Downloader

User Guide

Downloader

Complete User Guide

🚀 Getting Started

Website Downloader lets you download entire websites as ZIP archives for offline viewing, backup, migration, or analysis. Here’s how to get started:

  1. Create an account or log in
    Visit the dashboard page and sign up for a free account, or log in if you already have one.
  2. Enter a website URL
    Paste the URL of the website you want to download (e.g., https://example.com).
  3. Choose download options
    Select your preferred depth (single page, shallow, or full site) and where to save the file.
  4. Start the download
    Click “Start Download” and wait for your job to complete. You’ll see progress in your dashboard.
  5. Download your archive
    Once ready, click the download button to get your ZIP file containing all the website files.
💡 Tip
Downloads are stored for 7 days on Downloader. Connect cloud storage (Pro/Agency) to keep files permanently.
🆓 Quick Download vs Free Account

Quick Download (homepage): Try the service without an account – downloads a single page only.

Free Account: Sign up to download full websites (1 per month, up to 25 pages).

📊 Dashboard Overview

Your dashboard is your central hub for managing all downloads. Here’s what you’ll find:

Download Form

At the top of your dashboard, you’ll see the download form with these fields:

Field Description
URL The website address you want to download
Download Depth How many pages to download (see options below)
Save To Where to store the archive (Downloader or cloud)
Include Assets Pro+ Checkbox to include images, CSS, and JavaScript

Your Downloads Table

Below the form, you’ll see a table of all your downloads with:

  • URL – The website that was downloaded
  • Depth – Single, Shallow, or Full
  • Status – Queued, Running, Ready, or Failed
  • Storage – Where the file is saved
  • Size – Total download size
  • Created – When you started the download
  • Actions – Download, View Report, or Delete

Status Indicators

Status Meaning
Queued Waiting to be processed by our servers
Running Currently downloading – please wait
Ready Complete! Click to download your ZIP file
Failed Something went wrong – click “Report” for details

📥 Creating Downloads

Download Depth Options

Choose how much of a website to download:

📄 Single Page

Downloads only the specific URL you enter. Best for grabbing one page quickly.

Example: Just the homepage

📑 Shallow (2 Levels)

Downloads the page plus all pages linked from it. Good for small sites or specific sections.

Example: Homepage + all pages it links to

🌐 Full Site

Downloads the entire website by following all internal links. Best for complete backups.

Example: Every page on the domain

⚠️ Full Site Warning
Full site downloads can take a long time for large websites (30+ minutes for sites with thousands of pages). Start with Shallow to test.

HTML Only vs. Full Site with Assets

By default, downloads include HTML files only (no images, CSS, or JavaScript). This is:

  • ✅ Much faster (10-100x quicker)
  • ✅ Smaller file sizes
  • ✅ Great for content extraction, SEO analysis, or text backup

Pro and Agency users can check “Include images, CSS & JavaScript” to get a complete mirror suitable for offline viewing.

Mode Includes Best For
HTML Only (default) HTML pages only Content backup, text analysis, SEO audits
Full Site with Assets HTML + images + CSS + JS + fonts Offline viewing, design review, complete archive

Download Limits

Your plan determines how many downloads you can have saved at a time:

  • Free: 1 saved download
  • Pro: 10 saved downloads
  • Agency: 100 saved downloads

You can also have a maximum of 3 active downloads (queued or running) at any time. Wait for one to complete before starting another.

⚙️ Advanced Options Pro Agency

Pro and Agency plans unlock the Advanced Crawler Options panel, giving you fine-grained control over your downloads.

Crawl Scope & Depth

Option Description
Depth Mode Override the main depth selector with Single, Shallow, Full, or Custom
Custom Depth Level Set a specific number of link levels to follow (1-20)
Cross-Domain Crawling Allow following links to other domains (use with caution!)

File Types & Assets

Option Description
Download Mode HTML Only, Full Site (with assets), or Custom
Accept File Types Only download specific extensions (e.g., html,css,js)
Reject File Types Exclude specific extensions (e.g., mp4,pdf,zip)

Speed & Load Control

Option Description
Wait Between Requests Add delay (seconds) between page downloads to be polite to servers
Random Wait Randomize the wait time to appear more human-like
Max Download Rate Limit bandwidth usage (KB/s)
Respect robots.txt Honor the website’s crawling rules (recommended)

User Agent

Option Description
Default Downloader/1.0 (+https://downloader.dynomapper.com/bot
Browser-like Mimics a real web browser (helps with some sites)
Custom Set your own user agent string

URL Filters

Option Description
Include Paths Only download URLs containing these paths (e.g., /blog)
Exclude Paths Skip URLs containing these paths (e.g., /wp-admin,/cart)

Authentication Agency Only

Download password-protected sites using:

  • HTTP Basic Auth: Username and password
  • Bearer Token: API-style authentication
  • Cookie Header: Pass session cookies for logged-in access

Proxy Agency Only

Route downloads through a proxy server for geo-restricted content or privacy.

🗓️ Scheduled Downloads Pro Agency

Automatically download websites on a recurring schedule for regular backups or monitoring.

