Comparison of BitTorrent clients

Last updated

The following is a general comparison of BitTorrent clients, which are computer programs designed for peer-to-peer file sharing using the BitTorrent protocol. [1]

Contents

The BitTorrent protocol coordinates segmented file transfer among peers connected in a swarm. A BitTorrent client enables a user to exchange data as a peer in one or more swarms. Because BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer communications protocol that does not need a server, the BitTorrent definition of client differs from the conventional meaning expressed in the client–server model. [1]

Bram Cohen, author of the BitTorrent protocol, made the first BitTorrent client, which he also called BitTorrent, and published it in July 2001. [2]

Many BitTorrent programs are open-source software; others are freeware, adware or shareware. Some download managers, such as FlashGet and GetRight, are BitTorrent-ready. Opera 12, a web browser, can also transfer files via BitTorrent.

In 2013 Thunder Networking Technologies publicly revealed that some of their employees surreptitiously distributed a Trojan horse with certain releases of Xunlei, the company's BitTorrent-ready download manager. [3] [4] Xunlei is included in the comparison tables.

Applications

General

NameDeveloperPlatform Latest release License Notes
VersionDate
BitComet BitComet Development GroupmacOS2.05 [5]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2023-11-28 Proprietary, Adware [lower-alpha 1]
Windows2.05 [5]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2023-11-28
BitLord House of LifemacOS2.4.6-348  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2019-10-24 Proprietary, Adware [lower-alpha 2]
Windows2.4.6-358 [6]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2022-08-26
BitTorrent BitTorrent Android8.2.1 [7]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2024-03-20 Proprietary, Adware
macOS7.4.3.45549 [8]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2020-05-20
Windows7.11.0.46555 [9]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2022-11-22
Deluge variousBSD2.1.1 [10]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2022-07-10 GPL-3.0-or-later [11]
Linux
macOS
Solaris
Windows
FlashGet Trend MediaWindows3.7.0.1220 [12]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2013-05-17 Proprietary [lower-alpha 3]
Free Download Manager alervdAndroid6.19.0.5156 [13]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2023-03-13 Proprietary
Linux
macOS
Windows
FrostWire The FrostWire ProjectAndroid2.6.2(708) [14]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2022-10-19 GPL-3.0-or-later
Linux6.9.10(315) [15]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2022-10-27
macOS6.9.10(315) [15]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2022-10-27
Windows6.9.10(315) [15]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2022-10-27
KGet KDE BSD22.12.0 [16]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2022-12-08 GPL-2.0-or-later
Linux
KTorrent Joris Guisson, Ivan VasićBSD23.08.3 [17] [18]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2023-11-09 GPL-2.0-or-later
Linux
macOS
Lftp Alexander V. LukyaBSD4.9.1 [19] [20]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2020-01-15 GPL-3.0-or-later
Linux
macOS
Windows
LimeWire Lime Wire LLCLinux5.5.16  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2010-10-26 GPL-2.0-or-later
macOS
Windows
Miro Participatory Culture Foundation Linux6.0 [21]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2013-04-05 GPL-2.0-or-later
macOS
Windows
MLDonkey MLDonkey ProjectBSD3.1.7 [22]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2020-06-21 GPL-2.0-or-later
Linux
macOS
MorphOS
Solaris
Windows
μTorrent BitTorrent Android8.2.2 [23]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2024-03-21 Proprietary, Adware [lower-alpha 4]
macOS1.8.7.45548 [25]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2020-01-30
Windows3.6.0.47006 [26]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2024-01-11
Opera 12 Opera Software FreeBSD12.16 Proprietary [lower-alpha 5]
Linux
macOS
Solaris
Windows12.17
qBittorrent Christophe DumezBSD4.6.3 [27]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2024-01-14 GPL-2.0-or-later [11]
Linux
Haiku
macOS
OS/2
Windows
rTorrent Jari SundellBSD0.9.8 [28]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2019-07-19 GPL-2.0-or-later [11] [lower-alpha 6]
Linux
macOS
Solaris
Windows
Robert Sponge, co-developer of I2P BSD0.0.40  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2013 GPL
Linux
macOS
Windows
Shareaza Shareaza Development TeamWindows2.7.10.2 [29]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2017-09-18 GPL-2.0-or-later [lower-alpha 7]
Tixati Kevin HearnLinux Proprietary [lower-alpha 8]
Windows
Tonido CodeLatheBSD14.90.0.34030  OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2017-01-13 Proprietary
Linux
macOS
Windows
Transmission variousBSD4.0.5 [30]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2023-12-06 GPL-2.0-only or GPL-3.0-only [31] [11]
MIT [32]
Linux
macOS
OpenWrt
Solaris
Windows
Tribler The Tribler TeamAndroid7.13.3 [33]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2024-03-13 GPL-3.0-only [lower-alpha 9]
Linux
macOS
Windows
Vuze [lower-alpha 10] VuzeAndroid5.7.6.0 [35]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2017-11-02 Proprietary (platform)
GPL-2.0-or-later (core engine)
Adware
[lower-alpha 11]
Linux
macOS
Windows
Xunlei Thunder Networking TechnologiesAndroid7.53.0.8245 [36]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2022-10-11 Proprietary, Adware
iOS1.5.8 [37]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2022-09-29
macOS5.0.2.65551 [38]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2022-06-16
Windows11.3.16.1974 [39]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2022-10-10
NameDeveloperPlatform Latest release License Notes
VersionDate

