Introduction to the Cobalt Project
Cobalt is a streamlined and user-friendly media downloader designed to make saving content simple and hassle-free. Unlike many services that can frustrate users with ads, trackers, and paywalls, Cobalt is built to be efficient and straightforward. Users can simply paste a link, download the desired file, and continue with their tasks without unnecessary distractions.
Features of the Cobalt Project
- No Ads or Trackers: Cobalt prides itself on providing a clean experience without ads or unnecessary tracking, making it a preferred choice for users who value privacy and simplicity.
- Ease of Use: The process involves merely pasting a link to fetch a file, which aligns with its mission to be as simple as it should be.
Technical Overview
Cobalt operates as a monorepo which includes the source code for its API, frontend, and associated packages. Users can explore these components across various trees:
- API Tree: Contains the source code related to the backend operations.
- Web Tree: Houses the frontend code that deals with user interactions.
- Packages Tree: Includes additional packages that support various functionalities.
Moreover, Cobalt provides comprehensive documentation to enhance user understanding and facilitate ease of use:
- API Documentation: Guides users on how to interact with the Cobalt API.
- Running an Instance: Instructions on setting up a Cobalt instance.
- Instance Protection: Tips on safeguarding your Cobalt instance.
- Configuration for YouTube: Steps for configuring a Cobalt instance to work seamlessly with YouTube.
Ethics and Responsibilities
Cobalt emphasizes its ethical stance by focusing solely on downloading publicly accessible content. It does not support or endorse piracy, and users are reminded to act responsibly regarding downloaded content usage and distribution. Importantly, Cobalt does not cache downloaded content but functions as a sophisticated proxy, akin to utilizing developer tools in a modern web browser.
Community and Support
Cobalt extends gratitude to its partners, notably Royale Hosting, for their sponsorship and hosting of the main processing instance. Users are encouraged to join the Cobalt community on Discord and follow updates on Twitter. This engagement fosters a vibrant community where users and developers can share insights and support.
Contributions and Licensing
The Cobalt team welcomes contributions from the community, encouraging potential contributors to review the contributing guidelines. For those interested in the technical and legal aspects, Cobalt's licensing information can be found in the API and web README files, with the predominant license being AGPL-3.0.
In summary, Cobalt stands out as a reliable and ethical media downloader, prioritizing user experience and community engagement while adhering to responsible downloading principles.