Torrents are a method of distributing files over the Internet. They operate using the BitTorrent protocol to facilitate what is called peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing.
How Torrenting Works
There are a number of advantages that torrent-based file sharing has over traditional file sharing. Expensive server equipment is not required to send files to many people at once, and low-bandwidth (slow) networks can download large amounts of data just as easily.
The most common way to use torrents is through a special file with the extension .TORRENT. The file contains instructions for sharing specific data with other people.
Before we learn more about how torrents work, it's important to understand that they pose a greater risk than other forms of file sharing.
