Hi HN
I built DownloadStuffs, a fast, modern interface for exploring the Internet Archive.
The default IA UI is powerful, but I often found it:
slow on mobile
hard to preview multi-file items (series, playlists)
unreliable when downloading large files (CORS, broken links, unclear “best file”)
So I made a cleaner, opinionated alternative.
What it does:
Fast search with real server-side pagination
Filters by media type + sort by relevance, downloads, views, recency
In-page video/audio preview with playlist queue
⬇ Reliable download proxy (avoids browser/CORS issues)
Batch/playlist ZIP downloads for series & collections
Live demo:
https://downloadstuffss.vercel.app/
Tech stack: Bun + TypeScript + Vite + Vercel
Uses only public Internet Archive APIs (not affiliated with IA).
I’d love feedback, edge cases, or ideas to improve the UX for large public archives.
Thanks!
— Dawit