Operating system support

BitTorrent client Windows macOS GNU/Linux BSD iOS Android Other
BitComet YesYesNoNoNoNoNo
BitLord YesYesNoNoNoNoNo
BitTorrent YesYesNoNoNoYes [40] No
Deluge YesYesYesYesNoNo Solaris
FlashGet YesNoNoNoNoNoNo
Free Download Manager YesYesYesNoNoYesNo
Frostwire Yes [41] Yes [41] Yes [41] Yes [41] No [41] Yes [41] Unix-like [41]
z/OS [42]
Solaris
OS/2
eComStation
ArcaOS [43]
KGet NoNoYesYesNoNoNo
KTorrent NoYesYesYesNoNoNo
Lftp YesYesYesYesNoNoNo
LimeWire YesYesYesYesNoNoYes [ specify ]
Miro YesYesYesYesNoNoNo
MLDonkey YesYesYesYesNoNoSolaris
MorphOS
μTorrent YesYesWebNoNoYes [44] No
Opera 12 Yes [lower-alpha 12] YesYes [lower-alpha 12] Yes [lower-alpha 12] NoYes[ citation needed ]Solaris
qBittorrent Yes [45] Yes [45] Yes [45] Yes [45] No [45] No [46] OS/2 [lower-alpha 13]
FreeBSD
Haiku [45]
Robert YesYesYesYesNoNoNo
rTorrent Yes [lower-alpha 14] YesYesYesNoNoSolaris
Shareaza YesNoNoNoNoNoNo
Tixati YesNoYesNoNoNoNo
Tonido YesYesYesYesNoNoNo
Transmission Yes [lower-alpha 12] YesYesYesYes [lower-alpha 15] YesSolaris
Tribler YesYesYesYesNoNoNo
Vuze YesYesYesYesNoYes [48] No
Xunlei YesYesNoNoYesYes[ citation needed ]No
Name Windows macOS GNU/Linux BSD iOS Android Other

