PIDM

PIDM is a cross-platform desktop download manager built with Python, PySide6, and Qt Quick. It combines a native queue-based interface with resumable downloads, segmented transfers, media extraction, torrent support, scheduling, and optional browser integration.

Download

You can always grab the latest version of the app from the GitHub Releases page. Choose the package that matches your operating system:

Highlights

• Pause, resume, retry, and recover HTTP and HTTPS downloads
• Use parallel byte-range connections when the remote server supports them
• Organize transfers into queues with schedules, concurrency limits, and post-completion actions
• Download torrents and magnet links with per-file selection
• Resolve downloadable media and formats with yt-dlp
• Try HTTP/3 for compatible HTTPS origins, with automatic fallback
• Apply speed limits, connection limits, proxy settings, network-interface selection, custom request headers, and checksum verification
• Monitor the clipboard and control PIDM from the system tray
• Choose light, dark, or system themes
• Use the interface in English, Persian, Russian, or Chinese
• Send links and detected media from Chromium-based browsers or Firefox

Screenshots

Supported platforms

PIDM is developed for Windows, Linux, and macOS. GitHub Actions builds PyInstaller packages for all three platforms.

Python 3.11 through 3.13 is recommended. Torrent support depends on libtorrent, whose available wheels may vary by Python version and platform.

Install from source

Prerequisites

• Python 3.11–3.13
• Git
• A Python virtual environment

Windows

git clone https://github.com/saeedmasoudie/PIDM.git
cd PIDM
py -3.12 -m venv .venv
.\.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
python -m pip install --upgrade pip
python -m pip install -r requirements.txt
python main.py

Linux and macOS

git clone https://github.com/saeedmasoudie/PIDM.git
cd PIDM
python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
python -m pip install --upgrade pip
python -m pip install -r requirements.txt
python main.py

On Linux, Qt may also require distribution packages for X11 or Wayland, OpenGL, audio, and the system tray. Install the packages appropriate for your desktop environment if Qt reports a missing platform plugin.

Browser extension

PIDM includes a WebExtension for Chromium-based browsers and Firefox. The extension can send individual links, selected batches, media pages, and detected media to the desktop app.

PIDM must be running because the extension communicates only with a local bridge at 127.0.0.1:17654. No browsing data is sent to an external service.

To create installable archives:

python extension/package.py

The command writes separate Chromium and Firefox ZIP files to extension/dist/. See extension/README.md for unpacked development installation, browser compatibility, behavior, and privacy details.

Build a desktop package

Install the build dependencies and run the checked-in PyInstaller specification:

python -m pip install -r requirements.txt pyinstaller pillow
python scripts/write_build_info.py
python -m PyInstaller --clean --noconfirm pidm.spec

The application bundle is written to dist/. The checked-in production logo is used for the desktop application and packaged browser extensions.

The release workflow is started with one button from the GitHub Actions page. It reads APP_VERSION from core/build_info.py and does nothing when that version already has a GitHub release. For a new version it automatically:

• validates Python, translations, JavaScript, and extension packages;
• builds a Windows installer and portable ZIP;
• builds a Linux DEB installer and portable TAR.GZ;
• builds Intel and Apple Silicon macOS DMGs;
• packages Chromium and Firefox extensions;
• creates the v<version> tag and GitHub release;
• adds direct download links, commit changes, SHA-256 checksums, and GitHub build-provenance attestations to the release.

To publish the current version:

1. Open the repository's Actions tab.
2. Select Release PIDM installers.
3. Choose Run workflow, select main, and confirm Run workflow.
4. Wait for the Publish GitHub release job to finish.
5. Open the repository's Releases page to download the installers and browser extensions.

To publish a later version, update APP_VERSION in core/build_info.py, push to main, and run the same workflow. No workflow, tag, release page, download-link, checksum, or change-log editing is required.

Checksums and GitHub attestations verify that release files came from this repository and workflow. Windows publisher signing and Apple notarization still require external identity certificates; GitHub Actions alone cannot provide an operating-system-trusted publisher identity.

Development checks

This repository does not currently include an automated test suite. Before opening a pull request, run the available static and packaging checks:

python -m compileall -q .
node --check extension/background.js
node --check extension/content.js
node --check extension/popup.js
python extension/package.py --output /tmp/pidm-extensions

You can also exercise the desktop application directly with python main.py.

Project layout

.
├── assets/          Fonts, sounds, and optional application branding
├── controllers/     Qt-facing application services
├── core/            HTTP, HTTP/3, torrent, and persistence primitives
├── extension/       Chromium and Firefox WebExtension sources
├── models/          Download and queue models
├── qml/             Qt Quick interface
├── scripts/         Build metadata tooling
├── translations/    Application translations
├── main.py           Application entry point
└── pidm.spec         PyInstaller configuration

Download history is stored in downloads-v2.db inside the platform-specific PIDM user-data directory. Application preferences use the operating system's standard Qt settings location. Neither file is stored in the repository.

Contributing

Issues and focused pull requests are welcome. Please describe the operating system, Python version, source type, and reproduction steps when reporting a download problem. Keep changes scoped and run the development checks above before submitting code.

Responsible use

Only download files and media that you are authorized to save. Users are responsible for complying with copyright law, website terms, and local regulations.

License

PIDM is released under the MIT License. The bundled Vazirmatn font is distributed under the SIL Open Font License included in assets/fonts/OFL.txt.