Modern eD2K Clients, Forks, and Front Ends¶

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Current clients are ranked by activity and public adoption. Download-only implementations remain visible for threat and ecosystem tracking but are excluded from healthy-peer rankings.

Ranking badges and thresholds are defined in Methodology. Statistics are dated snapshots, not live user counts.

Modern Clients, Forks, And Front Ends¶

Ranking summary¶

Project	Activity	Adoption	Maturity	Relevance	Latest activity
Gopeed	🟢 Active/current	🟢 Established	Active development	Direct competitor/watchlist	2026-10-23
rucio	🟢 Active/current	🟡 Visible	Released	Direct competitor/watchlist	2026-10-23
aria2-next	🟢 Active/current	🟢 Established	Released	Direct competitor/watchlist	2026-10-13
aMule	🟢 Active/current	🟢 Established	Active development	Direct competitor/watchlist	2026-10-13
eMule Community	🟢 Active/current	🟢 Established	Maintained	Direct competitor/watchlist	2026-08-20
eMuleAI	🟢 Active/current	🟡 Visible	Active development	Direct competitor/watchlist	2026-07-25
emulebb-rust	🟢 Active/current	⚪ Niche	Public beta	Direct competitor/watchlist	2026-10-29
Ember	🟢 Active/current	⚪ Niche	Active development	Direct competitor/watchlist	2026-10-21
eMuleRust (`laurentgeynet-ux/eMule-Rust`)	🟢 Active/current	⚪ Niche	Experimental	Direct competitor/watchlist	2026-10-18
Mulee	🟢 Active/current	⚪ Niche	Experimental	Ecosystem watchlist	2026-10-17
eMule Qt	🟢 Active/current	⚪ Niche	Active development	Direct competitor/watchlist	2026-10-13
eMule Next	🟢 Active/current	⚪ Niche	Experimental	Direct competitor/watchlist	2026-10-11
eMuleBB	🟢 Active/current	⚪ Niche	Stable	Workspace baseline	2026-09-25
eMule eSE LiveTV	🟢 Active/current	⚪ Niche	Active development	Ecosystem watchlist	2026-08-02
macMule	🟢 Active/current	⚪ Niche	Maintained	Ecosystem watchlist	2026-02-14
avwarez eMule build/fork	🟡 Verification needed	⚪ Niche	Active development	Ecosystem watchlist	2026-10-23
njMule	🟡 Verification needed	⚪ Niche	Experimental	Direct competitor/watchlist	2026-10-13
rmule	🟡 Verification needed	⚪ Niche	Experimental	Direct competitor/watchlist	2026-10-12
aMule Android Preview	🟡 Verification needed	⚪ Niche	Active development	Ecosystem watchlist	2026-10-08
Kelpie	🟡 Verification needed	⚪ Niche	Experimental	Ecosystem watchlist	2026-10-02
AmuleD v2 Python	🟡 Verification needed	⚪ Niche	Active development	Ecosystem watchlist	2026-09-29
padMule	🟡 Verification needed	⚪ Niche	Experimental	Direct competitor/watchlist	2026-08-14
MLDonkey	🟡 Verification needed	🟡 Visible	Stale	Direct competitor/watchlist	2025-01-28
HydraP2P	🟡 Verification needed	❔ Unknown	Experimental	Ecosystem watchlist	Unknown
iMule	🟡 Verification needed	❔ Unknown	Reference-only	Ecosystem watchlist	Unknown
xMule/lMule	🟡 Verification needed	❔ Unknown	Reference-only	Ecosystem watchlist	Unknown
Envy	⚫ Stale/historical	🟡 Visible	Stale	Historical reference	2026-08-07
Hathi	⚫ Stale/historical	⚪ Niche	Reference-only	Historical reference	2022-04-18
Shareaza	⚫ Stale/historical	🟡 Visible	Stale	Historical reference	2019-08-07
JMule	⚫ Stale/historical	⚪ Niche	Reference-only	Historical reference	2015-02-22
Lphant	⚫ Stale/historical	⚪ Niche	Reference-only	Historical reference	2012-05-19
eMule Plus	🟣 Archive/reference	❔ Unknown	Reference-only	Historical reference	Unknown
p2p-overlord	⚫ Stale/historical	❔ Unknown	Reference-only	Historical reference	Unknown
FluxDown	🟢 Active/current	🟢 Established	Active development	Direct competitor/watchlist	2026-10-23

