Torrent is a method of distributing files over the Internet. They operate on the BitTorrent protocol to facilitate what is known as peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing.
Torrent is a method of distributing files over the Internet. They operate on the BitTorrent protocol to facilitate what is known as peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing.
Torrent-based file sharing offers several advantages over traditional file sharing. Expensive server equipment is not necessary to send files to many people at once, and even low-bandwidth (slow) networks can easily download large datasets.
The most common way to use torrents is through special files using the .TORRENT file extension. These files contain instructions on how to share specific data with others.
- Instructions on creating torrent files using uTorrent
- BitTorrent for Beginners: A Guide to Downloading via Torrent
- FileStream offers super-fast torrent file retrieval services.
Torrenting can be dangerous.
Before delving deeper into how torrents work, it's crucial to understand that they also carry higher risks compared to other forms of file sharing.
Torrents aren't inherently dangerous to use or create, but it's important to remember that unless you can trust the source, you can easily inadvertently download files that weren't uploaded legally or even download files infected with malware.
If you want to use torrents to share your own files or download large files from others, use a secure antivirus program and only download torrents from users you trust.
One piece of advice to help you avoid trouble later is to pay close attention to the name of the downloaded file. If you receive a file named movie.mp4.exe, it's definitely not a movie but an EXE file (which in this case could be malicious).
This is a common trick where the file sharer wants you to think you're receiving a regular file, in this example an MP4 video. Just remember that the last letters/numbers following the last dot are the actual file extension. This will help you identify the real file format.
What makes Torrent unique?
Torrent is similar to other forms of downloading files to your computer. However, the way you receive files isn't as straightforward, and sharing your own data is much easier.
Here's an example of how traditional file sharing works over the HTTP protocol:
- Access the website in your browser.
- Click the download link to begin the download process.
- Save the file to your computer.
The file you downloaded is located on a server, possibly a high-end server with ample disk space and other system resources, designed to serve thousands or millions of users simultaneously. The file exists only on that server, and anyone with access to it can download it.
Torrents work slightly differently. While web browsers connect to websites using the HTTP protocol, torrents use BitTorrent, therefore, a program that can communicate via BitTorrent is needed instead:
- Open the torrent program.
- Import the TORRENT file to begin the download process.
- Save the file to your computer.
In this case, the data you're downloading via torrent may reside on hundreds of servers simultaneously, but these servers are almost always standard home computers, just like yours. No advanced hardware is needed, and anyone can participate in this type of file exchange. In fact, anyone downloading even a portion of a file can now act as their own torrent server.
If you want to share files from your computer over the internet, the traditional way is to upload the data to a central location (any file sharing method will suffice), and then the recipient can download it. With torrents, sharing is similar to saving, as described above: Instead of downloading a torrent created by someone else with instructions on how to save their file, you share a torrent you created so the recipient has the necessary instructions to download it from you.
How does torrenting work?
All of this might seem a bit confusing, but the idea is actually quite simple. Torrents, as you read above, rely on a P2P network. This simply means that torrent data, whatever it may be, can be accessed from multiple servers simultaneously. Anyone downloading a torrent can retrieve the data in chunks from other servers.
For example, imagine you create a torrent to share a program you've created. You turn on the torrent and share the file online. Dozens of people are downloading, and you're one of them. Your torrent program will choose which server to get the file from depending on who is currently sharing the file and which server has the portion of the file you need.
In a traditional file-sharing setup using a file server, sharing a 200MB program with 1,000 people will quickly exhaust your entire upload bandwidth, especially if they all request the file at the same time. Torrent eliminates this problem by allowing clients to take only a little data from you, a little from other users, and so on, until they download the entire file.
When more than one person downloads the entire file, the original sharer can stop distributing the file without affecting anyone else. The file will still be available to any other torrent users because of BitTorrent's decentralized P2P platform.
How is torrent distribution carried out?
After creating a torrent, the creator can share one of two things: the .TORRENT file or the torrent's hash, often referred to as a magnet link.
Magnet links are a simple way to identify torrents on the BitTorrent network without having to physically handle the torrent file. Like a fingerprint, it's unique to that specific torrent, so even though the link is just a string of characters, it's equivalent to actually owning the file.
Magnet links and torrent files are often listed on torrent indexes, which are websites specifically built for sharing torrents. You can also share torrent information via email, text messages, etc.
Since magnet links and TORRENT files are merely instructions for BitTorrent clients to understand how to retrieve data, sharing them is quick and easy.
Torrent files aren't really useful unless used with a client program. Here's an example of a torrent file opened in a text editor – you can see how pointless viewing torrents this way is.
The term Torrent is popular.
Here are some useful terms to know when dealing with torrents:
- Seed : Seeding a torrent refers to sharing the file. The number of seeds in a torrent is the number of people who share the entire file. A number of zero means that no one can download the entire file.
