A few months ago, I faced a problem: downloading videos efficiently on Linux felt clunky and unintuitive. CLI tools like yt-dlp and aria2 were powerful but lacked a friendly interface. That’s when I decided to build FastTube — a Linux download manager that’s fast, organized, and easy to use.
The Journey:
I started by combining the power of yt-dlp and aria2 under a clean, modern UI using Next.js, React, and Tailwind CSS. Along the way, I realized that building a tool isn’t enough — developers and users also need clear, accessible documentation. That led me to create the official FastTube docs: FastTube Docs
What FastTube Offers:
- IDM-style downloads for Linux
- Smart playlist and batch download support
- Real-time progress and statistics
- Fully documented for easy onboarding
Lessons Learned:
- Combining backend CLI tools with a modern frontend is challenging but rewarding
- Documentation is just as important as the code
- Shipping a project publicly teaches you about user experience, performance, and maintainability
You can check out the project and my full portfolio here: dawitworku.tech
I’d love to hear feedback from the Dev.to community. Linux users, developers, or anyone curious about building desktop-style apps with web tech — let me know what you think!
Top comments (1)
Good