BitTorrent client

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A BitTorrent client is a program that downloads files using the BitTorrent protocol.

The first client was created by Bram Cohen in the summer of 2002, and most of the other ones started out from BitTorrent and on, even more are being created right now.

The following tables compare general and technical information for a number of applications supporting BitTorrent. Please see the individual products' articles for further information. This article is neither all-inclusive nor necessarily up-to-date.


Contents

BitTorrent client FOSS Runs on IPv6[1] Super-seeding Tracker Supports Language Based on Interface Cache[2] Supports Remote control via web Engine Auto updates Notes / Other
Linux/Unix Windows OS X UPnP[3] NAT DHT[4] Peer exchange Encryption Web seeding[5] Broadcatching (RSS) Prioritisation Selective downloads SOCKS
NAT Port Mapping Protocol NAT traversal
ABC Yes S Yes No S No Yes Yes ? No No No No Python BitTornado GUI and web ? Yes No Yes No ? Yes Separate download ? Linux version = old version + Buggy IPv6 [6]
Acquisition No No No Yes ? No No No Yes No No ? No Objective-C and Cocoa Limewire GUI ? No No No No No No No ? Partial3 torrents max, infinity when registered
Anatomic P2P Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes S Yes ? ? ? ? No Python BitTornado GUI and old CLI ? Yes ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Tracker exists as a separate download
Arctic Torrent Yes No Yes No No No No No ? No No Yes No C++ libtorrent GUI ? No No No No No No No ?
Azureus Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes[7] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes[8] Yes[9] Yes Yes Java and SWT - GUI, CLI, Telnet, Web, XML over HTTP remote control API Yes Yes[10] Plugin Yes Yes Yes Plugin[11] 3rd party plugins Yes
BitComet No No Yes No No Yes S Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes C++ ? GUI Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No Built-in Web browser Yes Adware + Tracker exists as a separate download
BitFlu Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No No No No No Yes No Perl - Telnet and Web S No No No Yes No Yes No No No built-in Cache-Disk cache but a Delayed commit
BitLet Planned Yes Yes Yes ? No No Yes No No No No No Java and JavaScript - Web XHTML No No No No No No No No Yes Completely web based client
BitLord No No Yes No No No No Yes ? Yes No Yes No C++ BitComet GUI Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No Built-in Web browser Yes Adware
BitPump No No Yes No No ? ? No ? ? ? ? ? C++
GUI ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
BitTornado Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes[12] Yes ? No No No Yes Python BitTorrent GUI and CLI Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No No No
BitTorrent 5 / Mainline Yes Yes Yes Old version No No Yes[12] Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Python GUI and CLI ? Yes No Yes Yes No No Yes Yes
BitTorrent 6 No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes[13] Yes C++ µTorrent GUI and CLI Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
BitSpirit No No Yes No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Yes C++ BitComet GUI Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Bits on Wheels No No No Yes No No No No ? ? No ? No Objective-C and Cocoa - GUI ? ? ? ? No ? No ? ?
BitTyrant Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes[7] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes[14] Yes[9] Yes Yes Java and SWT Azureus GUI, CLI, Telnet, Web, XML over HTTP remote control API Yes Yes[15] Plugin Yes Yes Yes Plugin[11] 3rd party plugins Yes
Blizzard Downloader No No Yes Yes ? No No No ? No No No No ? BitTorrent client for early version GUI ? No No No No ? No No ?
Blog Torrent Yes No Yes Yes ? ? Yes ? ? ? ? ? ? ? BitTorrent client for early version GUI ? No No No No ? No No ? Malware state : unknown
BTG Yes Yes [16] Yes Yes ? No Yes Yes ? Yes ? Yes C++ libtorrent CLI, GUI and web Yes Yes No Yes Yes ? Yes No No
BtManager Yes Yes Yes Yes ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? No Python ? GUI ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Malware state : unknown
BTPD ? Yes No No Planned ? ? ? ? ? Yes ? ? C - CLI ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
BTSharp (Library) No No Yes No No No Yes Yes No No No No No C# N/A API Yes No No No No No No No No
burst! Yes No Yes No ? Yes No ? ? ? ? ? No Python ? GUI ? ? ? ? No ? ? ? ? 20 torrents max
CTorrent Yes Yes No No No ? ? ? ? ? ? ? No C++ ? CLI ? ? ? Yes No ? ? ? No
Deluge Yes Yes Yes Yes[17] Yes No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Python and C++ libtorrent GUI and Web Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Notification only