Tier 1 — Active with visible adoption¶

Gopeed¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · 🟢 Established · Active development · Direct competitor/watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟢 Active, multi-protocol client with native eD2K integration
Language/platform: Go core with Flutter desktop, mobile, and Web clients
Link: https://github.com/GopeedLab/gopeed
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-23):
GopeedLab/gopeed: 27,111 stars, 1,763 forks, 343 open issues; default main; reviewed default-branch commit 2026-10-23 4d65948; latest stable release v1.9.3 on 2026-03-18; GPL-3.0.
Notes: eD2K support landed immediately before v1.9.3 and the current fetcher integrates monkeyWie/goed2k for real transfers, resume state, peer statistics, configuration, and task lifecycle; it is not merely an ed2k:// handler. Its very large user-facing footprint makes it the most visible newly identified eD2K-capable product in this sweep. Several reviewed head build jobs were failed or cancelled, and protocol behavior inherits goed2k; verify stock compatibility independently and do not use GPL-3.0 code in the GPL-2.0-only eMuleBB Rust tree.

rucio¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · 🟡 Visible · Released · Direct competitor/watchlist · 🟢 Uploads verified chunks and seeds completed files
Status: 🟢 Active, released, partial eMule bridge
Language/platform: Rust; daemon, CLI, embedded WebUI, containers, and optional Tauri desktop shell
Link: https://github.com/ogarcia/rucio
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-23):
ogarcia/rucio: 53 stars, 2 forks, 2 open issues; default master; default-branch commit 2026-10-23 b87f2f1 beginning 0.50.0 development; latest release 0.49.0 on 2026-10-23; GPL-3.0.
Notes: New Rust P2P file-sharing product inspired by eMule and MLDonkey. Its primary network is a separate libp2p stack using Kademlia discovery, Gossipsub keyword search, BLAKE3 content identities, and rucio: links. The optional rucio-emule bridge can bootstrap Kad2, search keywords and sources, download ed2k:// files, upload verified partial chunks, and continue seeding completed files. It is not a full eMule replacement: the audited scope has no eD2K server leg or AICH, intentionally omits RSA secure identification, and advertises no client-UDP reask, source exchange, or shared-directory browsing. The project has substantive Rust CI (fmt, Clippy with -D warnings, and all-feature tests); all checks on the reviewed default branch and 0.49.0 release commit passed, but its scripted E2E lane excludes the live eMule leg. The local HTTP API defaults to loopback but has no built-in authentication when exposed. Treat Rucio as a strong daemon/product-packaging and clean network-separation reference; require independent wire traces before using its eMule behavior as an oracle, and do not copy GPL-3.0-only implementation code into the GPL-2.0-only eMuleBB Rust tree.

aria2-next¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · 🟢 Established · Released · Direct competitor/watchlist · 🟢 Upload/share behavior documented
Status: 🟢 Active, released, needs protocol review
Language/platform: C++20; Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
Link: https://github.com/AnInsomniacy/aria2-next
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-13):
AnInsomniacy/aria2-next: 666 stars, 28 forks, 2 open issues; default main; default-branch commit 2026-10-13 612ffea; latest release v3.0.1 on 2026-10-13; GPL-2.0.
Notes: New download engine preserving aria2 command-line, configuration, session, and JSON-RPC surfaces while adding a native eD2K/Kad implementation. Its README claims server and Kad source/search, verified transfers, upload queues, credits, obfuscation, persisted identity, sharing, and wire checks against aMule. Source review on 2026-10-13 found that ServerSession offers at most the first 200 shareable entries and repeats that selection every ten minutes; it has no continuation cursor or negotiated pace. Treat the broader claims as a strong interoperability lead, not an oracle, until code and live traces are independently reviewed. FateLightX/AriaLite is a current macOS front end that bundles this engine.

