Comparison of BitTorrent clients facts for kids

BitTorrent clients are special computer programs that help you share and download files using a method called the BitTorrent protocol. Think of it like a team effort where many computers work together to share parts of a file. This is different from downloading from a single website, where you get the whole file from one place.

The BitTorrent protocol helps coordinate how these file pieces are shared among many computers, called "peers," in a "swarm." A BitTorrent client lets your computer join these swarms and exchange data with others. It's a "peer-to-peer" system, meaning computers talk directly to each other, not through one main server.

The very first BitTorrent client was created by Bram Cohen in July 2001. He also named it BitTorrent.

Many BitTorrent programs are open-source software, which means their code is free for anyone to see and change. Others are freeware (free to use), adware (show ads), or shareware (try before you buy). Some programs that help you download files, like FlashGet and GetRight, can also handle BitTorrent downloads. Even the web browser Opera 12 used to have this feature!

In 2013, a company called Thunder Networking Technologies found out that some of their employees had secretly put a harmful program (like a computer bug) into certain versions of their download manager, Xunlei.

What are BitTorrent Clients?

A BitTorrent client is the software you install on your computer or phone to join the BitTorrent network. It's like the app that lets you connect to a special club where everyone shares digital stuff. These clients help you find other people who have parts of the file you want and then put all those parts together on your device.

How BitTorrent Works

When you want to download a file using BitTorrent, your client connects to a "swarm." A swarm is just a group of computers that are all sharing the same file. Instead of downloading the whole file from one place, your client downloads small pieces from many different computers in the swarm. At the same time, your client also shares the pieces you already have with others. This makes downloading faster and more efficient because everyone helps each other.

Different Kinds of Clients

There are many different BitTorrent clients available, and they work on various types of computers and devices. Some are made for Windows computers, others for macOS (Apple computers), and many for GNU/Linux systems. You can even find clients for your Android phone or iOS device (like an iPhone or iPad).

• Popular Clients: Some well-known clients include BitComet, Deluge, qBittorrent, Transmission, and μTorrent. Each one has its own look and feel.
• Open Source vs. Proprietary:

Open-source clients let anyone look at and improve their code. This often means they are very secure and have a lot of community support. Examples include Deluge and qBittorrent. Proprietary clients are made by a company, and you can't see or change their code. Some of these might include ads. Examples are BitComet and μTorrent.

Key Features of Clients

BitTorrent clients come with many features that make file sharing easier:

• Magnet Links: These are special links that let you start a download without needing a separate file. They contain all the information your client needs to find the file in the swarm.
• Encryption: This feature helps keep your data private and secure while you are sharing files.
• Remote Control: Some clients let you control your downloads from another device, like your phone, even when you're not at your computer.
• Prioritization: You can often choose which files or parts of a file to download first, or give more speed to certain downloads.
• Selective Downloads: If a file package contains many items (like a TV show season), you can choose to download only specific episodes you want, instead of the whole thing.
• Sequential Downloading: This lets you download a file from start to finish, so you can often begin watching a video or listening to music before the entire file is downloaded.

Libraries for BitTorrent

Besides the full programs, there are also "libraries" that developers use to build BitTorrent features into their own software. These are like toolkits that provide the basic functions for BitTorrent, so programmers don't have to start from scratch.

• libtorrent (Rasterbar): This is a very popular library used by many different BitTorrent clients. It's known for being powerful and flexible.
• MonoTorrent: This library is used for developing BitTorrent applications, especially on systems that use Microsoft's .NET framework.

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Comparativa de clientes BitTorrent para niños