FlashGet No No Yes ? No ? ? ? ? ? Yes ? Yes ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
FoxTorrent Partially[18] Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes No No No No No XUL / JavaScript Red Swoosh FireFox No No No No Yes No No No Yes Streaming capacities !
freeloader Yes Yes No No ? ? No ? ? ? ? ? No Python ? GUI ? ? No ? ? ? No No ?
G3 Torrent Yes No Yes No ? No No No ? No No ? No Python BitTorrent GUI and web ? No Yes Yes Yes No Yes No ?
BitTorrent client FOSS Runs on IPv6[1] Super-seeding Tracker Supports Language Based on Interface Cache[2] Supports Remote control via web Engine Auto updates Notes / Other
Linux/Unix Windows OS X UPnP[3] NAT DHT[4] Peer exchange Encryption Web seeding[5] Broadcatching (RSS) Prioritisation Selective downloads SOCKS
NAT Port Mapping Protocol NAT traversal
Gnome BitTorrent Yes Yes No No ? ? No No ? ? No No No Python ? GUI ? No No ? No ? No No ?
Halite Yes No Yes No ? No No No No No Yes ? No C++ libtorrent GUI ? No No ? ? No No ? ? Have a stand-alone version
KTorrent Yes Yes No Yes ? Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes C++ - GUI, Web and CLI (Alpha) ? No Yes S Yes ? Yes Built-in Web browser ? Prioritization exists, but in an alpha stage
LimeWire Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes No No Yes No No Java - GUI Yes No No No No Yes No No Yes
Localhost Yes Yes Yes No ? Yes Yes Yes ? Yes Yes
S.		 ? No Java and SWT Azureus Web Yes No Plugin Yes Yes Yes Plugin[11] Yes ? DHT are required by Localhost
MLDonkey Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes No ? No No ? No Ocaml - CLI, Telnet, Web, Network GUI Yes No 3rd party bash script Yes No No[19] Yes Yes[20] No
MonoTorrent (Client Library) Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes No No No Yes C# N/A N/A No No No Yes Yes No No No No
MooPolice No No Yes No Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes Yes[21] Yes C++ libtorrent GUI No Yes No Yes Yes No No No No
Opera No Yes Yes Yes S[22] No No No ? ? No No No C++ - GUI ? ? No No No ? No Built-into Web browser No
QTorrent Yes Yes No No ? No No No ? No No No No C++ The SHAD0W GUI ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Qbittorrent Yes Yes No Yes Yes No No Yes ? No Yes Yes Yes C++ libtorrent GUI Qt (toolkit) No Yes Yes Yes Yes ? No Yes[23] No, only search engines parser
rTorrent Yes Yes No Yes No No No No No No Yes Yes Yes C++ Rakshasa's libTorrent CLI and SCGI S No 3rd party utility [24] Yes Yes No Yes No No Buggy IPv6 [6] + No built-in Cache-Disk cache but a Delayed sync
Rufus Yes Yes Yes No No No No ? ? No No ? No Python G3 Torrent GUI and web ? No Yes Yes Yes ? Yes No ?
Shareaza Yes No Yes No No No No Yes ? No Yes[25] ? No C++ Shareaza core GUI and web Yes No No Yes No No Yes Yes Yes 10[26]
sharktorrent Yes Yes Yes Yes ? No No Yes ? No Yes ? No C++ libtorrent GUI wxwidgets No No No No No No No No ?
SymTorrent Yes No No No ? No No ? ? ? No No No ? ?  ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Tomato Torrent Yes No No Yes No No Yes ? ? ? ? ? No Cocoa BitTorrent? GUI ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Torrent Swapper Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes[6] Yes Yes[12] Yes ? No No Yes No Python BitTorrent GUI and web Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Built-in Web browser Yes
TorrentFlux Yes Yes Yes Yes ? Yes No Yes ? No No No No PHP BitTornado Web Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes ?
TorrentVolve Yes Yes Yes Yes [27] [27] No [27] [27] [27] [27] [27] [27] PHP Azureus Web [27] No No Yes Yes No Yes No [27]
Transmission Yes Yes No Yes No No No Yes Yes No No Yes[28] Yes C and Cocoa - GUI and CLI ? No No Yes Yes No No No Yes
Turbo Torrent No No Yes No ? Yes Yes Yes ? No No ? No Python G3 Torrent GUI and web ? No No Yes Yes ? Yes Built-in Web browser ? Malware present
TorrentSpy Rufus Yes No Yes No ? No No ? ? ? No ? No Python Rufus GUI ? No Yes Yes Yes ? ? ? ? Adware [29]
µTorrent No No[30] Yes No[30] Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes[31] Yes[32] Yes C++ - GUI, Web and Mobile phone GUI (beta) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
WizBit Yes No No No ? No No No ? No No No No Python - Mobile phone GUI (alpha) No No No No ? No No Yes ?
XTorrent No No No Yes No No No Yes Yes No No Yes[33] No C and Cocoa Transmission GUI ? ? Yes No No Yes No Yes Yes
ZipTorrent No No Yes No ? ? ? Yes ? No ? ? No C++ libtorrent GUI ? ? Yes ? ? ? ? ? ?
BitTorrent client FOSS Runs on IPv6[1] Super-seeding Tracker Supports Language Based on Interface Cache[2] Supports Remote control via web Engine Auto updates Notes / Other
Linux/Unix Windows OS X UPnP[3] NAT DHT[4] Peer exchange Encryption Web seeding[5] Broadcatching (RSS) Prioritisation Selective downloads SOCKS
NAT Port Mapping Protocol NAT traversal

