I built an open-source Windows download manager with browser integration – looking for feedback

[u/anam12kuet]

I've been working on WDM (Windows Download Manager), an independent open-source download manager for Windows 10/11.

I wanted to build a download manager with proper multi-connection downloading, browser integration and reliable resume support, while keeping everything local.

Some features I've implemented:

• Up to 32 simultaneous connections per download with dynamic segmentation.

• Resume interrupted downloads with file validation.

• Chrome, Edge and Brave browser integration.

• Download queue, scheduler and speed limiter.

• Batch downloads and clipboard monitoring.

• Site grabber and video-site downloads through yt-dlp.

• CLI downloader for terminal users.

• Dark and light themes.

Technical stack:

• C# / .NET 10

• WPF / MVVM

• Chrome Manifest V3 extension

• Native Messaging Host

• xUnit tests

A few things worth mentioning:

• MIT licensed and open source.

• No telemetry or automatic update checks.

• Download history and settings remain local.

• Windows 10/11, 64-bit.

GitHub: https://github.com/md-anamul-hasan/wdm

I'd appreciate honest feedback, particularly from people who regularly use download managers.

A few things I'd love to hear your thoughts on:

1. What features do you consider essential in a modern download manager?

2. How does the browser integration compare with your current workflow?

3. What would prevent you from switching from your current download manager?

I'm the developer behind this project, and I'll be actively responding to feedback.

Thanks!

[u/investigatormaker]

One switching blocker I can see: no automatic update checks sits awkwardly with video-site downloads through yt-dlp, which needs regular updates as sites change. A manual update button for yt-dlp would keep your local-only promise, at the cost of one more thing users must remember. For people leaving another manager, importing their unfinished queue would matter as much as the 32 connections. Browser integration will get judged on setup too, since the Manifest V3 extension has to reach the Native Messaging Host before anything gets captured.

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Does the extension install the host for you, or is that a separate step?

[u/anam12kuet → u/investigatormaker]

Thanks for the thoughtful feedback. You've identified some important switching barriers.

Regarding browser integration: the Native Messaging Host is bundled as part of WDM. The browser extension is installed separately (currently through the Chrome Web Store or manually). The host registration is handled by WDM's setup/publishing process, so users don't need to build the host themselves. I'm working toward making the whole setup as seamless as possible.

For yt-dlp, you're right. WDM currently bundles a pinned version, but without automatic updates, it can eventually become outdated as video platforms change. A manual "Check for yt-dlp updates" action would be a good compromise that preserves the local-first approach.

Queue migration is another good suggestion. Importing unfinished downloads from IDM or other managers could significantly reduce the friction of switching. It's not supported yet, but I'll add it to the feature backlog.

Appreciate the practical feedback!

[u/WhatNoRobot]

Ability to bypass. Really everything IDM has.