Metalink

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Metalink is a cross-platform and cross-application open standard that defines a format for files that a list of reference sources and other meta-information can be kept ready for downloading a particular file.

In 2008, the format of the Internet Engineering Task Force has been submitted for standardization, which in June 2010 had the Metalink 4.0 specification result.

  • 2.1 programs
  • 2.2 package management
  • 2.3 provider

Technology

Metalinks are XML text files that describe the physical properties (size, checksums) of files and list their locations. The format is open and extensible.

The locations of each file can be listed in the form of URLs for various protocols, such as HTTP, FTP or rsync servers or - to locate the file in peer-to -peer networks such as BitTorrent or eDonkey2000 - the URLs present of. torrent files, magnetic or eD2k links. These links or addresses can be evaluated by down -loading software and resolve them on possibly several redundant sources for the desired file. Thus, the reliability of a download on the one hand increases but also accelerated by can be simultaneously downloaded several parts of the same file from multiple, each with different sources (mirrors).

In addition to the list of sources are still checksums in MD5, SHA -1 or SHA -256 format for the file as a whole or individual sections of the file contain, so that errors can be detected and in this case with several checksums also not whole file needs to be reloaded.

Furthermore OpenPGP signatures can be specified with which the authenticity of the file obtained can be checked.

Metalink 3.0 ( with the metalink. Ending) and Metalink 4.0 files ( with the extension. Meta4 ) are not compatible with each other.

Metalink 4.0 Example

      2009-05 - 15T12: 23:23 Z           14471447 < / size >       Example       1.0 < / version>       en       A description of the example file for download. < / description>       3d6fece8033d146d8611eab4f032df738c8c1283620fd02a1f2bfec6e27d590d < / hash >       ftp://ftp.example.com/example.ext < / url >       http://example.com/example.ext < / url >       http://example.com/example.ext.torrent       Metalink 4.0 files are delivered via the Internet Media Type application/metalink4 xml. To generate Metalink there is a whole range of software.

Support

Download manager or even software package administrations support the standard, with the support goes to different extents. Especially Downloads rsync protocol and OpenPGP signatures are offered by almost any program.

Programs

  • Aria2 (GPL ) in Debian repositories. A Unix / Windows command line download utility that BitTorrent and Metalink (HTTP / FTP / BitTorrent ) support.
  • DownThemAll (GPL ), a download manager as a Firefox add-on that provides simple functions Metalink.
  • FlashGot (GPL ), a Firefox add-on to start of downloads in several, independent, external download managers.
  • Free Download Manager (GPL ), a free Windows download manager with Metalink (HTTP / FTP) support since v2.5.
  • GetRight 6, a Windows Download Manager with Metalink (HTTP / FTP / BitTorrent ) support.
  • JDownloader is a written in Java open source download manager.
  • KGet (GPL ), KDE's own download manager with Metalink functionality since KDE 4
  • Metalink Access is an extension for the Opera web browser, which enables download files in Metalink directly.
  • Net Transport, a Windows Download Manager.
  • Orbit Downloader, a Windows Download Manager with Metalink (HTTP / FTP) function.
  • Phex (GPL ), a Mac / Unix / Windows Gnutella P2P program; only supports Metalink downloads also export entire file collections as Metalink to them eg to share with others.
  • Retriever is a closed-source, multi -platform Java download manager that supports Metalink and BitTorrent.
  • SmartFTP is a Windows GUI FTP program that allows files to FTP via Metalink queue add and can verify files using a checksum.
  • Verycd 's easyMule ( version 1 according to GPL, Ver.2 injured possibly the GPL ) is a eMule version with Metalink support.
  • WxDownload Fast (GPL ) is a Mac / Unix / Windows Download Manager with Metalink (HTTP / FTP ) support.

Package management

Yum and ZYpp make use of it in everyday software updates from Linux distributions such as Mandriva, Fedora and openSUSE. Also, the Ubuntu Wubi installer replaces up to its data sources. Also supports the Debian packaging system Metalink HTTP header.

Provider

It is used in many Linux distributions (as well as some BSDs ), including Ubuntu, Fedora, Mandriva and openSUSE used in the dissemination of CD images. Even with other software is available for a download of the program packages: eg in OpenOffice.org and Sage or the UniProt Consortium for the transfer of their large protein database.

Uniform Resource Locator Magnet URI scheme Secure Hash Algorithm Pretty Good Privacy#OpenPGP Wubi (Ubuntu installer) Sage (mathematics software)
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