Interface and programming

BitTorrent client GUI Remote CLI Other Programming language Based on IPv6 μTP
BitComet YesYesPartial [49] No C++ -YesNo
BitLord YesNoNoNo Python, C++ libtorrent (Rasterbar)YesNo
BitTorrent 5, MainlineYesNoPartialNo Python -NoNo
Deluge YesYesYes Daemon Python, C++ libtorrent (Rasterbar)YesYes [50]
FlashGet YesNoNoNo ? ?NoNo
Free Download Manager YesYesPartialNo C++ libtorrent (Rasterbar)NoNo
Frostwire YesNoNoNo Java libtorrent (Rasterbar)NoYes [51]
KGet YesYesPartial [lower-alpha 16] No C++ -YesNo
KTorrent YesYesPartialNo C++ -YesYes [52]
LimeWire YesNoNoNo Java libtorrent (Rasterbar)NoNo
Miro YesNoNoNo C++ libtorrent (Rasterbar)NoNo
MLDonkey NoThird Party [53] PartialTelnet OCaml -NoNo
μTorrent YesYesNo [54] RESTful Web API [55] C++ [56] -Yes [57] Yes [58]
Opera 12 YesNoNoNo C++ -YesNo
qBittorrent YesYesPartialNo Python, C++ libtorrent (Rasterbar)YesYes [59]
rTorrent NoThird PartyYes SCGI C++ libTorrent (Rakshasa)Yes [60] No
Shareaza YesYesPartialNo C++ -NoNo
Tixati YesYesNo Web interface C++ -YesYes [61]
Tonido NoYesNoNo C++ libtorrent (Rasterbar)NoNo
Transmission YesYesYesDaemon, JSON-RPC over HTTP remote control API C++ (rewritten from C), Objective-C libtransmissionYesYes [62]
Tribler YesPartialPartialNo Python, C++ libtorrent (Rasterbar)NoYes
Vuze [lower-alpha 10] YesYesPartialTelnet, XML over HTTP remote control API Java, SWT-YesYes [63]
Xunlei YesNoNoremote control over internet [64] C++ -NoNo
BitTorrent clientGUIWebCLIOtherProgramming languageBased onIPv6μTP

Features I

BitTorrent clientProtocol version Magnet URI
(BEP 9)
Preload Magnet metadata [lower-alpha 17]
(BEP 9)
Super-seeding
(BEP 16)
Embedded tracker UPnP [65] NAT Port Mapping Protocol NAT traversal [66]
(BEP 55)
DHT protocol [67]
(BEP 5)
Peer exchange(PEX)
(BEP 11)
Encryption UDP tracker
(BEP 15)
LPD
(BEP 14)
Proxy server
BitComet 1, 2YesNoYesSeparate downloadYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoHTTP 1.1, SOCKS4-4a-5
BitLord 1YesNoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesHTTP 1.1, SOCKS4-4a-5
BitTorrent 5, Mainline1NoNoNoYes [lower-alpha 18] YesYesNoYesYesYesNoNoYes
Deluge 1YesPartial [lower-alpha 19] YesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesHTTP(S), SOCKS4-5
FlashGet 1NoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNoYesNoNoNo
Free Download Manager 1YesNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesNoNoNoNo
KTorrent 1YesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesPartialHTTP, SOCKS4-5
LimeWire 1PartialNoYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesNoNo
MLDonkey 1Yes [68] NoNoYesYesYesNoYesNoNoYesNoNo
μTorrent 1YesYes [69] Yes [70] Yes [71] Yes [72] YesYes [73] Yes [lower-alpha 20] Yes [lower-alpha 21] Yes [74] YesYes [75] HTTP(S), SOCKS4-5
Opera 12 1NoNoNoYes [76] NoNoNoNoYes [77] NoNoNoNo
qBittorrent 1, 2 [78] YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesHTTP(S), SOCKS4-5 [lower-alpha 22]
rTorrent 1Yes [79] NoYesNoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesNo [80] No
Shareaza 1YesNoNoNoYesYesNoYes [lower-alpha 23] YesNoYes [lower-alpha 24] NoNo
Tixati 1, 2YesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes [lower-alpha 25]
Tonido 1NoNoNoNoYesYesYesYesNoNoNoNoNo
Transmission 1, 2 [81] YesPatch available [82] [83] [84] NoNoYesYesNo [85] YesYes [lower-alpha 26] YesYesYesNo [86]
Tribler 1YesNoNoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesNoNo [lower-alpha 27]
Vuze [lower-alpha 10] 1YesYesYesYesYesYesYes [lower-alpha 28] Yes [lower-alpha 29] YesYesYesPluginHTTP(S)?, SOCKS4-4a-5
Xunlei 1YesNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesHTTP, SOCKS5, FTP
BitTorrent clientProtocol versionMagnet URIPreload Magnet metadataSuper-seedingEmbedded trackerUPnPNAT Port Mapping ProtocolNAT traversalDHTPeer exchangeEncryptionUDP trackerLPDProxy server

