aMule Documentation

aMule is a free, open-source file-sharing program for the eD2k (eDonkey2000) and Kademlia (Kad) peer-to-peer networks. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, and OpenBSD, and stays close to eMule in look and feel so users can switch with ease.

History

aMule began in August 2003 as a multiplatform fork of xMule (itself derived from lMule), bringing the eMule experience to systems beyond Windows. It has grown well beyond its origins ever since.

Features

Features inherited from eMule

aMule supports the features eMule users will already recognize:

• Two networks — connects to both the eD2k and Kad networks for the widest possible pool of files and sources.
• 37 languages — use aMule in your own language.
• Source Exchange — clients share their source lists with each other, so you find more places to download from, faster.
• Credit system — the more you upload to someone, the sooner they upload back to you, keeping sharing fair for everyone.
• Compressed transfers — data is compressed on the fly for faster transfers and less load on servers.
• Secure identification — protects your identity so no one can impersonate you or steal your upload credits.
• IP filtering — block connections from known-bad or unwanted address ranges.
• Boolean search — refine your searches with AND, OR, and NOT.
• Flexible progress display — show download progress as a chunk bar, a percentage, or both.
• System tray — keep aMule running quietly in the system tray (or notification area) on all major desktops.
• Online signature — publish your current status, such as speed and active downloads, on a website or forum signature.
• Misbehaving-client detection — spots and blocks peers that try to cheat the sharing rules.
• Automatic corruption repair — downloads are checked for integrity, and damaged parts are detected and re-downloaded on their own.
• Hands-off download management — aMule sets priorities and finds sources by itself, so you can start many downloads and leave them running.
• Preview — watch a video or open an archive before the download finishes (using your preferred media player; MPlayer by default).
• Categories — organize your downloads into named groups.
• Several ways to search:
  • Your connected server
  • All known servers at once (global search)
  • The Kad network, which can ask extra peers for more results
  • Straight from your browser, by clicking ed2k:// links
• Friends and messaging — keep a friends list and exchange messages with other users.
• Automatic server-list updates — keep your server list current automatically, or refresh it whenever you like.
• Release Priority (known as PowerShare in eMule) — give your own shared files top priority so others can grab them quickly.
• Skins — change aMule's appearance with downloadable skins.

Features added by aMule

On top of that, aMule adds capabilities of its own:

• Runs everywhere — native support for Windows, macOS, Linux, and BSD.
• Proxy support — route your connection through a proxy server.
• Full remote control — run aMule in the background and manage it remotely from a remote GUI, a web interface, or a command-line interface, all built on its External Connections (EC) system.
• Quick ed2k link bar — paste ed2k:// links straight into a bar at the bottom of every window (can be turned off).
• Run a command on completion — automatically launch a script or program when a download finishes.
• Remembers sources for rare files — saves where to find hard-to-get files so your downloads pick up again quickly after a restart.
• Search-result filtering — hide unwanted results so you find what you want faster.
• Default file permissions — choose the access permissions applied to completed downloads.
• Works across filesystems — keep downloads and shared files on different drives or filesystems.
• Update notifications — aMule lets you know when a new version is available.
• Automatic folder rescan — aMule notices when files are added, changed, or removed in your shared and Incoming folders, with no manual refresh.
• Start on login — have aMule launch automatically when you sign in.
• Country lookup — shows the country of the servers and users you connect to (a free country database download is required).
• Secure (HTTPS) updates — server lists and filter lists can be downloaded over secure HTTPS connections.
• Upload slot control — set a minimum speed per upload so you share with a sensible number of people at once, instead of spreading too thin.

Quick Start

• Getting Started — first run, configuration, searching and downloading

Modules

Tool	What it does
amule	All-in-one client with a full graphical interface
amuled	Background version with no window (daemon)
amulegui	Graphical interface that controls a background aMule
amuleweb	Web interface for a background aMule
amulecmd	Command-line interface for a background aMule
ed2k	Command-line helper that sends ed2k:// links to a running aMule
alc / alcc	Create ed2k:// links for your own files (graphical and command-line)
wxcas / cas	Show your aMule status as images or web pages

Supported Platforms

aMule runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, and OpenBSD, on both x86_64 and ARM64 hardware.