aMule¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · 🟢 Established · Active development · Direct competitor/watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟢 Active
Language/platform: Cross-platform C++/wxWidgets
Current upstream: https://github.com/amule-org/amule (master; 3.1.0 released 2026-09-21). The older amule-project/amule repository is the frozen predecessor, not the maintained upstream.
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-13):
amule-org/amule: 384 stars, 33 forks, 62 open issues; default master; default-branch commit 2026-10-13 f9dba47; latest release 3.1.0 on 2026-09-21.
Local reference (2026-10-19): managed repos\amule at cfc357134e97561685a91c6822222493d39c7de2; current source comparison, build, offline-fixture, and moving parity reference.
Notes: The historical emulebb/amule Windows-build fork is retained as the emulebb remote in the same clone for provenance, not as a second checkout. Open PR #1715 adds experimental, opt-in offerfiles_v=1 client negotiation and reports isolated interoperability against ed2k-server source tag v0.9.81; production server-load validation and upstream review are still incomplete.

eMule Community¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · 🟢 Established · Maintained · Direct competitor/watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟢 Maintained
Language/platform: Windows, C++/MFC
Link: https://github.com/irwir/eMule
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-09-30):
irwir/eMule: 1287 stars, 114 forks, 0 open issues; default master; stable eMule_v0.72a-community release published 2026-08-20.
Notes: Community continuation of classic eMule. Important compatibility and user-expectation reference. Local analysis checkouts track v0.60d and v0.72a, while managed app worktrees carry the community baseline and tracing harness branches. The 0.72a train progressed from the June beta snapshots recorded previously to a stable GitHub release in August.

eMuleAI¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · 🟡 Visible · Active development · Direct competitor/watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟢 Active
Language/platform: Windows, C++/MFC
Link: https://github.com/eMuleAI/eMuleAI
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-09-30):
eMuleAI/eMuleAI: 70 stars, 7 forks, 29 open issues; default master; default-branch commit 2026-07-25 a2f05dc; latest release eMuleAI_v1.6 on 2026-07-25.
Notes: Modern eMule fork with UI, performance, and feature ideas already used as comparative reference in tooling docs.

Tier 2 — Active or maintained, niche adoption¶

emulebb-rust¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · ⚪ Niche · Public beta · Direct competitor/watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟢 Active, public-beta forward client
Language/platform: Rust; headless multiplatform daemon plus embedded SPA WebUI
Link: https://github.com/emulebb/emulebb-rust
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-29):
emulebb/emulebb-rust: 9 stars, 0 forks, 32 open issues; default main; default-branch commit 2026-10-29 17003d6; public prerelease rust-v0.1.0-beta.2 on 2026-10-02; nightly prereleases through 2026-10-26; GPL-2.0.
Notes: Workspace-owned forward eD2K/Kad client. It targets stock-compatible wire behavior while remaining a separate implementation from the MFC product. The public beta ships Windows, Linux, macOS, and container artifacts. CI, CodeQL, and Nightly workflows passed for the reviewed default-branch commit. The broader Client gate remains open, so do not infer stable release readiness from the beta or repository activity.

