v0.5.0 - The Portable Workflow Update

Released: 2026-05-05

HalalDL v0.5.0 expands the release into a three-lane setup: Full, Lite, and the new Portable build. The goal of this update is simple: make HalalDL easier to carry onto locked-down Windows machines, strengthen Instagram and fallback download reliability, and make completed downloads more useful after they finish.

Thank you to @kamalmost for opening the request that pushed the portable build into this release:

• #8 - Portable version

Portable Mode

Portable build - addresses #8

HalalDL now supports a dedicated Portable package for Windows users who cannot or do not want to run a normal installer.

• Portable builds keep the app, state, thumbnails, archive, and managed tools beside the executable under portable-data.
• The portable package bundles yt-dlp, ffmpeg, ffprobe, aria2c, and deno so it can work without a separate tools install flow.
• Startup tool detection now checks the portable bundle directly instead of treating the package like a normal installed build.
• Portable mode no longer tries to self-update in place. It opens GitHub Releases for manual ZIP updates instead, and the old portable updater command/source path has been removed.

Download Reliability

Stronger Instagram and fallback handling

The Instagram and DownloadGram paths were hardened so image-heavy and fallback-heavy cases hold together more reliably.

• DownloadGram provider routing now lives in a small editable JSON config instead of being buried in downloader code.
• The active DownloadGram fallbacks are limited to the current .app and .org providers, with their API endpoints and .org v=3 form field captured directly in config.
• A DownloadGram route health-check script can probe provider drift before a release or hotfix.
• Instagram fallback media fetches and thumbnail handling were improved for image and carousel cases.
• Downloaded Instagram images can feed better local preview and metadata paths instead of depending only on remote thumbnails.
• Output parsing and metadata capture were expanded so finished results stay more informative.

Download archive, metadata, and contact sheets

Finished jobs now leave behind a stronger paper trail for browsing and reuse.

• HalalDL now stores a dedicated download archive.
• Metadata and thumbnail handling were expanded around completed items.
• Contact sheet support was added for richer post-download results and browsing.

More Improvements

Better managed-tools flow

• Tool target versions are surfaced more clearly.
• Queue movement and related download flow polish were improved.
• Full and Portable startup setup now share a clearer managed-tools prompt path.
• Tool actions, backup cleanup, and path handling were tightened across the app-managed tool flow.

Better update experience

• Installed builds still support verified update downloads where a direct installer is appropriate.
• Portable installs now use the safer manual-release path instead of staging a self-updater executable.
• The old portable updater binary entrypoint and command registration have been removed from the Tauri source tree.
• About now reflects installer type more clearly, including Portable ZIP installs.

Fixes & Cleanup

• Fixed the portable startup tool-detection bug that could wrongly claim bundled tools were missing.
• Hardened downloader fallback parsing, provider routing, and media handling.
• Expanded path and runtime handling for portable-aware storage, thumbnails, and state.
• Removed the foreground in-app notification layer and kept the flow focused on native or routed attention.
• Tightened storage, history, and download-card behavior around richer result data.

Choosing Your Version

• Full (Recommended): Best for most users. HalalDL manages its local tool bundle for you.
• Lite: Best for power users who prefer to manage yt-dlp, ffmpeg, and optional tools themselves.
• Portable: Best for locked-down or no-install Windows setups. The app and its managed tools live beside the executable.

Known Notes

• Portable builds update manually from GitHub Releases. They do not use an in-app self-updater.
• HalalDL releases are still not code-signed, so SmartScreen can still appear on first run.
• Release images for this version are prepared in separate light and dark pairs.

Upgrade Notes

• Existing settings, presets, downloads, and history should still carry forward normally.
• Portable users should replace the old folder with the new release package instead of expecting in-place self-update behavior.
• Full and Lite users can keep using the normal installer-based release path.

Note from the Developer

This release is about practicality more than spectacle. A proper portable build, better fallback download reliability, and stronger finished-result handling all land in the places where HalalDL gets used for real. Thanks to everyone who kept pushing on the rough edges until the shape of the release got clearer.

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Full Changelog: v0.4.1...v0.5.0

Built with ❤️ using Tauri, React, and Rust.