WebTorrent is a streaming torrent client for node.js and the browser. YEP, THAT'S RIGHT. THE BROWSER. It's written completely in JavaScript – the language of the web – so the same code works in both runtimes.
In node.js, this module is a simple torrent client, using TCP and UDP to talk to other torrent clients.
In the browser, WebTorrent uses WebRTC (data channels) for peer-to-peer transport. It can be used without browser plugins, extensions, or installations. It's Just JavaScript™.
Simply include the
webtorrent.min.js script
on your page to start fetching files over WebRTC using the BitTorrent protocol, or
require('webtorrent') with browserify. See demo apps
and code examples below.
To make BitTorrent work over WebRTC (which is the only p2p transport that works on the web) we made some protocol changes. Therefore, a browser-based WebTorrent client or "web peer" can only connect to other clients that support WebTorrent/WebRTC.
To seed files to web peers, use a client that supports WebTorrent, e.g. webtorrent-hybrid or instant.io. We're also working on WebTorrent.app, a desktop client with a familiar UI that can connect to web peers. We hope established torrent clients (Transmission, Vuze, uTorrent, etc.) will add support for WebTorrent so they too can connect to both normal and web peers.
Warning: This is alpha software. Watch/star to follow along with progress.
- Torrent client for node.js & the browser (same npm module!)
- Insanely fast
- Download multiple torrents simultaneously, efficiently
- Pure Javascript (no native dependencies)
- Exposes files as streams
- Fetches pieces from the network on-demand so seeking is supported (even before torrent is finished)
- Seamlessly switches between sequential and rarest-first piece selection strategy
- Supports advanced torrent client features
- magnet uri support via ut_metadata
- peer discovery via dht, tracker, and ut_pex
- protocol extension api for adding new extensions
- Comprehensive test suite (runs completely offline, so it's reliable and fast)
- WebRTC data channels for lightweight peer-to-peer communication with no plugins
- No silos. WebTorrent is a P2P network for the entire web. WebTorrent clients running on one domain can connect to clients on any other domain.
- Stream video torrents into a
<video>tag (webm (vp8, vp9)ormp4 (h.264)) - Supports Chrome, Firefox, and Opera.
- Stream to AirPlay, Chromecast, VLC player, and many other devices/players
- Note: To connect to "web peers" (browsers) in addition to normal BitTorrent peers, use webtorrent-hybrid which includes WebRTC support for node.
To install WebTorrent for use in node or the browser with require('webtorrent'), run:
npm install webtorrentTo install a webtorrent command line program, run:
npm install webtorrent -g- Join us in Gitter or on freenode at
#webtorrentto help with development or to hang out with some mad science hackers :) - Create a new issue to report bugs
- Fix an issue. Note: WebTorrent is an OPEN Open Source Project!
- Instant – Secure, anonymous, streaming file transfer (source code)
- Fastcast – Stream peer-to-peer audio and video content (source code)
- Webtorrentapp – A tool/platform for launching web apps from torrents
- Your app here! (send a PR or open an issue with your app's URL)
WebTorrent is the first BitTorrent client that works in the browser, using open web standards (no plugins, just HTML5 and WebRTC)! It's easy to get started!
var WebTorrent = require('webtorrent')
var client = new WebTorrent()
var magnetUri = '...'
client.add(magnetUri, function (torrent) {
// Got torrent metadata!
console.log('Torrent info hash:', torrent.infoHash)
torrent.files.forEach(function (file) {
// Get a url for each file
file.getBlobURL(function (err, url) {
if (err) throw err
// Add a link to the page
var a = document.createElement('a')
a.download = file.name
a.href = url
a.textContent = 'Download ' + file.name
document.body.appendChild(a)
})
})
})var dragDrop = require('drag-drop/buffer')
var WebTorrent = require('webtorrent')
var client = new WebTorrent()
// When user drops files on the browser, create a new torrent and start seeding it!
dragDrop('body', function (files) {
client.seed(files, function onTorrent (torrent) {
// Client is seeding the file!
console.log('Torrent info hash:', torrent.infoHash)
})
})var WebTorrent = require('webtorrent')
var client = new WebTorrent()
var magnetUri = '...'
client.add(magnetUri, function (torrent) {
// Got torrent metadata!
console.log('Torrent info hash:', torrent.infoHash)
// Let's say the first file is a webm (vp8) or mp4 (h264) video...
var file = torrent.files[0]
// Create a video element
var video = document.createElement('video')
video.controls = true
document.body.appendChild(video)
// Stream the video into the video tag
file.createReadStream().pipe(video)
})There are more examples in the examples folder.
WebTorrent works great with browserify, an npm module that let's you use node-style require() to organize your browser code and load modules installed by npm (as seen in the previous examples).
WebTorrent is also available as a standalone script
(webtorrent.min.js) which exposes WebTorrent on the window
object, so it can be used with just a script tag:
<script src="webtorrent.min.js"></script>The WebTorrent script is also hosted on fast, reliable CDN infrastructure (Cloudflare and MaxCDN) for easy inclusion on your site:
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/webtorrent/latest/webtorrent.min.js"></script>WebTorrent also works in node.js, using the same npm module! It's mad science!