Ember¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · ⚪ Niche · Active development · Direct competitor/watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟢 Active, protocol-extension caution
Language/platform: Rust/Tauri/Svelte; Windows and Linux packages
Link: https://github.com/untaimed18/Ember-P2P
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-23):
untaimed18/Ember-P2P: 31 stars, 0 forks, 6 open issues; default main; default-branch commit 2026-10-21 9ebe026; latest release v1.7.4 on 2026-10-18; GPL-3.0.
Notes: Ground-up client that implements eD2K/Kad interoperation but also enables its own encrypted Ember DHT and an Ember-only peer-exchange opcode. Those additions make it a useful implementation and adoption lead, but not a stock-compatible default-behavior reference for eMuleBB. Its README documents remaining end-to-end gaps. All eight checks on the v1.7.4 release commit passed, while two of seven checks on the reviewed default-branch commit were failing.

eMuleRust (`laurentgeynet-ux/eMule-Rust`)¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · ⚪ Niche · Experimental · Direct competitor/watchlist · 🟢 Upload/share behavior documented
Status: 🟢 Active, released candidate, independent verification required
Language/platform: Rust/Flutter; Tokio daemon, JSON-RPC API, Windows and experimental Linux desktop bundles, CLI, and MCP server
Link: https://github.com/laurentgeynet-ux/eMule-Rust
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-23):
laurentgeynet-ux/eMule-Rust: 5 stars, 0 forks, 15 open issues; default master; default-branch commit 2026-10-18 fbbea83; latest release v0.2.0-RC3 on 2026-10-17; GPL-2.0-or-later.
Notes: Young ground-up client targeting eMule 0.72a wire behavior. Source review found broad eD2K/Kad coverage including SX1/SX2, AICH, secure identification, client UDP, upload/download paths, and legacy import formats. All four checks on the reviewed default branch and all six release checks passed. The release reports pinned loopback interoperability with eMule 0.50a, eMule 0.72a, and aMule 3.1.0 plus a supervised public-network bench, but that evidence remains project-authored and needs independent traces before oracle use. Current docs retain gaps around peer chat/shared-file browsing, preview, outbound direct callback, and parts of port-test and Kad firewall behavior; the release also observed LowID despite UPnP. There is no fuzz or CodeQL workflow, and cargo deny is non-blocking. The protocol crate forbids unsafe code, but the daemon contains small Windows/ICMP unsafe FFI surfaces, so the README's tree-wide memory- safety wording is broader than the source.

Mulee¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · ⚪ Niche · Experimental · Ecosystem watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟢 Active, new native macOS front end over aMule
Language/platform: Swift/macOS application bundling amuled
Link: https://github.com/cqagc/mulee
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-23):
cqagc/mulee: 0 stars, 0 forks, 0 open issues; default main; default-branch commit 2026-10-17 94556a0; latest release v0.1.11 on 2026-10-17; GPL-3.0; no check runs on the reviewed commit.
Notes: Polished Apple-Silicon download manager for HTTP, BitTorrent, eD2K, and video. It bundles a pinned aMule daemon as the eD2K engine and adds signed/notarized packaging, link handlers, browser extensions, native status surfaces, previews, sleep/disk handling, and port- forwarding guidance. Treat it as a product/UX and packaging reference, not an independent eD2K/Kad implementation.

eMule Qt¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · ⚪ Niche · Active development · Direct competitor/watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟢 Active
Language/platform: Qt 6/C++23
Link: https://github.com/ModderMule/emule-qt
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-13):
ModderMule/emule-qt: 34 stars, 4 forks, 4 open issues; default main; default-branch commit 2026-10-13 c502f60; latest release v0.6.12 on 2026-10-13; GPL-2.0.
Notes: Qt port intended to modernize the eMule client and improve platform independence. It remains an external research reference and is not materialized by the canonical workspace. Homepage: https://emule-qt.org/. The September release cadence makes it one of the most visibly active independent client implementations. Its current core keeps the stock-derived 200-file batch and 60-second spacing, making it a direct negotiated-pacing adoption candidate.

eMule Next¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · ⚪ Niche · Experimental · Direct competitor/watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟢 Active, beta
Language/platform: Windows C++/MFC
Link: https://github.com/favoritejonny/Emule-Next
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-13):
favoritejonny/Emule-Next: 8 stars, 0 forks, 0 open issues; default main; default-branch commit 2026-10-11 5d69617; v1.0.0-beta.1 prerelease published 2026-09-27; GPL-2.0.
Notes: Independent eMule Community fork with Win32/x64 portable packages, refreshed UI assets, 43 languages, CI, checksums, and SBOM release evidence. Treat it as a young fork and validate substantive runtime changes separately from packaging and presentation work.

