What are Torrent files?

Torrent files are small files that contain information on how to download a larger file using BitTorrent protocol. The protocol, unlike HTTP/HTTPS, needs a torrent client for downloading the client. We’ll take a quick look at how BitTorrent works and if files downloaded using them are legal and safe.

What are Torrent files and BitTorrent protocol

BitTorrent is a protocol that helps you in downloading large files without having to be troubled by bandwidth. The structure of the protocol also provides for resume support. The resume support means you can pause downloading at a point and resume downloading from the point where it was paused. If you stop downloading in the middle, you may have to download from the beginning or from the point where you stopped, depending on the BitTorrent client you are using.

BitTorrent employs more than one server (in this case, called peers, as they are interlinked directly, without the need for a server to control them: see image above) for downloading files to your computer. And as long as you are downloading, you are also part of a BitTorrent network. While downloading the file, you are also uploading it to some other client that is seeking the same file for download. Even after your download is complete, if you keep the torrent client open and do not remove the torrent from your torrent client, it continues uploading (seeding) the download so that others can download it from your computer (without knowing its IP address and location).

The very base of the BitTorrent protocol is to share computers for providing large downloads using give and take formula. There are already a swarm of computers (peers) that contain either the download file in full or in parts. When you download a torrent file, you download information about the whereabouts of the file, the main link, the encryption method used (if any) and similar information. Once your download starts, you can see your client downloading it in parts from different computers that can be home computers too. Like if someone is downloading the same file, he or she is also uploading (seeding) the file to another computer from where you can download the file at a faster pace. The ideal ratio, according to BitTorrent protocol creator, should be 1:1. That means, if you download a file using others’ computers, you should be able to give it back to the community by way of letting your Bit Torrent client upload the file for a while. Most BitTorrent clients show you how much of the file you have uploaded infield that may be marked either “upload” or “seed”.

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