WebTorrent is available as a command line app. Here's how to use it:
$ npm install webtorrent -g
$ webtorrent --helpTo download a torrent:
$ webtorrent magnet_uriTo stream a torrent to a device like AirPlay or Chromecast, just pass a flag:
$ webtorrent magnet_uri --airplayThere are many supported streaming options:
--airplay Apple TV
--chromecast Chromecast
--mplayer MPlayer
--mpv MPV
--omx [jack] omx [default: hdmi]
--vlc VLC
--xbmc XBMC
--stdout standard out [implies --quiet]In addition to magnet uris, webtorrent supports many ways to specify a torrent.
This API should work exactly the same in node and the browser. Open an issue if this is not the case.
Create a new WebTorrent instance.
If opts is specified, then the default options (shown below) will be overridden.
{
dht: Boolean|Object, // Enable DHT (default=true), or options object for DHT
maxPeers: Number, // Max number of peers to connect to per torrent (default=100)
nodeId: String|Buffer, // DHT protocol node ID (default=randomly generated)
peerId: String|Buffer, // Wire protocol peer ID (default=randomly generated)
rtcConfig: Object, // RTCPeerConnection configuration object (default=STUN only)
storage: Function, // custom storage engine, or `false` to use in-memory engine
tracker: Boolean, // Whether or not to enable trackers (default=true)
wrtc: {} // custom webrtc implementation (in node, specify the [wrtc](https://www.npmjs.com/package/wrtc) package)
}Start downloading a new torrent. Aliased as client.download.
torrentId can be one of:
- magnet uri (utf8 string)
- torrent file (buffer)
- info hash (hex string or buffer)
- parsed torrent (from parse-torrent)
- http/https url to a torrent file (string)
- filesystem path to a torrent file (string)
If opts is specified, then the default options (shown below) will be overridden.
{
announce: [], // List of additional trackers to use (added to list in .torrent or magnet uri)
path: String, // Folder where files will be downloaded (default=`/tmp/webtorrent/`)
verify: Boolean // Verify previously stored data before starting (default=false)
}If ontorrent is specified, then it will be called when this torrent is ready to be
used (i.e. metadata is available). Note: this is distinct from the 'torrent' event which
will fire for all torrents.
If you want access to the torrent object immediately in order to listen to events as the
metadata is fetched from the network, then use the return value of client.add. If you
just want the file data, then use ontorrent or the 'torrent' event.
Start seeding a new torrent.
input can be any of the following:
- path to the file or folder on filesystem (string)
- W3C File object (from an
<input>or drag and drop) - W3C FileList object (basically an array of
Fileobjects) - Node Buffer object (works in the browser)
Or, an array of string, File, or Buffer objects.
If opts is specified, it should contain the following types of options:
- options for create-torrent (to allow configuration of the .torrent file that is created)
- options for
client.add(see above)
If onseed is specified, it will be called when the client has begun seeding the file.
Emitted when a torrent is ready to be used (i.e. metadata is available and storage is
ready). See the torrent section for more info on what methods a torrent has.
Remove a torrent from the client. Destroy all connections to peers and delete all saved
file data. If callback is specified, it will be called when file data is removed.
Destroy the client, including all torrents and connections to peers. If callback is specified, it will be called when the client has gracefully closed.
An array of all torrents in the client.
Returns the torrent with the given torrentId. Convenience method. Easier than searching
through the client.torrents array. Returns null if no matching torrent found.
Seed ratio for all torrents in the client.
Get the info hash of the torrent.
Get the magnet URI of the torrent.
An array of all files in the torrent. See the file section for more info on what methods the file has.
The attached bittorrent-swarm instance.
Alias for client.remove(torrent).
Adds a peer to the underlying bittorrent-swarm instance.
Returns true if peer was added, false if peer was blocked by the loaded blocklist.
Selects a range of pieces to prioritize starting with start and ending with end (both inclusive)
at the given priority. notify is an optional callback to be called when the selection is updated
with new data.
Deprioritizes a range of previously selected pieces.
Marks a range of pieces as critical priority to be downloaded ASAP. From start to end
(both inclusive).
Create an http server to serve the contents of this torrent, dynamically fetching the needed torrent pieces to satisfy http requests. Range requests are supported.
Returns an http.Server instance (got from calling http.createServer). If opts is specified, it is passed to the http.createServer function.
Visiting the root of the server / will show a list of links to individual files. Access
individual files at /<index> where <index> is the index in the torrent.files array
(e.g. /0, /1, etc.)