eMuleBB¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · ⚪ Niche · Stable · Workspace baseline · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟢 Maintained, stable 0.7.x line
Language/platform: Windows, C++/MFC
Link: https://github.com/emulebb/emulebb
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-09-30):
emulebb/emulebb: 41 stars, 1 fork, 1 open issue; default main; default-branch commit 2026-09-25 9466ece; stable 0.7.3 released 2026-07-05.
Notes: Shipped Windows eMuleBB client with compatibility and release hardening. The MFC surface is frozen on the 0.7.x maintenance line; active forward client work is in emulebb-rust.

eMule eSE LiveTV¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · ⚪ Niche · Active development · Ecosystem watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟢 Active
Language/platform: Windows, C++/Node.js
Link: https://github.com/diad87/eMule-eSE-LiveTV
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-09-30):
diad87/eMule-eSE-LiveTV: 17 stars, 4 forks, 0 open issues; default main; default-branch commit 2026-08-02 d08f8b0.
Notes: eMule mod exploring P2P live TV over Kad/eD2K with HLS and Node.js web UI. No local checkout was present in the canonical workspace during the 2026-05-29 refresh.

macMule¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · ⚪ Niche · Maintained · Ecosystem watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟢 Maintained, packaging-only
Language/platform: macOS application bundle around eMule Community and Wine
Link: https://github.com/mderouet/macMule
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-13):
mderouet/macMule: 23 stars, 2 forks, 0 open issues; default master; default-branch commit 2026-02-14 511f3fe; latest release v0.70b on 2026-02-14; GPL-2.0.
Notes: Build and packaging wrapper for running the current eMule Community x64 client through Wine on Apple Silicon and Intel macOS. It does not implement eD2K/Kad itself; protocol behavior remains the bundled eMule build's behavior.

Tier 3 — Experimental or verification required¶

avwarez eMule build/fork¶

Assessment: 🟡 Verification needed · ⚪ Niche · Active development · Ecosystem watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟡 Active, substantial patch stack needing provenance review
Language/platform: Windows C++/MFC with a CMake build and dependency patch orchestration
Link: https://github.com/avwarez/eMule-build and https://github.com/avwarez/eMule
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-23):
avwarez/eMule-build: 2 stars, 0 forks, 0 open issues; default v0.72a; default-branch commit 2026-10-23 21adff6; latest release v0.72a-20260930-160400 on 2026-09-30; no GitHub-detected license; all seven checks on the reviewed commit passed.
Notes: Builds a public eMule fork and pinned dependencies through CMake and carries a large ordered patch series for modern C++, legacy Windows removal, libplum port mapping, firewall diagnostics, PowerShare, warnings, robustness fixes, language corrections, and temporary diagnostics. The submodule URL uses SSH and the build repository lacks a root README/license declaration, so verify reproducibility, source/license provenance, and runtime behavior before treating the release as another maintained eMule distribution.

njMule¶

Assessment: 🟡 Verification needed · ⚪ Niche · Experimental · Direct competitor/watchlist · 🟢 Upload/share behavior documented
Status: 🟡 Active, pre-alpha
Language/platform: Java 25; JavaFX desktop, web UI, and headless core
Link: https://github.com/njMule/njMule
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-13):
njMule/njMule: 0 stars, 0 forks, 0 open issues; default main; default-branch commit 2026-10-13 aac6e33; no public release; GPL-3.0.
Notes: New eD2K/Kad client that claims server and Kad connectivity/search, verified downloads, upload queues, credits, secure identification, source exchange, shared files, and read-only eMule profile import. FilePublisher currently uses the stock-derived 200-file batch and 60-second interval. The public repository was created on 2026-10-12 and labels itself pre-alpha, so the broad surface needs independent code and runtime review before use as protocol evidence.

