What is cobalt?
cobalt is a media downloader with a web interface where users paste a link to retrieve a file. The project describes an experience without ads, trackers or paywalls. It is intended for downloading freely accessible public content, not bypassing access restrictions.
The repository contains the API, frontend and related packages, alongside documentation for running and protecting an instance. cobalt operates as a proxy and does not cache downloaded content. Users remain responsible for what they download and how they use or distribute it.
The project links to cobalt.tools as its web service. Code outside the API and web packages is licensed AGPL-3.0, and those two packages carry their own licensing information in their READMEs. The documentation tree covers how to run a cobalt instance, how to protect one, the API environment variables and the API itself. The ethics section states that cobalt can only download free and publicly accessible content.
Key capabilities
- Link-based downloads Retrieves publicly accessible media from a link supplied by the user.
- Web interface Provides a browser-based frontend for requesting downloads.
- API access Includes API source code and API documentation in the repository.
- Self-hosting Provides instructions for running and protecting a cobalt instance, including API environment variables.
- Proxy operation Transfers content without caching it.
Where cobalt fits
cobalt fits workflows where users need to save freely accessible public media through a web interface, or where developers need a media-download API that they can host themselves. Before deployment, operators should review the instance setup and protection documentation, check the licensing terms for the API and frontend, and confirm that intended downloads and subsequent uses are permitted.
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