docs: add README with feature overview and screenshots

Give the now-public repo a proper front page: pitch, grouped feature list, light/dark screenshots of Downloads/Library/History/Settings, download + build-from-source instructions, and a note on the bundled yt-dlp/FFmpeg/aria2 licenses. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-07-10 13:15:50 -04:00
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+<div align="center">
+
+# AeroFetch
+
+**A clean, native-feeling video &amp; audio downloader for Windows — a friendly front-end for [yt-dlp](https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp).**
+
+Paste a link, pick a quality, and go. No command line, no Python setup, no chasing down FFmpeg — everything is bundled.
+
+![AeroFetch downloads screen](docs/screenshots/downloads-dark.png)
+
+</div>
+
+---
+
+## What it is
+
+AeroFetch wraps the power of yt-dlp in a modern Windows desktop app. It handles single videos, whole playlists, and watched channels; it can grab audio-only, embed thumbnails and metadata, trim clips, skip sponsor segments, and keep a library of channels in sync — all from a point-and-click interface built with Fluent UI.
+
+It ships as a **regular installer** *and* a **single portable `.exe`** (no admin rights required), with `yt-dlp`, `FFmpeg`, and `aria2c` bundled in — so it runs on a fresh machine with nothing else installed.
+
+## Features
+
+- **One-paste downloads** — drop in a video or playlist URL and press Enter. Clipboard detection can offer the link automatically.
+- **Format &amp; quality control** — pick a resolution/codec (H.264 / VP9 / AV1), or extract audio to MP3, M4A, Opus, FLAC, WAV, or AAC.
+- **Playlists &amp; channels** — select which videos to grab, or add a channel to your **Library** and let AeroFetch watch it for new uploads.
+- **Post-processing** — embed thumbnails, metadata, chapters, and subtitles; **SponsorBlock** to skip or mark sponsor segments; trim to a start/end timestamp.
+- **Queue that behaves** — concurrent downloads with a configurable cap, pause/resume, cancel, retry-all, and live speed/ETA.
+- **Library &amp; sync** — organized per-source folders, scheduled daily sync, retention rules, and quality-upgrade selectors.
+- **History** — searchable, filterable record of everything you've downloaded, with quick open-file / show-in-folder / re-download.
+- **Fast &amp; convenient** — `aria2c` acceleration, a `Ctrl+K` command palette, light / dark / auto themes, and native Windows notifications.
+- **Portable-friendly** — runs from a USB stick or Downloads folder without installing or needing admin rights.
+
+## Screenshots
+
+| Downloads (light) | Downloads (dark) |
+| :---: | :---: |
+| ![Downloads, light theme](docs/screenshots/downloads-light.png) | ![Downloads, dark theme](docs/screenshots/downloads-dark.png) |
+
+| Library — watched channels &amp; playlists | History — searchable &amp; filterable |
+| :---: | :---: |
+| ![Library](docs/screenshots/library-dark.png) | ![History](docs/screenshots/history-dark.png) |
+
+<div align="center">
+
+**Settings — grouped &amp; searchable**
+
+![Settings](docs/screenshots/settings-light.png)
+
+</div>
+
+## Download &amp; install
+
+Grab the latest build from the [**Releases**](https://gitea.netbird.zimspace.uk:5938/debont80/AeroFetch/releases) page:
+
+- **`AeroFetch Setup <version>.exe`** — standard installer. Installs per-user (no admin), adds a Start-menu shortcut, and auto-updates.
+- **`AeroFetch-<version>-portable.exe`** — single self-contained executable. No install, no admin; keeps its data in an `AeroFetch-data` folder beside the `.exe`. Ideal for locked-down or shared PCs.
+
+Each release also publishes a `.sha256` next to every executable so you can verify the download.
+
+> Because the executables aren't code-signed, Windows SmartScreen may warn on first launch — choose **More info → Run anyway**. No administrator rights are required either way.
+
+## Build from source
+
+Requires **Node.js 24.x**.
+
+```bash
+git clone https://gitea.netbird.zimspace.uk:5938/debont80/AeroFetch.git
+cd AeroFetch
+npm install
+
+npm run dev        # launch the app in development
+npm run ui         # preview just the renderer in a browser (http://localhost:5173)
+npm test           # run the test suite
+npm run build:win  # produce the installer + portable .exe in dist/
+```
+
+The bundled `yt-dlp.exe`, `ffmpeg.exe`, `ffprobe.exe`, and `aria2c.exe` live in `resources/bin/` and are packaged automatically.
+
+## Tech stack
+
+Built with **Electron** + **electron-vite** + **electron-builder**, a **React 19** / **TypeScript** renderer, **Fluent UI**, **Zustand** for state, and **Zod** for boundary validation. yt-dlp runs only in the main process; the renderer talks to it over a typed IPC bridge with context isolation enabled.
+
+## A note on responsible use
+
+AeroFetch is a tool for downloading media you have the right to download — your own uploads, content offered for download, or material whose license permits it. Respect the terms of service of the sites you use and the rights of content creators.
+
+## Licensing
+
+AeroFetch bundles third-party binaries under their own licenses: **yt-dlp** (Unlicense), **FFmpeg** (LGPL/GPL), and **aria2** (GPL). Those licenses apply to their respective executables in `resources/bin/`.