  1. ^ a b c Clients that have been seen in the real world to actually work with IPv6, see IPv6 BitTorrent Clients
  2. ^ a b c 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.
  3. ^ a b c Automatically configure port forwarding (requires Router with UPnP support)
  4. ^ a b c 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.
  5. ^ a b c Recently implemented (unofficial) web seeding feature, see HTTP-Based Seeding Specification
  6. ^ a b c Announcements to the tracker are made via IPv6 if possible, but the client doesn't listen on the respective port.
  7. ^ a b Linux version works, Windows version doesn't work with IPv6 due to Java Bug 6230761
  8. ^ Since version 2.5.0.2. It's UDP based, an experimental feature and only supported by other Azureus clients
  9. ^ a b Not compatible with Official BitTorrent client DHT.
  10. ^ Supports the Getright Webseeding spec in addition to the Bittornado spec[1]
  11. ^ a b c Provides a Java-based and a simple HTML/JS based WebUI
  12. ^ a b c Tracker included with Linux binaries and with source, but not with Windows binary
  13. ^ Exchanging with BT 6 and µTorrent clients (and now MooPolice)
  14. ^ It's UDP based, an experimental feature and only supported by other Azureus based clients
  15. ^ Supports the Getright Webseeding spec in addition to the Bittornado spec[2]
  16. ^ Through wwwBTG, a web front-end
  17. ^ Available via MacPorts
  18. ^ Claims to be open-source but is based on a binary-only component (Red Swoosh), which is installed automatically along with FoxTorrent.
  19. ^ See task #4401 Socks Proxy; however, http proxy is supported.
  20. ^ GUIs exist with built-in web browser
  21. ^ Exchanging with µTorrent
  22. ^ Opera 9.2.1 on Linux works with IPv6, Windows version doesn't work with IPv6
  23. ^ Integrated
  24. ^ 3rd party utility RSSDler
  25. ^ It's not a DHT network, but Shareaza uses gnutella2 to find other Shareaza clients.
  26. ^ Max active torrents number depends of configured connection speed
  27. ^ a b c d e f g h i j When Azureus module is used
  28. ^ Exchanges with µTorrent and Azureus peers.
  29. ^ Unofficial version of Rufus created by TorrentSpy with WhenU SaveNow adware bundled in it; reportedly possible to opt-out during installation.
  30. ^ a b The official FAQ and manual claim that µTorrent works under Linux, BSD, and MacOSX using Wine 0.9.16+ with only minor interface issues.
  31. ^ µTorrent's [3] DHT implementation is the same as Mainline and BitComet's, but unfortunately this is incompatible with Azureus's implementation.
  32. ^ Exchanging with BT 6 and µTorrent clients (and now MooPolice)
  33. ^ Exchanges with µTorrent and Azureus peers.

v • d • e
BitTorrent
Companies BitTorrent, Inc. · Azureus, Inc.
Individuals Bram Cohen · Ashwin Navin · Ludvig Strigeus
Technology Tracker · Client · Super-seeding · Peer exchange · Distributed hash tables · Broadcatching · Protocol encryption · terminology · DNA (Delivery Network Accelerator)
Clients BitTorrent (original client) · ABC · Azureus · BitComet · BitTornado · Deluge · KTorrent · LimeWire · rTorrent · Shareaza · Transmission · µTorrent
Linkage
Search engines Btjunkie · Demonoid (offline) · isoHunt · mininova · myBittorrent · The Pirate Bay · Suprnova.org · TorrentSpy
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitTorrent_client"
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