What it is
gallery-dl is a command-line downloader built for galleries and collections rather than one image at a time. It supports a long list of hosts, can use authenticated sessions, and gives exact control over filenames, directory layouts, metadata and post-processing.
Its JSON configuration looks severe beside a browser extension. That severity becomes a virtue when an archive has thousands of files and “whatever the site called it today” is not a filing system.
Best for
Use it for repeatable artist, album, manga, forum and social-media archives where naming, deduplication and metadata matter. It is also good infrastructure for scheduled personal backups.
Avoid it if
If you need a friendly visual queue for a handful of images, DownThemAll! or a desktop bulk downloader will involve less ceremony. Site extractors also move whenever websites do, so unattended archives still need updates and occasional repairs.
Current state
Version 1.32.9 shipped on 1 August 2026. Active development has moved from GitHub to Codeberg, although the GitHub release remains a useful signpost. Existing users should update their repository and issue links as well as the package itself.
Alternatives
RipMe covers similar gallery territory with a different interface. DownThemAll! suits ad hoc browser jobs. yt-dlp is broader for video and audio, but gallery-dl is the more deliberate tool for image collections.
Why it belongs
It belongs because it treats an image collection as data with structure, not a pile of right-clicks. Few tools offer this much control without demanding that you write the downloader yourself.
Get started
- Install or update:
python3 -m pip install -U gallery-dl. - Inspect extractor support:
gallery-dl --list-extractors. - Test naming and metadata on one public gallery before adding cookies or scheduling a larger archive.
References (1)
Linked from The 5 Best Downloaders for Videos, Music & Images (No Browser Needed)