Torrents
Introduction to Torrents#
What is the BitTorrent Protocol?#
BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer [P2P] protocol where users share data directly with each other instead of through a central server. In this system, every user functions as both a client and a server. This decentralization spreads the workload across many peers, making the system more reliable by increasing redundancy to prevent data loss.
How BitTorrent Protocol Works#
File Sharing#
A file is divided into small pieces, which are then shared among peers.
Tracking#
Trackers keep a record of all peers sharing a file and help them find each other.
Downloading#
Peers download pieces of the file from multiple sources simultaneously, and that optimizes your download speed.
Seeding#
When downloading or after downloading a torrent file, you upload the file data you downloaded to others, and after downloading an entire file, so-called peers become "seeders," sharing the entire file they have downloaded to help other peers complete their downloads.