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This guide assumes you’ve already completed the installation steps. If not, please install the project first.

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Choose your deployment method

Universal Manga Downloader offers three ways to download manga. For first-time users, we recommend the web interface:

Web app

RecommendedModern dashboard with real-time progress

Desktop app

SimpleStandalone GUI, no server needed

Discord bot

RemoteDownload from anywhere via Discord
This guide focuses on the web app method. For other methods, see Deployment Options.

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Launch the web application

1

Start the server

The web application runs as a full-stack app with both backend (FastAPI) and frontend (Next.js) components.
# Double-click this file or run in terminal:
START_WEB_VERSION.bat
On Windows, the START_WEB_VERSION.bat launcher automatically starts both servers and opens your browser. On Linux/macOS, you need to run them separately in two terminal windows.
Expected output:
INFO:     Started server process [12345]
INFO:     Waiting for application startup.
INFO:     Application startup complete.
INFO:     Uvicorn running on http://0.0.0.0:8000 (Press CTRL+C to quit)
The frontend will display:
ready - started server on 0.0.0.0:3000, url: http://localhost:3000
2

Open the dashboard

The web interface will automatically open, or navigate to:
http://localhost:3000
You should see the Universal Manga Downloader dashboard with:
  • URL input field
  • Download button
  • Real-time log viewer
  • Progress indicator
Bookmark this URL for easy access. The server will keep running until you close the terminal or stop it with CTRL+C.
3

Find a manga URL

The downloader supports multiple manga sites. For this example, let’s use a supported site:Supported sites:
  • Z-TMO (zonatmo.com)
  • TMO-H (tmohentai.com)
  • M440 (m440.in)
  • H2R (hentai2read.com)
  • Hi.la (hitomi.la)
  • NH.net (nhentai.net)
Copy a chapter or gallery URL from any supported site. For example:
https://example-site.com/manga/chapter-1
Make sure you’re using the full URL including https://. Partial URLs or search queries won’t work.
4

Download your manga

Paste the URL into the input field and click Download.The interface will show:
  1. Connection status - WebSocket connects to backend
  2. Site detection - Handler identifies the manga site
  3. Metadata extraction - Title, page count, chapter info
  4. Image downloads - Progress bar updates in real-time
  5. PDF generation - Images converted to PDF
  6. Completion - Download link appears
Example log output:
[INFO] Processing URL: https://example-site.com/manga/chapter-1
[INFO] Detected site: ZonaTMO
[INFO] Title: Example Manga - Chapter 1
[INFO] Total pages: 45
[INFO] Downloading images...
[PROGRESS] 10/45 (22%)
[PROGRESS] 20/45 (44%)
[PROGRESS] 30/45 (67%)
[PROGRESS] 40/45 (89%)
[PROGRESS] 45/45 (100%)
[INFO] Creating PDF...
[SUCCESS] PDF Generated: Example_Manga_Chapter_1.pdf
[INFO] Cleaning up temporary files...
[DONE] Process completed successfully!
The progress bar shows both the current page and total pages. Most chapters download in 30-60 seconds depending on page count and image sizes.
5

View your PDF

When the download completes, a View PDF button appears. Click it to open the generated file.Your PDF will also be saved in the PDF/ directory:
MangaDownloader/
└── PDF/
    └── Example_Manga_Chapter_1.pdf
The PDF filename is automatically sanitized and includes the manga title and chapter number. Special characters are replaced with underscores.

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Understanding the output

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PDF quality

The generated PDFs maintain original image quality with:
  • No compression - Images preserved at source resolution
  • Proper page order - Pages sequenced correctly
  • Optimized file size - Efficient PDF structure without quality loss
  • Standard format - Compatible with all PDF readers

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File locations

Generated files are stored in organized directories: 
MangaDownloader/
├── PDF/                           # Final PDFs (permanent)
│   └── Your_Manga_Title.pdf
└── temp_manga_images/            # Temporary images (auto-deleted)
    └── [cleaned up after PDF creation]
Don’t modify files in temp_manga_images/ during downloads. This directory is automatically cleaned after PDF generation.

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Common workflows

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Downloading multiple chapters

To download multiple chapters:
  1. Complete the first download
  2. Copy the next chapter URL
  3. Paste and click Download again
  4. Repeat for each chapter
The server supports concurrent downloads (up to 3 simultaneous). Open multiple browser tabs to download different chapters in parallel.

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Canceling a download

If you need to stop a download:
  1. Click the Cancel button in the web interface
  2. Wait for the current batch to finish
  3. The process will stop and clean up temporary files
Log output: 
[INFO] Cancellation requested
[INFO] Stopping current batch...
[INFO] Cleaning up temporary files...
[DONE] Download cancelled by user

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Handling errors

If a download fails, check the log for details: 
[ERROR] Invalid URL provided.
# Solution: Check that you copied the complete URL
Most errors are recoverable. Simply fix the issue and try downloading again. The system automatically cleans up partial downloads.

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Testing the API directly

For developers or advanced users, you can test the backend API directly:

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Health check

curl http://localhost:8000/

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List available PDFs

ls PDF/

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Access a PDF via API

curl http://localhost:8000/pdfs/Your_Manga_Title.pdf --output manga.pdf

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WebSocket connection test

Use a WebSocket client to connect to ws://localhost:8000/ws and send: 
{
  "command": "start",
  "url": "https://example-site.com/manga/chapter-1"
}
You’ll receive real-time updates: 
{"type": "status", "status": "running"}
{"type": "log", "message": "[INFO] Processing URL..."}
{"type": "progress", "current": 10, "total": 45}
{"type": "status", "status": "completed", "filename": "Example_Manga.pdf"}

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Alternative: Desktop app quick start

If you prefer a standalone GUI without running a server:
1

Launch the desktop app

python app.py
A Tkinter window opens with the same functionality.
2

Enter URL and download

  1. Paste your manga URL in the input field
  2. Click Descargar PDF (Download PDF)
  3. Watch the progress bar and logs
  4. The PDF opens automatically when complete
The desktop app stores PDFs in the same PDF/ directory and uses identical core functionality. Choose whichever interface you prefer!

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Alternative: Discord bot quick start

For remote downloads via Discord:
1

Configure Discord token

Add your bot token to .env:
DISCORD_TOKEN=your_token_here
2

Start the bot

python bot.py
Expected output:
Bot connected as YourBotName#1234
3

Use Discord commands

In any Discord channel where your bot has access:
!descargar https://example-site.com/manga/chapter-1
The bot will:
  1. Reply with a status embed
  2. Update progress in real-time
  3. Upload the PDF (or GoFile link if >8MB)
Files over 8MB are automatically uploaded to GoFile and you’ll receive a download link. This bypasses Discord’s file size limits.

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Next steps

Now that you’ve downloaded your first manga, explore more features:

Deployment options

Learn about all deployment methods in detail

Core concepts

Understand the architecture and design patterns

Supported sites

See all supported manga sites and their features

API reference

Build custom integrations with the API

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Getting help

If you encounter issues:
  1. Review the installation guide for common issues
  2. Review logs in the web interface or console
  3. Verify your .env configuration
  4. Ensure all dependencies are installed
  5. Open an issue on GitHub
Always include your Python version, operating system, and relevant log output when reporting issues. Redact any sensitive information like API tokens.

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