What is Torrent?

Torrent is file extension for BitTorrent file format. BitTorrent is a file sharing peer-to-peer protocol. Its main advantage is in fact that you not only download files from the original person who shared files but also get portions from fellow downloaders to maximize the data exchange.

BitTorrent is one of commonly used protocol for transferring large files as there is no centralized server hence the load gets distributed eventually. Before studying its working lets look at some common terms in torrents world.

How Torrent Works?

When you traditionally download a file from web server, your computer connects to that web server and download the data directly from that server. Each computer which wants to download the files needs to connect to that specific web server to download the file.

Now BitTorrent is peer-to-peer protocol, which means instead of single centralized server a BitTorrent ‘swarm’(group of computer downloading and uploading data) transfers data between each other without needing a centralized sever.

Technically, a computer first loads a .torrent file into BitTorrent client and joins a BitTorrent swarm. The BitTorrent file contains tracker specified in loaded .torrent file. The tracker shares their IP addresses with other clients in swarm, allowing them to connect with each other.

This makes torrent unique. If suppose 20,000 people are downloading the same files it could have resulted in lots of load if we used one centralized server. But because of BitTorrent protocol each downloader now contributes upload bandwidth to other downloader’s.

Common Terms Used in BitTorrent

• Seeds : Seeds are refers to number of users who have already downloaded the files and are currently uploading them.
• leeches : leeches are refers to number of users who have already downloaded the files and without uploading them once their downloading process was done.
• Peers : A peer can be anyone who does not have entire file and is downloading as well as uploading file.
• • Torrent clients have option to limit upload speeds so many users decrease their upload speed in comparison to downloading speed thus degrading the overall availability of file.
• Trackers : A tracker is a server that keeps tracks of which seeds and peers are currently in swarm (uploading or downloading the files). Tracker helps in routing data from peers, initiating downloads and maintaining statics for system. Trackers routes ‘data’ or to be specific ‘packets’ to downloader.

Downloading Torrent Files

For downloading Torrent file you would need a Torrent client. utorrent is popular torrent client out there. Just install any torrent client and whenever you want to download a file via torrent your browser will automatically open up your torrent client.

Downloading Torrents Using Magnet Links

What Is a Magnet Links? Magnet links make life easier for both bittorrent hosts and users. Without them, files (and pieces of files) had to be assigned specific names (or "hashes") to guard against corrupt or dummy files but with magnet links, the client can just copy, paste, and send the link.

With magnet links, you no longer need to download a ".torrent" file to download a torrent. Magnet links have the same functionality as a ".torrent" file. To use magnet links is, you need only ensure that your bittorrent client is associated with them. Just click the magnet link and let the bittorrent client do the rest.

Popular website to download torrent

These are the Popular website to download the torrent file. However, there are so many other website available to download the torrent file.

• • Kick Ass Torrent
• • The Pirate Bay

Conclusion

Torrent may be primarily used for piracy at present moment mainly because of its decentralized nature. However there are many legal uses of BitTorrent, like many Linux distros prefer torrent to push out updates as it reduces the stress on their servers.