Axel
Axel is a lightweight, command-line download accelerator for Linux and Unix-like systems that speeds up file downloads by opening multiple connections to the same file. It splits downloads into segments, downloads them in parallel, and reassembles them, improving performance especially on slow or unstable connections. It supports HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP protocols and is often used as an alternative to tools like wget or curl for faster bulk downloads.
Developers should learn Axel when they need to download large files efficiently over the internet, such as ISO images, software packages, or datasets, particularly in environments with limited bandwidth or high latency. It's useful for automation scripts, server setups, or any scenario where download speed is critical, as it can significantly reduce transfer times compared to single-threaded tools.