
cliget
cliget is a Firefox browser extension that simplifies the process of generating command-line download commands (curl and wget) for resources accessed within your browser. This is particularly useful for downloading files that require specific browser cookies or headers, allowing you to seamlessly transfer downloads to remote machines or use advanced download managers. Developed by Zaid Abdulla
About cliget
cliget: Seamless Browser-Authenticated Downloads for Power Users
cliget is a powerful yet simple Firefox add-on designed for users who frequently download files that require browser authentication or specific request headers. While typical browser download managers handle most basic downloads, accessing protected resources on remote servers or using command-line tools like curl
and wget
outside the browser often requires manually replicating the request context, including cookies and user agents. This process can be cumbersome and prone to errors.
cliget solves this by acting as a bridge between your browser session and your command-line download tools. When you access a file or resource in Firefox, cliget can intercept the request details and generate a ready-to-use curl
or wget
command that precisely emulates the request originating from your browser. This includes embedding the necessary cookies, referer headers, and user agent strings, ensuring that the download server accepts the request as if it were coming directly from your active browser session.
Key Features of cliget:
- Browser Integration: Tightly integrated with the Firefox browser, cliget is accessible directly within the browser's context menu.
- Command Line Interface Generation: Automatically generates
curl
andwget
commands, two of the most widely used command-line download utilities. - Authentication Emulation: Captures and includes essential browser cookies and headers (like User-Agent and Referer) in the generated command to emulate a browser request. This is crucial for downloading content from sites that require login or have specific access controls.
- Direct Download Link Generation: Provides a quick way to get the direct download command for resources you are viewing or interacting with in your browser.
- Support for Protected Files: Enables the download of files and content typically protected by authentication mechanisms, which are otherwise difficult to download outside of the browser session.
- Simple User Interface: The extension keeps its interface minimal, usually accessible via a context menu option, making it unobtrusive during normal browsing.
cliget is not a download manager itself, but a tool to facilitate downloads using external command-line tools. This makes it an invaluable utility for developers, system administrators, or anyone who needs to download files programmatically or transfer downloads to a different machine where a full browser environment might not be available or practical.
By providing accurate and session-context-aware download commands, cliget streamlines workflows that involve downloading protected resources, saving significant time and effort compared to manually inspecting network requests and constructing commands. It's a powerful niche tool that excels at its specific purpose: generating the right command to download precisely what your browser sees.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Generates curl/wget commands that include browser session details.
- Simplifies downloading authenticated or protected files externally.
- Seamless integration with the Firefox browser.
- Saves time compared to manually inspecting network requests.
- Lightweight and does not impact browser performance.
Cons
- Not a download manager itself, requires external tools (curl/wget).
- Generated command relies on the validity of the current browser session's authentication.
What Makes cliget Stand Out
Seamless Authentication Transfer
Automatically transfers browser authentication details (cookies, headers) to command-line downloads.
Generate Curl/Wget Commands
Quickly produces ready-to-use commands for two popular command-line download tools.
Download Protected Content Externally
Facilitates downloading content typically restricted behind logins or session requirements to external machines or environments.
What can cliget do?
Add new sites to your Feedly seamlessly using the browser extension for Firefox.
Creates runnable commands for command-line tools like curl and wget.
Provides a direct command to download the currently viewed or linked resource.
Provides plugins or extensions to view PDF files directly within web browsers.
Includes necessary browser cookies and headers to mimic a request from the active browser session.
Enables downloading files that require browser login or other authentication methods.
Review
cliget Review: Bridging Browser Sessions and Command-Line Downloads
cliget is a specialized Firefox add-on designed to simplify a specific, yet crucial, task for power users: generating command-line download commands that accurately replicate requests originating from your browser. In scenarios where you need to download a file from a website that requires authentication, cookies, or specific headers – data only available within your active browser session – attempting to download it with a standard curl
or wget
command without that context will often fail. Manually inspecting network requests, extracting cookies, and constructing the correct command is a tedious and error-prone process.
cliget elegantly solves this problem. Once installed in Firefox, it typically adds an option to the right-click context menu when interacting with links or pageelements. When activated, cliget inspects the request details for the resource and automatically generates a curl
or wget
command that includes all the necessary information, such as cookies, user agent strings, and referer headers. This generated command can then be copied and pasted into a terminal on any machine, allowing you to download the resource effectively, as if the request were coming directly from your logged-in browser session.
Functionality and Usability:
The primary strength of cliget lies in its straightforward functionality. It focuses on doing one thing well: generating accurate command-line download instructions based on the current browser context. There's no complex interface to navigate; the core functionality is accessible via the context menu. This minimal design keeps the add-on lightweight and unobtrusive during regular browsing.
The integration is seamless. Right-clicking on a link or sometimes even within a page's body, you'll find the cliget option. Selecting it typically opens a small window or dialog displaying the generated curl
and wget
commands. From there, you simply copy the desired command.
For users who frequently transfer downloads to remote servers, utilize scripting for downloads, or need to bypass typical browser download limitations for authenticated files, cliget significantly streamlines the workflow. It eliminates the need for manual header extraction using developer tools, which can be time-consuming and requires a deeper understanding of HTTP requests.
Performance and Resource Usage:
As a simple browser extension focused on capturing request details and generating text output, cliget has negligible impact on browser performance or system resources. It only activates and performs work when explicitly invoked by the user.
Limitations:
It's important to understand what cliget is not. It is not a full-fledged download manager with features like multi-part downloads, scheduling, or bandwidth control. Its role is strictly to provide the command for external tools to perform the download. Therefore, you still need to have curl
or wget
installed on the machine where you intend to execute the command. Furthermore, it relies on the browser session remaining active and authenticated for the generated command to be valid. If your session expires, the generated command with the old cookies will likely fail.
Comparison:
While browser developer tools allow for manual inspection of network requests and header information, cliget automates the process of packaging that information into a ready-to-use command. Other download manager extensions exist, but they typically replace the browser's built-in download handling; cliget complements external command-line tools.
Conclusion:
cliget is a highly effective, purpose-built tool for a specific user group. If your workflow involves downloading authenticated content to remote machines or utilizing command-line download tools for resources that require browser-specific headers, cliget is almost indispensable. Its simplicity, seamless integration, and accurate command generation save significant time and effort. While it serves a niche purpose and doesn't replace a full download manager, for those who need its specific functionality, it performs exceptionally well.
It is particularly valuable for web developers, system administrators, or advanced users who leverage scripting and command-line tools for their daily tasks. The ability to quickly generate a valid command for downloading protected content is a powerful feature that enhances productivity.
Similar Software

aria2 is a lightweight multi-protocol & multi-source command-line download utility. It supports HTTP/HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, BitTorrent and Metalink, etc.

cURL is a computer software project providing a library and command-line tool for transferring data using various protocols. The cURL project produces two products, libcurl and cUR...

DownThemAll is a browser extension fro downloading files on a page.

Folx is a download manager for Mac OS X. It integrates with the Mozilla Firefox, Safari and Google Chrome web browsers and with the FlashGot extension.

Free Download Manager accelerates all types of downloads (files, video, torrents).

JDownloader is a free open-source download management tool.

music player for Android is an audio music player app.

uGet is a GTK based Download Manager for GNU Linux and Windows.

webui-aria2 is an interface to interact with aria2.

Wget is a free utility for non-interactive download of files from the Web.