The Problem
Downloading files from archive.org is a chore. Sure, torrents exist, but they don’t always include everything in the archive. And manually grabbing files? That’s a time sink, especially for large archives with scattered files. If you’ve ever tried to snag an entire collection of retro magazines or software from archive.org without losing your sanity, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
What This Does
ia-get simplifies the process by automating the entire download pipeline. Point it at an archive.org details page, and it’ll handle the rest: pulling down metadata, downloading all files, preserving directory structures, and even resuming partial downloads. The main logic lives in src/main.rs, which calls supporting modules like src/downloader.rs (handles downloads) and src/archive_metadata.rs (processes metadata). The Cargo.toml file manages dependencies, and GitHub Actions (.github/workflows/) provides CI/CD support for building and releasing across platforms.
The tool checks file integrity with hashes and can be run multiple times to sync updates without duplicating files. It’s barebones but functional, with a clear focus: get files, no fluff. The included justfile also makes local builds and tests trivial if you’re hacking on the code.
Real-World Use
Let’s say you’re archiving the classic ZZap!64 magazines for preservation or nostalgia. Instead of clicking through endless links, run:
This grabs every file (scans, metadata, maybe even a torrent file), verifies them, and dumps them into your current directory. Want to seed the torrent later? No problem—the files are already in the correct structure. Bonus: if the download fails halfway through, just rerun the command to pick up where you left off.
The Bottom Line
ia-get is a niche tool, but it nails its purpose: pain-free archive.org downloads. It’s solid for personal use or preservation projects, though it might feel overkill for casual, one-off downloads. The codebase is clean, modular, and a decent intro to Rust for anyone curious. If you’re dealing with archive.org often, this could save you hours—just don’t expect polished UX or a lot of hand-holding.