use Aria2 then: https://aria2.github.io. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Downloading Playlist Bilibili
    I improved the speeds with aria2 as external downloader: --downloader aria2c. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • What are some essential packages to install, after flashing OpenWRT on your router.
    Aria2 is a fast lightweight downloader. https://aria2.github.io/ tested on a few devices and it has been possibly the best downloader/torrent for flashed routers. Super easy to use and configure. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Does anyone have a magnet link for downloading 11?
    Add aria2 to the list. Terrific for resuming, and also natively handles torrents. Available in the repos. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Ask HN: Use phone to check status of currently running process on laptop
    I think I would recommend http://ariang.mayswind.net/ https://github.com/mayswind/AriaNg which is a web interface to https://aria2.github.io/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago
  • Canonical should ditch Snap, embrace Flatpak and improve APT
    Aria2 supports parallel and fallback mirrors. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Show HN: A Qt based GUI for many CLI based online media downloaders
    This tool works in Windows and Linux and is a GUI front ends to the following CLI tools that deal with online media downloading. The extension based architecture makes it possible to easily add support for any other CLI tool but it limits itself to tools deals with downloading of online media. yt-dlp : https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp youtube-dl : https://github.com/ytdl-org/youtube-dl gallery-dl :... - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago
  • Is there any Apple Silcon-native BitTorrent clients?
    Https://aria2.github.io/ is native and handles torrents too. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Torrenting on iOS [No jailbreak]
    Untested, but maybe you could run aria2c (https://aria2.github.io/) under https://ish.app/. Source: over 4 years ago
  • Torrentium - Torrent Scraper with built-in Cloud Downloader
    A: Ok so this of it like nyaa-client merged with mirror bots. The Android app uses TorrentiumAPI, which provides APIs for sites like nyaa.si and sukebei.nyaa.si and a interface to aria2c for downloading torrents and rclone for automatic uploads to cloud storage. Source: over 4 years ago
  • yt-dlp doesn't use aria2c after system upgrade (WARNING: The stream has AES-128 encryption and pycryptodomex is not available; extraction will be delegated to ffmpeg)
    Report bugs to https://github.com/aria2/aria2/issues Visit https://aria2.github.io/. Source: over 4 years ago

Summary of the public mentions of aria2

Aria2 is a lightweight, open-source download manager primarily appreciated for its command-line interface (CLI) efficiency and versatility. This software stands out in the competitive landscape of download managers and BitTorrent clients by eschewing a graphical user interface (GUI) for a more resource-efficient CLI, appealing to users who prioritize performance and minimal system footprint.

Strengths and Features

Many users praise Aria2 for its rich set of features supporting myriad protocols, including HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, BitTorrent, and Metalink. Its ability to download files from multiple sources concurrently maximizes download speeds, effectively managing bandwidth to enhance user experience. Furthermore, Aria2 is a full-fledged BitTorrent client, offering advanced features like Distributed Hash Table (DHT), Peer Exchange (PEX), encryption, magnet links, web-seeding, selective downloads, local peer discovery, and UDP trackers.

With a binary size of just about 4MB, Aria2's lean architecture is frequently highlighted as a significant advantage, particularly for users with limited system resources or those deploying it on resource-constrained devices such as routers running OpenWRT. Its capacity for parallel transfers and segmented downloading further underscores its efficiency.

User Community and Integration

The user community acknowledges Aria2 for its simplicity and robustness, often recommending it in contexts requiring quick, reliable download capabilities. It's frequently mentioned in discussions about bypassing download speed limitations imposed by certain websites, indicative of its reputation for enhancing download efficiency through measures like segmented and multi-connection downloading.

Integration is another area where Aria2 shines. Despite its CLI nature, it can work in tandem with several GUI front-ends and external downloaders, such as yt-dlp for online media downloads. Users have shared experiences of using web interfaces like AriaNg, which extends its usability for less technically inclined users.

Challenges and Considerations

Aria2 does face some criticism, primarily due to its lack of a native GUI, which may deter users unfamiliar with command-line operations. However, its straightforward syntax and extensive documentation somewhat mitigate this barrier, making it an accessible tool for those wishing to learn.

It's also noted that while Aria2 handles torrents effectively, its command-line nature may not be suited for all torrenting needs, especially for comprehensive torrent file searches or management tasks that benefit from a GUI. This limitation is a consideration for users seeking a more visual interface or needing advanced torrent management capabilities.

Conclusion

Public opinion on Aria2 is largely positive, especially among users who appreciate the command-line interface's power, speed, and resource efficiency. Its wide-ranging protocol support and lightweight design make it a valuable tool for both general users and those in specialized environments. While not without its constraints, particularly the absence of a GUI, Aria2 maintains a strong reputation as a capable and flexible download manager, endorsed by both technical enthusiasts and casual users alike.

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