TDF is a file format and application suite for capturing and replaying web browsing sessions offline as portable archives.
TDF solves the problem of preserving web content in a way that survives link rot and requires no re-fetching or cloud infrastructure. It works by intercepting HTTP responses at the browser level using WebDriver BiDi and Chrome DevTools Protocol, pausing each response to read its body through the automation protocol, storing it in a compressed SQLite database, and then replaying the entire archive locally from disk. The approach differs from its predecessor DownloadNet by supporting multiple browsers (Chrome, Firefox, and Chromium-based browsers) rather than Chrome alone, and by using native Rust applications instead of a Node-based tool.
Tree Grower, the capture application, is a paid product with device-bound offline activation, while Tree Player, the replay application, is free. This licensing model suits developers and researchers who want to preserve web collections without ongoing subscriptions, and organizations that need to archive internal or external web resources for compliance or reference. The tool is appropriate for anyone building personal knowledge bases, web archives, or offline documentation systems. Safari support is planned pending Apple's implementation of WebDriver BiDi network capabilities.
The project has transitioned from open-source development to a closed-source commercial product line. The original DownloadNet codebase remains archived in the repository under its existing license but is no longer developed or supported. The new TDF product line is proprietary software with a one-time purchase model for Grower and free distribution for Player.