rmule¶

Assessment: 🟡 Verification needed · ⚪ Niche · Experimental · Direct competitor/watchlist · 🟢 Upload/share behavior documented
Status: 🟡 Active, early release
Language/platform: Rust; terminal UI and headless CLI
Link: https://github.com/Lazark0x/rmule
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-13):
Lazark0x/rmule: 0 stars, 0 forks, 0 open issues; default main; default-branch commit 2026-10-12 63ee533; latest release v0.2.0 on 2026-10-12; GPL-3.0.
Notes: New library-first eD2K/Kad client with server login/search, Kad, peer transfer, shared-file registration, upload handling, persisted state, and a parity matrix tied to aMule source and captured bytes. Its current session follower sends the complete share set in one OP_OFFERFILES command rather than applying a stock or negotiated batch/pacing policy. Its README still records missing or intentionally omitted surfaces, including Kad notes and shared-directory browsing. Review actual publication scheduling and live behavior before treating it as a compatibility reference.

aMule Android Preview¶

Assessment: 🟡 Verification needed · ⚪ Niche · Active development · Ecosystem watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟡 Active, native preview requiring runtime and provenance review
Language/platform: Kotlin/Jetpack Compose Android shell with ARM64 aMule daemon and WebUI binaries
Link: https://github.com/XG-DL/amule-android-preview
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-23):
XG-DL/amule-android-preview: 1 star, 0 forks, 0 open issues; default main; reviewed default-branch commit 2026-10-08 b856d04; latest release v0.1.9-native-preview on 2026-10-15; all four checks on the reviewed commit passed; GitHub reports no recognized repository license.
Notes: Packages patched, pinned amule-org/amule amuled and amuleapi builds for Android API 33/ARM64 and documents reproducible dependency downloads with hashes. IPv6, geolocation, uTP, QUIC, and native translation catalogs are disabled in the packaged core. It is a useful mobile lifecycle and packaging lead, but not an independent protocol implementation; verify binary/source correspondence and repository licensing before reuse.

Kelpie¶

Assessment: 🟡 Verification needed · ⚪ Niche · Experimental · Ecosystem watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟡 Active, new engine requiring independent live verification
Language/platform: Go engine process with a standard-library Python asyncio client
Link: https://github.com/XiaoYouChR/Kelpie
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-23):
XiaoYouChR/Kelpie: 6 stars, 1 fork, 0 open issues; default main; default-branch commit 2026-10-02 c3c475a; latest release v0.2.0 on 2026-10-02; MIT license; all nine checks on the reviewed commit passed.
Notes: New download/upload engine descended from ideas in goed2k and the earlier Python-eD2k process boundary. Its source tree contains distinct server, Kad, peer, upload, obfuscation, AICH, secure-ident, NAT, disk, and fake-server components plus extensive Go/Python tests. The README claims LowID callbacks, SX2, UDP reask, secure identification, global server search, uploads, IPv6 peer exchange, and benchmarks against aMule and goed2kd. Development visible in the reviewed repository is concentrated on 2026-10-01/02, so those compatibility and performance claims remain project-authored until reproduced with independent traces.

AmuleD v2 Python¶

Assessment: 🟡 Verification needed · ⚪ Niche · Active development · Ecosystem watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟡 Active, broad claims without independent evidence
Language/platform: Python 3.12 console client and daemon
Link: https://github.com/Methelina/AmuleD_v2_KAD-eD2k_Python
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-23):
Methelina/AmuleD_v2_KAD-eD2k_Python: 0 stars, 0 forks, 0 open issues; default main; default-branch commit 2026-09-29 041b5cd; no GitHub release or check runs; Apache-2.0.
Notes: Independent clean-room claim with a substantial source and test tree covering server sessions, Kad search/publish, downloads, uploads, AICH, source exchange, secure identification, obfuscation, buddies, callbacks, NAT traversal, IP filtering, and persistent state. The README reports live KAD operations and a 46.7 MB multi-part download from eMuleAI, but the repository provides no CI result, signed release, or independently captured interoperability record. Treat its unusually broad 0.6.0 feature matrix as a verification target, not as protocol authority.

