kv-file includes a dedicated, non-blocking Download Manager (DownloadManager.tsx) that manages single and bulk file downloads seamlessly in the background.

1. Concurrent Download Engine

When you download large files or multi-gigabyte media collections:

  • Non-Blocking Execution: Downloads proceed in the background while you continue browsing, moving files, or editing settings.
  • Docked Floating Widget: A floating progress card appears in the lower-right corner of the interface showing active tasks, transfer speeds, and time remaining.
  • Multi-Task Queue: Manage multiple concurrent transfers with individual:
    • Progress Bars: Precise byte-level percentage tracking.
    • Transfer Speeds: Real-time speed indicators (e.g. 24.5 MB/s).
    • Cancel / Pause: Instantly abort or pause individual transfers without impacting other queued tasks.

2. Automatic On-The-Fly ZIP Archiving

Downloading entire directory hierarchies or multi-item selections does not require manual archiving beforehand:

bash
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    Selected Files / Folders                 │
│       photo1.jpg • report.pdf • /documents/archive/         │
└──────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────┘
                               │ Click "Download" (or Ctrl+D)
┌──────────────────────────────▼──────────────────────────────┐
│                  Rust Streaming ZIP Writer                  │
│       Generates compressed ZIP stream chunk-by-chunk        │
│          Zero temporary disk writes • Low RAM usage         │
└──────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────┘
                               │ HTTP Transfer
┌──────────────────────────────▼──────────────────────────────┐
│                    Browser Direct Download                  │
│                 Saves as: 'kv-file_archive.zip'             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
  • Zero Disk Bloat: The backend dynamically compresses files into a standard .zip archive on the fly and streams the bytes directly into the HTTP response. No temporary files are generated on the server’s hard drive.
  • Folder Preservation: Relative subfolder hierarchies are strictly preserved inside the generated archive.
  • Instant Start: The download stream begins in under 50ms, regardless of the folder size.

3. Keyboard & Context Shortcuts

  • Select one or more files and press Ctrl + D or click Download in the Ribbon Toolbar.
  • Right-click any file or folder and select Download from the context menu.
  • In the Command Palette (Ctrl + K), type Download to trigger downloading of the active selection.

4. API Download Endpoint

For scripts, headless automation, and external download managers (like wget or aria2):

GET/api/v1/fs/download
bash
# Single file direct download (forces Content-Disposition: attachment)
curl -O "http://localhost:8866/api/v1/fs/download?root=storage&path=documents/report.pdf"
bash
# Batch download multiple items as an on-the-fly ZIP archive
curl -o backup_bundle.zip \
  "http://localhost:8866/api/v1/fs/download?root=storage&path=documents/2026&archive=zip"