RTorrent
Encyclopedia
rTorrent is a text-based
ncurses
BitTorrent client
written in C++
, based on the libTorrent libraries for Unix
, whose author's goal is “a focus on high performance and good code”. It is not to be confused with libtorrent
by Arvid Norberg.
function and the network stack. On high-bandwidth connections, it claims to be able to seed at 3 times the speed of the official client.
rTorrent packages are available for various Linux distribution
s and Unix-like
systems, and it will compile and run on nearly every POSIX
-compliant operating system
, such as FreeBSD
and Mac OS X
.
rTorrent uses ncurses
and is suitable for use with screen
; it uses commands such as Carriage return
to load a torrent, after which ^S can be used to start a torrent (where ^ is shorthand for Ctrl key), Backspace
can be used to automatically start a torrent once it is loaded, making a subsequent issue of ^S unnecessary, ^K for stop, and ^D for pause, or if already paused or stopped, ^D again to delete the torrent. It supports saving of sessions and allows the user to add and remove torrents. It also supports partial downloading of multi-file torrents. In the release of rTorrent-0.7.0 support for BitTorrent protocol encryption
was also implemented. PEX
, DHT
and initial seeding
were recently implemented in rTorrent.
rTorrent can be controlled via XML-RPC
over SCGI.
Text-based
Usually used in reference to a computer application, a text-based application is one whose primary input and output are based on text rather than graphics or sound. This does not mean that text-based applications do not have graphics or sound, just that the graphics or sound are secondary to the...
ncurses
Ncurses
ncurses is a programming library that provides an API which allows the programmer to write text user interfaces in a terminal-independent manner. It is a toolkit for developing "GUI-like" application software that runs under a terminal emulator...
BitTorrent client
BitTorrent client
BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer program developed by Bram Cohen and BitTorrent, Inc. used for uploading and downloading files via the BitTorrent protocol. BitTorrent was the first client written for the protocol. It is often nicknamed Mainline by developers denoting its official origins. Since version...
written in C++
C++
C++ is a statically typed, free-form, multi-paradigm, compiled, general-purpose programming language. It is regarded as an intermediate-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features. It was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell...
, based on the libTorrent libraries for Unix
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
, whose author's goal is “a focus on high performance and good code”. It is not to be confused with libtorrent
Libtorrent (Rasterbar)
libtorrent is an open source implementation of the BitTorrent protocol. It is written in and has its main library interface in C++. Its most notable features are support for Mainline DHT, IPv6 , HTTP seeds and µTorrent's peer exchange....
by Arvid Norberg.
Technical details
The library differentiates itself from other implementations by transferring data directly between file pages mapped to memory by the mmapMmap
In computing, mmap is a POSIX-compliant Unix system call that maps files or devices into memory. It is a method of memory-mapped file I/O. It naturally implements demand paging, because initially file contents are not entirely read from disk and do not use physical RAM at all...
function and the network stack. On high-bandwidth connections, it claims to be able to seed at 3 times the speed of the official client.
rTorrent packages are available for various Linux distribution
Linux distribution
A Linux distribution is a member of the family of Unix-like operating systems built on top of the Linux kernel. Such distributions are operating systems including a large collection of software applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, media players, and database applications...
s and Unix-like
Unix-like
A Unix-like operating system is one that behaves in a manner similar to a Unix system, while not necessarily conforming to or being certified to any version of the Single UNIX Specification....
systems, and it will compile and run on nearly every POSIX
POSIX
POSIX , an acronym for "Portable Operating System Interface", is a family of standards specified by the IEEE for maintaining compatibility between operating systems...
-compliant operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
, such as FreeBSD
FreeBSD
FreeBSD is a free Unix-like operating system descended from AT&T UNIX via BSD UNIX. Although for legal reasons FreeBSD cannot be called “UNIX”, as the direct descendant of BSD UNIX , FreeBSD’s internals and system APIs are UNIX-compliant...
and Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
.
rTorrent uses ncurses
Ncurses
ncurses is a programming library that provides an API which allows the programmer to write text user interfaces in a terminal-independent manner. It is a toolkit for developing "GUI-like" application software that runs under a terminal emulator...
and is suitable for use with screen
GNU Screen
GNU Screen is a software application that can be used to multiplex several virtual consoles, allowing a user to access multiple separate terminal sessions inside a single terminal window or remote terminal session...
; it uses commands such as Carriage return
Carriage return
Carriage return, often shortened to return, refers to a control character or mechanism used to start a new line of text.Originally, the term "carriage return" referred to a mechanism or lever on a typewriter...
to load a torrent, after which ^S can be used to start a torrent (where ^ is shorthand for Ctrl key), Backspace
Backspace
Backspace is the keyboard key that originally pushed the typewriter carriage one position backwards, and in modern computer displays moves the cursor one position backwards, deletes the preceding character, and shifts back the text after it by one position....
can be used to automatically start a torrent once it is loaded, making a subsequent issue of ^S unnecessary, ^K for stop, and ^D for pause, or if already paused or stopped, ^D again to delete the torrent. It supports saving of sessions and allows the user to add and remove torrents. It also supports partial downloading of multi-file torrents. In the release of rTorrent-0.7.0 support for BitTorrent protocol encryption
BitTorrent protocol encryption
Protocol encryption , message stream encryption , or protocol header encrypt are related features of some peer-to-peer file-sharing clients, including BitTorrent clients. They attempt to enhance privacy and confidentiality...
was also implemented. PEX
Peer exchange
Peer exchange or PEX is a communications protocol that augments the BitTorrent file sharing protocol. It allows a group of users that are collaborating to share a given file to do so more swiftly and efficiently....
, DHT
Distributed hash table
A distributed hash table is a class of a decentralized distributed system that provides a lookup service similar to a hash table; pairs are stored in a DHT, and any participating node can efficiently retrieve the value associated with a given key...
and initial seeding
Super-seeding
Super-seeding is a feature of some BitTorrent clients that attempts to minimize the amount of data which must be uploaded by the original seed until the first completion of a downloading peer. The feature was conceived by John Hoffman and first implemented in the BitTornado client in 2003...
were recently implemented in rTorrent.
rTorrent can be controlled via XML-RPC
XML-RPC
XML-RPC is a remote procedure call protocol which uses XML to encode its calls and HTTP as a transport mechanism. "XML-RPC" also refers generically to the use of XML for remote procedure call, independently of the specific protocol...
over SCGI.
See also
- wTorrent - a folded WebUI for rTorrent
- ruTorrent - a WebUI for rTorrent, similar to μTorrent's WebUI
- nTorrent - an abandoned rTorrent GUI for Linux, Mac and Windows users
- Nativa - an rTorrent GUI for Mac users, similar to Transmission's GUI
- Comparison of BitTorrent software