TorrentFlux is a free and open source

Open source

The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...

 multi-user GUI for BitTornado

BitTornado

BitTornado is a free BitTorrent client for transfer of computer files over networks, including the Internet. It is developed by John Hoffman, who also created its predecessor, Shad0w's Experimental Client...

. Unlike most 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...

s, its main user interface is a web interface. It is scripted in PHP

PHP

PHP is a general-purpose server-side scripting language originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. For this purpose, PHP code is embedded into the HTML source document and interpreted by a web server with a PHP processor module, which generates the web page document...

, with a MySQL

MySQL

MySQL officially, but also commonly "My Sequel") is a relational database management system that runs as a server providing multi-user access to a number of databases. It is named after developer Michael Widenius' daughter, My...

 database and runs on a web server.

Its web interface allows it to be operated on a remote server, which is useful for file services based at an Internet service center.

The most recent beta release also includes support for ADOdb

ADOdb

ADOdb is a database abstraction library for PHP and Python based on the same concept as Microsoft's ActiveX Data Objects. It allows developers to write applications in a fairly consistent way regardless of the underlying database system storing the information...

, allowing for use of other database backends. Numerous "hacks" have been written to add additional functionality.

Status

The latest release is 2.4 final for Linux, released on June 18, 2008. The latest Windows version is 1.3, released August 15, 2004.

TorrentFlux-b4rt

In January 2007 a fork called TorrentFlux-b4rt was created by a TorrentFlux forum member with the alias "b4rt". TorrentFlux-b4rt incorporates many of the mods created by the community, as well as some new features and display themes, into a single package. An existing TorrentFlux installation can be converted to a TorrentFlux-b4rt installation, preserving all settings and data, by using the scripts included with TorrentFlux-b4rt.
The newer versions of TorrentFlux-b4rt are completely rewritten, and no longer based on the original TorrentFlux source code.

Key TorrentFlux-b4rt additions:

• A more advanced queue management system.
• The ability to periodically scan RSS
  RSS
  -Mathematics:* Root-sum-square, the square root of the sum of the squares of the elements of a data set* Residual sum of squares in statistics-Technology:* RSS , "Really Simple Syndication" or "Rich Site Summary", a family of web feed formats...
  
   feeds for new transfers to start.
• The ability to change upload/download rates while a transfer is running.
• Transfer statistics logging and bulk operations (start/stop all transfers).
• The ability to use clients besides BitTornado: Transmission
  Transmission (BitTorrent)
  Transmission is a BitTorrent client which features a simple interface on top of a cross-platform back-end. Transmission is free software licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License , with parts under the MIT License.-Features:...
  
   and Azureus
  Vuze
  Vuze is a BitTorrent client used to transfer files via the BitTorrent protocol. Vuze is written in Java, and uses the Azureus Engine. In addition to downloading data linked to by .torrent files, Azureus allows users to view, publish and share original DVD and HD quality video content...
  
   for torrents, wget
  Wget
  GNU Wget is a computer program that retrieves content from web servers, and is part of the GNU Project. Its name is derived from World Wide Web and get...
  
   for http and ftp downloads, and nzbperl for usenet
  Usenet
  Usenet is a worldwide distributed Internet discussion system. It developed from the general purpose UUCP architecture of the same name.Duke University graduate students Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis conceived the idea in 1979 and it was established in 1980...
  
   downloads (using NZB
  NZB
  NZB is an XML-based file format for retrieving posts from NNTP servers. The format was conceived by the developers of the Newzbin.com Usenet Index. NZB is effective when used with search-capable websites. These websites create NZB files out of what is needed to be downloaded...
  
  files).
• The ability to use VLC Player to stream across the network.

TorrentFlux NG

In October 2010, a few TorrentFlux-b4rt enthusiasts created a fork from TorrentFlux-b4rt. The reason for this is that project development for TorrentFlux-b4rt has come to an end, the continuous stream of spam on the forums, a website that had not been updated for years and a lack of permissions and access for others to update the project and the site.

TorrentFlux NG wants to include the following features in its first release:

• DHT
• Encryption of torrent traffic
• Magnet links for adding torrents
• Better memory management (1 process for multiple torrent downloads instead of 1 process per torrent)
• No need to write patches for each new release of Transmission
• New user interface/theme

One of the key targets for future releases is the separation of the front-end from the back-end.

External links

• Official TorrentFlux-b4rt website
• Official TorrentFlux NG website