Features II

BitTorrent client Cache [lower-alpha 30] Hash Web seeding HTTP Web seeding [ ambiguous ] Broad-catching (RSS)
(BEP 36)
PrioritizationSelective downloads
(BEP 53)
Sequential downloading SOCKS Tracker exchange
(BEP 7)
Remote control via web Search engine
(BEP 18)
Auto updatesReviews and Comments
BitComet YesNoYes [87] Beta YesYesYes [lower-alpha 31] YesNoYesPartial [lower-alpha 32] YesNo
BitLord YesNoPartial [lower-alpha 33] [lower-alpha 34] YesYesYesNoYesNoNoPartial [lower-alpha 32] YesNo
BitTorrent 5, MainlineNoYesPartial [lower-alpha 34] NoYesYesNoNoNoNoYesYesNo
Deluge YesYesPartial [lower-alpha 33] PluginYesYesYesYesNoYesNovia PMS No
FlashGet NoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
Free Download Manager NoYesNoNoYesYesYesNoNoYesNoOptionalNo
KTorrent YesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesPartial [lower-alpha 32] via PMS No
LimeWire YesYesNoNoYesYesNoYesNoNoNoYesNo
MLDonkey YesNo3rd party bash scriptYesNoNoNo [88] NoYesPartial [lower-alpha 32] via PMS No
μTorrent YesYes [89] Partial [lower-alpha 34] Yes [90] Yes [91] YesYes [lower-alpha 35] YesNoYesYesYesYes
Opera 12 NoNoYes [lower-alpha 36] NoNoNoNoNoNoPartial [lower-alpha 32] Yes [lower-alpha 37] No
qBittorrent YesYesPartial [lower-alpha 33] YesYesYesYesYesPartial [lower-alpha 38] YesYesvia PMS No
rTorrent PartialNoNo3rd party utility [92] YesYesNoNoNoYesNovia PMS No
Shareaza YesYesNoNoYesYes [lower-alpha 39] in mod clientNoYes
[lower-alpha 40] [93] [lower-alpha 41]
YesYesYesNo
Tixati YesYesPartial [lower-alpha 33] [lower-alpha 42] [lower-alpha 34] YesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesNo
Tonido NoNoNoYesYesNoNoNoYesNoYesNo
Transmission YesNoPartial [lower-alpha 34] [lower-alpha 43] NoYesNo [94] NoNoNoYesNoYesNo
Tribler YesNoNoYesYesYesNoNoNoPartialYes (DHT) [95] YesNo
Vuze [lower-alpha 10] YesYes [96] YesYesYesin paid version [97] YesNoPlugin [lower-alpha 44] YesYesYes [98]
Xunlei YesNoYesYesYesYesYesNoYesNo
BitTorrent clientCacheHash Web seedingHTTP Web seedingBroad-catching (RSS)PrioritizationSelective downloadsSequential downloadingSOCKSTracker exchangeRemote control via webSearch engineAuto updatesReviews and Comments