padMule¶

Assessment: 🟡 Verification needed · ⚪ Niche · Experimental · Direct competitor/watchlist · 🟡 Full peer with optional policy-incompatible Leech Mode

🟡 Policy warning: The documented optional Leech Mode conflicts with eMuleBB contribution policy. - Status: 🟡 Active, experimental, agent-assisted - Language/platform: Rust engine with native SwiftUI iPad app - Link: https://github.com/ajbufort/padMule - Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-09-30): - ajbufort/padMule: 0 stars, 0 forks, 0 open issues; default main; default-branch commit 2026-08-14 ce2d91b; GPL-2.0; no releases. - Notes: From-scratch iPad client with Rust protocol, file-format, Kad, engine, CLI, and UniFFI crates behind a native SwiftUI app. The repository explicitly documents coordinated Claude-agent development, treats eMule 0.50a as wire authority, vendors aMule 3.0.1 as a read-only runnable oracle, and carries differential-transfer scripts, fuzz targets, supply-chain checks, and claimed on-device evidence. It is a high-value clean-room interoperability and mobile-lifecycle reference, not yet an independently verified authority. Its optional Leech Mode and padMule-to-padMule enhancement channel conflict with eMuleBB policy; review those boundaries before borrowing behavior. The source license is described as GPL-2.0-or-later, while its own notice says some linked binary configurations convey under GPL-3.0-or-later.

MLDonkey¶

Assessment: 🟡 Verification needed · 🟡 Visible · Stale · Direct competitor/watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟡 Maintained/stale
Language/platform: OCaml daemon
Link: https://github.com/ygrek/mldonkey
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-05-29):
ygrek/mldonkey: 339 stars, 53 forks, 54 open issues; default master; default-branch commit 2025-01-28 0d44635.
Notes: Multi-network P2P daemon with eDonkey/eMule support; useful for headless daemon and controller ideas.

HydraP2P¶

Assessment: 🟡 Verification needed · ❔ Unknown · Experimental · Ecosystem watchlist · 🟢 Upload/share behavior documented
Status: 🟡 Needs verification
Language/platform: Unknown
Link: Public discussion lead only
Notes: Mentioned in 2026 I2P/eMule discussion as a beta project associated with Sharing-Devils and possible I2P-oriented evolution. No canonical source, binary, website, protocol scope, or license was confirmed in the 2026-09-30 search pass.

iMule¶

Assessment: 🟡 Verification needed · ❔ Unknown · Reference-only · Ecosystem watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟡 Historical, needs verification
Language/platform: C++/I2P
Link: Public mirrors
Notes: Anonymous/I2P-oriented eMule lineage; verify canonical source before using as reference.

xMule/lMule¶

Assessment: 🟡 Verification needed · ❔ Unknown · Reference-only · Ecosystem watchlist · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟡 Historical, needs verification
Language/platform: Linux C++
Link: SourceForge and mirrors
Notes: Pre-aMule Linux lineage; keep as research leads until canonical source/archive links are verified.

Tier 4 — Stale or historical¶

Envy¶

Assessment: ⚫ Stale/historical · 🟡 Visible · Stale · Historical reference · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: ⚫ Stale, isolated 2026 build refresh
Language/platform: Windows C++
Link: https://github.com/GetEnvy/Envy
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-09-30):
GetEnvy/Envy: 51 stars, 12 forks, 11 open issues; default master; default-branch commit 2026-08-07 7737356 (VS2026).
Notes: Shareaza-derived multi-network client. One build-oriented commit after a six-year gap is not enough evidence to classify the project as maintained.