Here is a usage example:
var client = new WebTorrent()
var magnetUri = '...'
client.add(magnetUri, function (torrent) {
// create HTTP server for this torrent
var server = torrent.createServer()
server.listen(port) // start the server listening to a port
// visit http://localhost:<port>/ to see a list of files
// access individual files at http://localhost:<port>/<index> where index is the index
// in the torrent.files array
// later, cleanup...
server.close()
client.destroy()
})File name, as specified by the torrent. Example: 'some-filename.txt'
File path, as specified by the torrent. Example: 'some-folder/some-filename.txt'
File length (in bytes), as specified by the torrent. Example: 12345
Selects the file to be downloaded, but at a lower priority than files with streams. Useful if you know you need the file at a later stage.
Deselects the file, which means it won't be downloaded unless someone creates a stream for it.
Create a readable stream to the file. Pieces needed by the stream will be prioritized highly and fetched from the swarm first.
You can pass opts to stream only a slice of a file.
{
start: startByte,
end: endByte
}Both start and end are inclusive.
Get the file contents as a Buffer.
The file will be fetched from the network with highest priority, and callback will be
called once the file is ready. callback must be specified, and will be called with a an
Error (or null) and the file contents as a Buffer.
file.getBuffer(function (err, buffer) {
if (err) throw err
console.log(buffer) // <Buffer 00 98 00 01 01 00 00 00 50 ae 07 04 01 00 00 00 0a 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 78 ae 07 04 01 00 00 00 05 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ...>
})Get a url which can be used in the browser to refer to the file.
The file will be fetched from the network with highest priority, and callback will be
called once the file is ready. callback must be specified, and will be called with a an
Error (or null) and the Blob URL (String).
file.getBlobURL(function (err, url) {
if (err) throw err
var a = document.createElement('a')
a.download = file.name
a.href = url
a.textContent = 'Download ' + file.name
document.body.appendChild(a)
})Most of the active development is happening inside of small npm modules which are used by WebTorrent.
"When applications are done well, they are just the really application-specific, brackish residue that can't be so easily abstracted away. All the nice, reusable components sublimate away onto github and npm where everybody can collaborate to advance the commons." — substack from "how I write modules"
These are the main modules that make up WebTorrent:
| module | tests | version | description |
|---|---|---|---|
| webtorrent | |
|
torrent client (this module) |
| bittorrent-dht |  |
 |
distributed hash table client |
| bittorrent-peerid |  |
 |
identify client name/version |
| bittorrent-protocol |  |
 |
bittorrent protocol stream |
| bittorrent-swarm |  |
 |
bittorrent connection manager |
| bittorrent-tracker |  |
 |
bittorrent tracker server/client |
| create-torrent |  |
 |
create .torrent files |
| ip-set |  |
 |
efficient mutable ip set |
| load-ip-set |  |
 |
load ip sets from local/network |
| magnet-uri |  |
 |
parse magnet uris |
| parse-torrent |  |
 |
parse torrent identifiers |
| torrent-discovery |  |
 |
find peers via dht and tracker |
| ut_metadata |  |
 |
metadata for magnet uris (ext) |
| ut_pex |  |
 |
peer discovery (ext) |
WebTorrent is an OPEN Open Source Project. Individuals making significant and valuable contributions are given commit-access to the project to contribute as they see fit.
WebTorrent is only possible due to the excellent work of the following contributors:
| Feross Aboukhadijeh | GitHub/feross | Twitter/@feross |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel Posch | GitHub/dcposch | Twitter/@dcposch |
| John Hiesey | GitHub/jhiesey | Twitter/@jhiesey |
| Travis Fischer | GitHub/fisch0920 | Twitter/@fisch0920 |
| Astro | GitHub/astro | Twitter/@astro1138 |
| Iván Todorovich | GitHub/ivantodorovich | Twitter/@ivantodorovich |
| Mathias Buus | GitHub/mafintosh | Twitter/@mafintosh |
| Bob Ren | GitHub/bobrenjc93 | Twitter/@bobrenjc93 |
git clone https://github.com/feross/webtorrent.git
cd webtorrent
npm install
./bin/cmd.js --helpWebTorrent uses JavaScript Standard Style.
In node, enable debug logs by setting the DEBUG environment variable to the name of the
module you want to debug (e.g. bittorrent-protocol, or * to print all logs).
DEBUG=* webtorrentOf course, this also works for the development version:
DEBUG=* ./bin/cmd.jsIn the browser, enable debug logs by running this in the developer console:
localStorage.debug = '*'Disable by running this:
localStorage.removeItem('debug')WebTorrent is a modular BitTorrent client, so functionality is split up into many
npm modules. You can git clone all the relevant dependencies with one command. This
makes it easier to send PRs:
./bin/clone.sh- Nov 2014 (NodeConf Asia) - WebTorrent
- Sep 2014 (NodeConf EU) – WebTorrent & WebRTC: Mad Science (first working demo of WebTorrent)
- May 2014 (JS.LA) – How I Built a BitTorrent Client in the Browser (progress update; node client working)
- Oct 2013 (RealtimeConf) – WebRTC Black Magic (RealtimeConf) (where I first shared the idea of WebTorrent)
Chromebooks are set to refuse all incoming connections by default. To change this, run:
sudo iptables -P INPUT ACCEPTMIT. Copyright (c) Feross Aboukhadijeh.
