Torrent files are normally named with the extension '.torrent'. These 'peers' allow for downloading of the file in addition to, or in place of, the primary server.

With the help of a torrent file, one can download small parts of the original file from computers that have already downloaded it. The term torrent may refer either to the metadata file or to the files downloaded, depending on the context.Ī torrent file acts like a table of contents (index) that allows computers to find information through the use of a Bittorrent client. A torrent file does not contain the content to be distributed it only contains information about those files, such as their names, folder structure, and sizes obtained via cryptographic hash values for verifying file integrity.

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. For media piracy using torrent files, see Copyright infringement § Peer-to-peer issues.

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