Libraries

General
BitTorrent libraryInitial releasePlatformLatest release License Notes
VersionDate
libtorrent (Rasterbar)8 September 2005;18 years ago [99] Linux2.0.9, [100] 1.2.19 [101]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2023-05-22; 2023-05-22 BSD-3-Clause
macOS
Windows
MonoTorrent September 2006;17 years agoLinux2.0.7 [102]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2022-12-23 MIT
macOS
Windows
rTorrent (libTorrent Rakshasa)15 July 2004;19 years ago [103] Linux0.13.8 [104]   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg 2019-07-19 GPL-2.0-or-later [lower-alpha 45] [lower-alpha 46]
macOS
BitTorrent libraryInitial releasePlatformLatest release License Notes
VersionDate
Operating system support and programming language
BitTorrent library GNU/Linux Windows macOS API Programming language
libtorrent (Rasterbar)YesYesYesYes C++
MonoTorrent YesYesYesYesC#
rTorrent (libTorrent Rakshasa)YesNoYesYesC++
BitTorrent libraryLinuxWindowsmacOSAPIProgramming language
Supported features 1
BitTorrent libraryProtocol version Super-seeding Tracker UPnP [lower-alpha 47] NAT Port Mapping Protocol NAT traversal [lower-alpha 48] DHT [lower-alpha 49] Peer exchange Encryption UDP tracker LPD Fast extensions Magnet URI μTP
libtorrent (Rasterbar)1, 2 [105] YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes [106] YesYesYes [107]
MonoTorrent 1, 2YesYesYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo
rTorrent (libTorrent Rakshasa)1YesYesNo ? ?YesYesYesYesYesNoYesNo
BitTorrent libraryProtocol versionSuper-seedingTrackerUPnPNAT Port Mapping ProtocolNAT traversalDHTPeer exchangeEncryptionUDP trackerLPDFast extensionsMagnet URIμTP
Supported features 2
BitTorrent library Cache [lower-alpha 50] Web seeding [lower-alpha 51] WebTorrent Broadcatching (RSS)PrioritizationSelective downloads SOCKS Remote control via web Engine
libtorrent (Rasterbar)YesYesYesNoYesYesYesYes ?
MonoTorrent YesYesNoYesYesYesNoYesNo
rTorrent (libTorrent Rakshasa)PartialNoNoNoYesYesNoYesNo
BitTorrent libraryCacheWeb seedingWebTorrentBroadcatching (RSS)PrioritizationSelective downloadsSOCKSRemote control via webEngine

See also

Notes

  1. Portable version available.
  2. Installs WhenU adware.
  3. FlashGet (standalone application) is not FlashGot (Firefox Addon).
  4. The option to disable ads is included in the settings. [24]
  5. Web browser.
  6. No built-in disk cache but a delayed sync.
  7. Maximum active torrent number depends on respective user settings and is limited to 31.
  8. Lightweight client, Portable version available, option to keep all peers unchoked available. Integral encrypted chatrooms that allow streaming audio and video, link sharing and searching.
  9. Fully distributed keyword search; integrated anti-spam measures. [34]
  10. 1 2 3 4 Formerly Azureus.
  11. The only client to bridge between i2p and the clearnet.
  12. 1 2 3 4 x86-32 and x86-64 builds available
  13. Including eComStation and ArcaOS.
  14. Through Cygwin. [47]
  15. Through Cydia.
  16. Qdbus interface
  17. For a torrent added from a Magnet link, obtain the list of files (and other metadata) before prompting the user for a download location.
  18. Tracker included with Linux binaries and with source, but not with Windows binary.
  19. This is done manually. Right click an item and select "Force Re-Check". This will trigger preload. Note, if deluge is restarted before preload finishes, it will continue downloading torrent content.
  20. μTorrent's DHT implementation Archived 18 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine is the same as Mainline and BitComet's, but unfortunately this is incompatible with Azureus's implementation.
  21. Exchanging with BT 6 and μTorrent clients (and now MooPolice).
  22. v4.6.0 added (experimental) I2P support [59] to provide anonymity.
  23. Since Shareaza v2.6.0.0, Shareaza includes Mainline DHT support. Also, Shareaza can use the Gnutella2 network to find other Gnutella2 clients sharing the same torrent. This also includes clients who do not actively seed the torrent in question anymore, as long as file hashes (such as sha1 for example) are known.
  24. Since Shareaza v2.5.5.1 r9064.
  25. Only with out going without DHT if anonymity required.
  26. Exchanges with μTorrent and Azureus peers.
  27. Uses P2P onion routing to provide anonymity.
  28. Since version 2.5.0.2. It's UDP based, an experimental feature and only supported by other Azureus clients.
  29. Has its own DHT, a mainline-DHT compatible implementation is available as plugin.
  30. Reduces disk usage, file fragmentation (in case it is not preallocated) and latencies via larger written blocks and cached data for hash checking finished pieces.
  31. Called "preview mode" Archived 4 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 Built-in Web browser.
  33. 1 2 3 4 Does not support HTTP redirection (status codes: 301, 302, 303, 307).
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 Does not support HTTPS.
  35. Only available in Pro and web version.From version 3.0 this feature is called "Streaming mode". The number of pieces to download sequentially is configurable
  36. Opera has a feed aggregator that displays feeds like emails.
  37. Windows and Mac OS X only; via PMS on Linux.
  38. Hard-coded as disabled in newer versions.
  39. Since Shareaza v2.4.0.2 r7924.
  40. Since Shareaza v2.5.3.1.
  41. Shareaza also uses G2 to transmit download metadata, such as BitTorrent trackers to other G2 clients.
  42. Support only base path ("url-list" path) redirection (message: "HTTP redirect does not match file path").
  43. Adds HTTP referer header in request on HTTP redirection (useful behavior).
  44. Provides a Java-based and a simple HTML/JS based WebUI.
  45. With OpenSSL exception.
  46. No built-in cache-disk cache but a delayed sync.
  47. Automatically configure port forwarding (requires Router with UPnP support)
  48. Many clients claim to support this, but just UPnP calls for opening a TCP port is not effective and disabled by factory default in most new hardware. "UDP NAT Traversal" is the proper working solution, supported by just a few.
  49. DHT permits use of trackerless torrents (with supporting clients) to resume normal torrents when their tracker is down. However, some trackers that register their users for keeping tabs on fair usage (such as a ratio of bytes downloaded to uploaded) may not reliably measure and update usage for users employing DHT.
  50. Reduces disk usage, file fragmentation (in case it is not preallocated) and latencies due to larger written blocks and cached data for hash checking finished pieces.
  51. Recently implemented (unofficial) web seeding feature, see HTTP-Based Seeding Specification Archived 28 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shareaza</span> Peer-to-peer file sharing application

