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Google Code's downloads feature allows project maintainers to upload binary files at no cost, either:

  • using the web interface, or
  • using an API, which is very convenient to integrate in build script.

PROBLEM: This downloads feature will be retired on January 15, 2014.
Is there an alternative?

Requirements:

  • Upload file via API
  • Anyone can download from direct URL, no delay nor advertisement/registration step

Preferably:

  • Domain that inspire confidence in the Open Source community. For instance, a service at "gnu.org" would be better than a service at "warez.biz".
  • Website usable by smartphone.

SourceForge and CodePlex have downloads, but hide them behind delay/advertisement.
Bitbucket has no advertisements, but no API to upload files.

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Bintray.com is a social platform for community-based software distribution. It is also the only platform that integrates developer tools (Build tools, etc.) and APIs, allowing full process automation, including auto-generating of indexes for multiple repository formats and also, the platform is highly available and optimized to deliver high-performance downloads (CDN).

BTW - I'm affiliated with JFrog, the creator of Bintray.

URLs look like http://dl.bintray.com/username/projectname/filename

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  • What's your affiliation with this product? – ale Dec 23 '13 at 13:15
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    The text is taken from Bintray website. (And Bintray is free) – E.T Dec 23 '13 at 15:01
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Sourceforge is doing its best to use this opportunity to rise from its ashes:

SourceForge welcomes Google Code open source developers, to distribute downloads from our open source platform.
By distributing your releases at SourceForge you’ll get a complete download analytics, and the opportunity to tap into a large open source community. We already serve other ecosystems by offering their hosted projects our download facilities, including Githubbers.

SourceForge has a download API (actually rsync/ssh). Unfortunately, it has direct download links... you can construct links like this but SourceForge always manages to slip its ad-ridden page through.

Meanwhile, it seems that Google wants people to use Google Drive instead.

Unfortunately, Google Drive has several drawbacks:

  • URLs like https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B-SI__O0UX9ob2JLRmNkeE41UEU do not inspire trust. It could be anyone uploading any kind of virus.
  • Many companies block Google Drive, because it is often used (like Dropbox and USB sticks) to circumvent company IT policies and ECM rules.
  • It is not a direct link. HTTP GET was too standard I guess? Download stats will drop a bit, some users will not understand, and scripts will have to be rewritten (if integration is even possible).
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