- Peer : A Peer is someone who downloads a file from a seeder but doesn't have the complete file yet.
- Leech : Leecher downloads more than it uploads. Leecher may not upload anything after the entire file has been downloaded.
- Swarm : A group of people who download and share the same torrent.
- Tracker : A server that tracks all connected users and helps them find each other.
- Client : A program or web service used by torrent files or magnet links to understand how to download or upload files.
Top most popular torrent sharing websites
1. The Pirate Bay - https://thepiratebay.org/
The Pirate Bay , abbreviated as TPB , is a major icon in the Torrent world, featuring a pirate logo. This legendary website is a digital data sharing site where users can search for and download data via Magnet links and torrent files , using the BitTorrent protocol .
The Pirate Bay is a file-sharing website founded in 2003 by the Swedish anti-copyright group Piratbyran ('Copyright Office'). The Pirate Bay is the world's most popular website using the BitTorrent protocol, allowing the distribution of very large files, such as movies and video games. The Pirate Bay has always been a familiar and very popular destination for users looking to download torrent files , and it currently holds the record for the largest number of users on the data sharing site.
The Pirate Bay allows the sharing of audio, video, software, and video games, with newly released movies and recently streamed TV shows being the most popular content. The website does not host any files; it only provides information on where to find them. The files themselves are distributed among users of The Pirate Bay. Files shared via the BitTorrent protocol are split into smaller parts, distributed to many different users, and then reassembled.
The Pirate Bay initially hosted a torrent tracker that recorded the location of files. However, since November 2009, The Pirate Bay has used a system called magnet links, where files are assigned values that users can later search for. Therefore, The Pirate Bay does not have a record of where the files are located.
The data recovery seemed to have shut down ' Pirate Bay ', but unexpectedly, thanks to the diligent efforts of the trackers, the amount of data here is constantly improving. Here, you can download movies, music, documents, ebooks, and everything else imaginable.
The Pirate Bay is considered the "king" among the best torrent websites. Furthermore, it is also the oldest torrent website among the top 22 most popular torrent sharing sites on this list.
2. RARBG - https://rarbg.to/index8.php
You may not know this, but RARBG started as a Bulgarian tracker and didn't have a full website. Nevertheless, RARBG has attracted hundreds of thousands of users to its torrent site, who want to download multimedia files quickly and without any hassle.
This torrent website is for P2P enthusiasts , containing a full range of high-quality, high-resolution torrents. It's about quality, not quantity. Furthermore, at RARBG you can download the latest movies in compressed formats from BRRIP 1080p and 720p to 720p, 1080p, and even Blu-ray.
RARBG has built a rather impressive reputation for delivering quality series of television shows.
3. 1337X - http://1337x.to/
1337x focuses on community, encouraging users to share content with each other. The site experienced some issues in 2016, with many administrators and moderators protesting security concerns. After significant efforts by the staff over the past year, 1337X appears to be on the right track, and traffic to this torrent site has increased significantly this year.
4. IsoHunt - https://isohunts.to/
Launched in 2003, IsoHunt has undergone many changes, but even in its latest incarnation, it remains a very popular torrent search engine.
IsoHunt is a long-standing website that has earned the respect of P2P users everywhere and the negative attention of the recording industry. While being sued by CRIA, the isoHunt team fought to continue its solid service. The isoHunt community helps by monitoring for fake files. When choosing torrents, you should be sure to read all the user reviews and only trust files that have earned many positive green reviews on isoHunt.
Note : Avoid any torrents with red font numbers and negative reviews; you need to gain more experience at isoHunt.
5. KAT - http://kickasstorrents.to/
This is a fairly popular torrent website officially called " Kickass Torrents " and maintained through other clone sites.
6. TorrentFunk - https://www.torrentfunk.com/
This is a fairly popular torrent website, largely due to its " verified " status and user reviews.
7. EZTV - https://eztv.ag/
EZTV is a torrent website specializing in TV programs. The original EZTV distribution group was shut down after a series of interventions by authorities following an unhappy takeover in 2015 when the new owner claimed ownership of the brand.
The new group has now created the EZTV.ag site and started offering new torrent files in collaboration with file-sharing community managers who have implemented measures to prevent the sharing of these ' new releases ' from their sites. However, this sharing is banned on some other torrent sites due to that controversial history.
8. Torrents.me - https://torrents.me/
This meta torrent site isn't particularly special among all the others, but we like the excellent dashboard on their homepage. If you're a computer addict and a torrent fan, you'll appreciate what they've done.
9. YourBittorrent - https://yourbittorrent.com/
A clean interface is a big reason to try this torrent search site., especially if you're new to BitTorrent.
10. Toorgle - http://www.toorgle.com/
This is a "meta" torrent search tool that pulls databases from over 450 torrent sites into one place.
Good luck!
See also some other articles:
- 9 best torrent download tools
- 10 ways to speed up Torrent downloads
- Cốc Cốc adds Torrent file download feature.