Shareaza is a peer-to-peer file sharing client running under Microsoft Windows which supports the Gnutella, Gnutella2 (G2), eDonkey, BitTorrent, FTP, HTTP and HTTPS network protocols and handles magnet links, ed2k links, and the now deprecated gnutella and Piolet links. It is available in 30 languages.

BitTorrent, also referred to as simply torrent, is a communication protocol for peer-to-peer file sharing (P2P), which enables users to distribute data and electronic files over the Internet in a decentralized manner. The protocol is developed and maintained by Rainberry, Inc., and was first released in 2001. A 2004 study by Cachelogic found that one third of all internet traffic was BitTorrent traffic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BitComet</span> BitTorrent, FTP and HTTP client

BitComet is a cross-protocol BitTorrent, HTTP and FTP client written in C++ for Microsoft Windows and available in 52 different languages. Its first public release was version 0.28. The current BitComet logo has been used since version 0.50.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magnet URI scheme</span> Scheme that defines the format of magnet links

Magnet is a URI scheme that defines the format of magnet links, a de facto standard for identifying files (URN) by their content, via cryptographic hash value rather than by their location.

In file sharing, super-seeding is an algorithm developed by John Hoffman for the BitTorrent communications protocol that helps downloaders become uploaders more quickly, but it introduces the danger of total seeding failure if there is only one downloader.

BitTorrent is a proprietary adware BitTorrent client developed by Bram Cohen and Rainberry, Inc. used for uploading and downloading files via the BitTorrent protocol. BitTorrent was the first client written for the protocol. It is often nicknamed Mainline by developers denoting its official origins. Since version 6.0 the BitTorrent client has been a rebranded version of μTorrent. As a result, it is no longer open source. It is currently available for Microsoft Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android. There are currently two versions of the software, "BitTorrent Classic" which inherits the historical version numbering, and "BitTorrent Web", which uses its own version numbering.

A BitTorrent tracker is a special type of server that assists in the communication between peers using the BitTorrent protocol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BitLord</span> BitTorrent client

BitLord is a proprietary adware BitTorrent client available for Microsoft Windows, macOS and Android.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KTorrent</span> Free and open source BitTorrent client

KTorrent is a BitTorrent client that is part of the KDE Gear.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FrostWire</span> Free and open-source BitTorrent client

FrostWire is a free and open-source BitTorrent client first released in September 2004, as a fork of LimeWire. It was initially very similar to LimeWire in appearance and functionality, but over time developers added more features, including support for the BitTorrent protocol. In version 5, support for the Gnutella network was dropped entirely, and FrostWire became a BitTorrent-only client.