Setting Up a Schedule

  1. Go to Scheduled Downloads tab
    Find this in your dashboard alongside your regular downloads.
  2. Enter the website URL
    Same as a regular download – enter the full URL.
  3. Choose frequency
    Select how often to run: Daily, Weekly, or Monthly.
  4. Set the time
    Choose what time of day the download should run.
  5. Configure options
    Set depth, storage destination, and any advanced options.
  6. Save the schedule
    Your scheduled download will run automatically at the specified times.

Schedule Frequencies

Frequency Description
Daily Runs every day at your chosen time
Weekly Runs once per week on a specific day
Monthly Runs once per month on a specific date
💡 Tip
Scheduled downloads count toward your monthly limit. A daily schedule uses ~30 downloads per month.

☁️ Cloud Storage Pro Agency

Connect your cloud storage accounts to automatically save downloads to your own storage, with no 7-day expiration.

Supported Providers

📁 Google Drive

Save directly to your Google Drive account.

📦 Dropbox

Sync to your Dropbox for easy access anywhere.

☁️ OneDrive

Integrate with Microsoft OneDrive.

Connecting Your Account

  1. Go to Storage Connections
    Find this section in your dashboard or account settings.
  2. Click Connect for your provider
    Choose Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive.
  3. Authorize access
    You’ll be redirected to sign in and grant permission.
  4. Choose a folder (optional)
    Select where in your storage to save downloads.
  5. Start using it
    Select your connected storage when creating downloads.
✅ Benefits of Cloud Storage
  • Files never expire – stored in your own account
  • Access from anywhere
  • Automatic organization
  • Sync across devices

🔌 API Access Agency

Agency plans include full REST API access to integrate website downloads into your own applications, workflows, or automation tools.

Getting Your API Key

  1. Go to API Keys section
    Find this in your dashboard under account settings.
  2. Click “Generate New Key”
    Give your key a name (e.g., “Production App” or “Testing”).
  3. Copy and save securely
    Your key is only shown once – store it safely!

Quick API Example

# Create a download job
curl -X POST "https://downloader.dynomapper.com/wp-json/wd/v1/downloads" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"url": "https://example.com", "depth": "shallow"}'

# Check job status
curl "https://downloader.dynomapper.com/wp-json/wd/v1/downloads/123" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

API Rate Limits

Limit Value
Per second 1 request
Per minute 3 requests
Per hour 20 requests
Per day 50 requests

API Features

  • Idempotency: Use client_job_id to safely retry requests
  • Validation Mode: Test requests with validate_only: true
  • Webhooks: Get notified when jobs complete via callback_url
  • Full Documentation: See the API Documentation for complete details

💳 Plan Comparison

Feature Free Pro Agency
Downloads per month 1 10 100
Max pages per download 25 250 5,000
Download depth Full site Full site Full site
Include assets (images, CSS, JS)
Advanced crawler options
Scheduled downloads
Cloud storage integration
Authentication support
Proxy support
REST API access
Priority support

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How long do downloads take?
It depends on the website size and your selected depth:
  • Single page: Usually seconds
  • Shallow (2 levels): 1-5 minutes for most sites
  • Full site: 5-60+ minutes depending on site size
HTML-only downloads are much faster than full site with assets.
How long are files stored?
  • Downloader: 7 days, then automatically deleted
  • Cloud storage: Permanently stored in your own account
Can I download password-protected sites?
Yes, but only on the Agency plan. Use the Authentication options in Advanced Settings to provide HTTP Basic Auth, Bearer tokens, or Cookie headers.
Why did my download fail?
Common reasons for failures:
  • Website blocks automated downloads (try Browser-like user agent)
  • Website requires JavaScript to render (wget can’t execute JS)
  • Connection timeout (site was too slow)
  • Site no longer exists or URL is incorrect
Check the download report for specific error details.
Can I download any website?
You can download most public websites. However:
  • Always respect the website’s terms of service
  • Sites behind login walls need Agency plan authentication
  • JavaScript-heavy single-page apps may not work well
  • Some sites actively block download tools
What format is the downloaded file?
Downloads are provided as ZIP archives containing the website’s folder structure. Simply extract the ZIP and open index.html in your browser to view the site offline.
Can I run multiple downloads at once?
You can have up to 3 active downloads (queued or running) at the same time. Queue more once one completes.
Do downloads count against my limit if they fail?
Yes, failed downloads still count toward your monthly limit. This prevents abuse of the system. Check your URL and settings before starting.
How do I cancel a running download?
Currently, you cannot cancel a running download. You’ll need to wait for it to complete or fail. We recommend starting with Shallow depth to test before doing Full site downloads.
Is there a limit on file size?
There’s no hard file size limit, but very large sites (10,000+ pages) may time out. For massive sites, consider using URL filters to download specific sections, or contact support for assistance.

🆘 Need Help?

We’re here to help! Here’s how to get support:

📧 Email Support

Contact us at [support@dynomapper.com] for help with any issues.

📖 Documentation

Check our detailed documentation and API guides for technical information.

Priority Support

Pro and Agency plans include priority support with faster response times.

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