Hathi¶

Assessment: ⚫ Stale/historical · ⚪ Niche · Reference-only · Historical reference · 🟢 Upload/share behavior documented
Status: ⚫ Historical
Language/platform: C#/.NET
Link: https://github.com/lle0x/hathi
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-05-29):
lle0x/hathi: 1 star, 0 forks, 1 open issue; default main; default-branch commit 2022-04-18 b87ce11.
Notes: Fork of lphant 1.0, described as an eDonkey2000 filesharing client.

Shareaza¶

Assessment: ⚫ Stale/historical · 🟡 Visible · Stale · Historical reference · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: ⚫ Stale
Language/platform: Windows C++
Link: https://github.com/ivan386/Shareaza
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-05-29):
ivan386/Shareaza: 123 stars, 50 forks, 9 open issues; default ipv6; default-branch commit 2019-08-07 0c2f2f5.
Notes: Multi-network P2P client with eD2K support. Historical UX and protocol reference.

JMule¶

Assessment: ⚫ Stale/historical · ⚪ Niche · Reference-only · Historical reference · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: ⚫ Historical
Language/platform: Java
Link: https://github.com/zhoushineyoung/jmule-mod
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-05-29):
zhoushineyoung/jmule-mod: 2 stars, 3 forks, 0 open issues; default master; default-branch commit 2015-02-22 b6dac44.
Notes: Java implementation lineage for eMule/eD2K protocol behavior.

Lphant¶

Assessment: ⚫ Stale/historical · ⚪ Niche · Reference-only · Historical reference · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: ⚫ Historical
Language/platform: C#/.NET
Link: https://github.com/knocte/lphant
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-05-29):
knocte/lphant: 25 stars, 6 forks, 0 open issues; default master; default-branch commit 2012-05-19 c16be38.
Notes: GPL-era lphant source mirror; useful for old client behavior comparisons.

eMule Plus¶

Assessment: 🟣 Archive/reference · ❔ Unknown · Reference-only · Historical reference · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: 🟣 Historical, archive-only
Language/platform: Windows C++
Link: Local archive evidence
Notes: Independent eMule-derived client line. Keep source provenance notes in historical sections when used.

p2p-overlord¶

Assessment: ⚫ Stale/historical · ❔ Unknown · Reference-only · Historical reference · ❔ Contribution mode not independently classified
Status: ⚫ Historical, archived
Language/platform: Rust/Node
Link: https://github.com/emulebb/p2p-overlord-agents and https://github.com/emulebb/p2p-overlord-be
Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-09-30):
emulebb/p2p-overlord-agents and emulebb/p2p-overlord-be are both archived; their last default-branch commits are from 2026-06-11.
Notes: Retired separate headless/server-oriented product lineage. It is not part of the current eMuleBB portfolio; retain only for historical contract and architecture research.

Capability warning — Download-only clients¶

FluxDown¶

Assessment: 🟢 Active/current · 🟢 Established · Active development · Direct competitor/watchlist · 🔴 Download-only; no upload contribution

🔴 Capability warning: This implementation is explicitly download-only and does not upload or share. It is excluded from healthy-peer rankings. - Status: 🟢 Active, popular download-only implementation - Language/platform: Rust engine with desktop, Web, Android, and iOS clients - Link: https://github.com/zerx-lab/FluxDown - Repo stats (GitHub, 2026-10-23): - zerx-lab/FluxDown: 4,927 stars, 290 forks, 369 open issues; default main; default-branch commit 2026-10-23 9308448; latest release v0.6.1 on 2026-10-23; AGPL-3.0; all 16 checks on the reviewed commit passed. - Notes: Contains a native Rust eD2K engine rather than link handoff, with server subscriptions, server and Kad source discovery, peer transfers, UPnP, per-part MD4 verification, resume, and cross-client settings surfaces. Its own documentation explicitly calls the engine download-only: it does not upload or share, ignores optional AICH link data, and therefore is not a full stock-client behavior oracle. The large audience and polished multi-platform product surface make it strategically important despite that protocol asymmetry.