This comparison contains download managers, and also file sharing applications that can be used as download managers. For pure file sharing applications see the Comparison of file sharing applications.

Protocol encryption (PE), message stream encryption (MSE) or protocol header encrypt (PHE) are related features of some peer-to-peer file-sharing clients, including BitTorrent clients. They attempt to enhance privacy and confidentiality. In addition, they attempt to make traffic harder to identify by third parties including internet service providers (ISPs). However, encryption will not protect one from DMCA notices from sharing not legal content, as one is still uploading material and the monitoring firms can merely connect to the swarm.

Peer exchange or PEX is a communications protocol that augments the BitTorrent file sharing protocol. It allows a group of users that are collaborating to share a given file to do so more swiftly and efficiently.

qBittorrent Free and open source BitTorrent client

qBittorrent is a cross-platform free and open-source BitTorrent client written in native C++. It relies on Boost, OpenSSL, zlib, Qt 6 toolkit and the libtorrent-rasterbar library, with an optional search engine written in Python.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deluge (software)</span> BitTorrent client

Deluge BitTorrent Client is a free and open-source, cross-platform BitTorrent client written in Python. Deluge uses a front and back end architecture where libtorrent, a software library written in C++ which provides the application's networking logic, is connected to one of various front ends including a text console, the web interface and a graphical desktop interface using GTK through the project's own Python bindings.

libtorrent

libtorrent is an open-source implementation of the BitTorrent protocol. It is written in and has its main library interface in C++. Its most notable features are support for Mainline DHT, IPv6, HTTP seeds and μTorrent's peer exchange. libtorrent uses Boost, specifically Boost.Asio to gain its platform independence. It is known to build on Windows and most Unix-like operating systems.

Micro Transport Protocol is an open User Datagram Protocol-based (UDP-based) variant of the BitTorrent peer-to-peer file sharing protocol intended to mitigate poor latency and other congestion control problems found in conventional BitTorrent over Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), while providing reliable, ordered delivery.

In the BitTorrent file distribution system, a torrent file or meta-info file is a computer file that contains metadata about files and folders to be distributed, and usually also a list of the network locations of trackers, which are computers that help participants in the system find each other and form efficient distribution groups called swarms. Torrent files are normally named with the extension .torrent.

Mainline DHT is the name given to the Kademlia-based distributed hash table (DHT) used by BitTorrent clients to find peers via the BitTorrent protocol. The idea of using a DHT for distributed tracking in BitTorrent was first implemented in Azureus 2.3.0.0 in May 2005, from which it gained significant popularity. Unrelated but around the same time, BitTorrent, Inc. released a similar DHT into their client called Mainline DHT, and thus popularized the use of distributed tracking in the BitTorrent protocol. Measurement showed that by 2013, the concurrent number of users of Mainline DHT is from 16 million to 28 million, with intra-day changes of at least 10 million.

μTorrent Proprietary adware BitTorrent client

μTorrent, or uTorrent, is a proprietary adware BitTorrent client owned and developed by Rainberry, Inc. The "μ" in its name comes from the SI prefix "micro-", referring to the program's small memory footprint: the program was designed to use minimal computer resources while offering functionality comparable to larger BitTorrent clients such as Vuze or BitComet. μTorrent became controversial in 2015 when many users unknowingly accepted a default option during installation which also installed a cryptocurrency miner.

References

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  6. Error: Unable to display the reference properly. See the documentation for details.
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  8. Error: Unable to display the reference properly. See the documentation for details.
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  10. Error: Unable to display the reference properly. See the documentation for details.
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  37. Error: Unable to display the reference properly. See the documentation for details.
  38. Error: Unable to display the reference properly. See the documentation for details.
  39. Error: Unable to display the reference properly. See the documentation for details.
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