Github Smart Downloader

GitHub Smart Downloader pulls any GitHub repo, folder, or hand-picked
file into a ZIP without cloning. No CLI, no context menus, no waiting
for git to copy half a gigabyte of node_modules you'll never read.

What it does

• Download a single file, a folder, or whole repos straight from the
repo page.
• Pick files and folders with checkboxes and bundle them in one ZIP,
with the original directory structure preserved.
• Switch branches from the popup. The branch picker has live search
and shows every branch in the repo, not just the default.
• Skip node_modules forever. Built-in exclusion packs for Node.js,
Python, Java, build output, and logs apply automatically when you
download a full repo. Custom packs are one field away.
• Cancel any download mid-flight. Progress, file counts, and ETA in a
toast.

Why it stays out of your way

• Lives inside GitHub's own UI. No floating buttons, no overlays you
have to dismiss. Light and dark modes follow your GitHub theme.
• A shared archive cache means downloading three folders from the same
repo only hits the GitHub API once.
• Add a Personal Access Token to lift the API limit from 60 to 5,000
requests per hour. The token is encrypted with AES-GCM before it
hits Chrome storage and never leaves your browser.

Open source (MIT) and self-contained. No telemetry, no third-party
servers, no account.

How to use it

1. Open any GitHub repo.
2. Pick a branch, tick the files or folders you want.
3. Click Download. Get the ZIP.