webtorrent
Advanced tools
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 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 can only connect to other clients that support WebTorrent (and WebRTC).
We hope established torrent clients (uTorrent, Transmission, Vuze, etc.) will add support for WebTorrent (and WebRTC) so they can swarm with both normal and web peers.
In node, this module acts like a normal torrent client, using TCP and UDP to talk to regular torrent clients. Soon, it will gain the ability to swarm with web peers, making it the first "hybrid" client.
Warning: This is pre-alpha software. Watch/star to follow along with progress.
<video> tag (webm (vp8, vp9) or mp4 (h.264))#webtorrent if you want to help with development, or
you just want to hang out with some cool mad science hackers :)With npm, run:
npm install webtorrent
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 concat = require('concat-stream')
var client = new WebTorrent()
client.download(magnet_uri, function (torrent) {
// Got torrent metadata!
console.log('Torrent info hash:', torrent.infoHash)
torrent.files.forEach(function (file) {
// Get the file data as a Buffer (Uint8Array typed array)
file.createReadStream().pipe(concat(function (buf) {
// Append a link to download the file
var a = document.createElement('a')
a.download = file.name
a.href = URL.createObjectURL(new Blob([ buf ]))
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()
client.download(magnet_uri, 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)
})
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>
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 -g webtorrent
$ webtorrent --help
To download a torrent:
$ webtorrent magnet_uri
To stream a torrent to a device like AirPlay or Chromecast, just pass a flag:
$ webtorrent magnet_uri --airplay
There 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.
client = new WebTorrent([opts])Create a new WebTorrent instance.
If opts is specified, then the default options (shown below) will be overridden.
{
dht: Boolean, // Whether or not to enable DHT (default=true)
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)
storage: Function // custom storage engine, or `false` to use in-memory engine
tracker: Boolean, // Whether or not to enable trackers (default=true)
verify: Boolean // Verify previously stored data before starting (default=false)
}
client.add(torrentId, [opts], [function ontorrent (torrent) {}])Start downloading a new torrent. Aliased as client.download.
torrentId can be one of:
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.
client.seed(input, [opts], [function onseed (torrent) {}])Start seeding a new torrent.
input can be any of the following:
<input> or drag and drop)File objects)Or, an array of File or Buffer objects.
If opts is specified, it should contain the following types of options:
client.add (see above)If onseed is specified, it will be called when the client has begun seeding the file.
client.on('torrent', function (torrent) {})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.
client.remove(torrentId, [function callback (err) {}])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.
client.destroy()Destroy the client, including all torrents and connections to peers.
client.torrents[...]An array of all torrents in the client.
client.get(torrentId)Returns the torrent with the given torrentId. Convenience method. Easier than
searching through the client.torrents array.
client.ratioSeed ratio for all torrents in the client.
torrent.infoHashGet the info hash of the torrent.
torrent.magnetURIGet the magnet URI of the torrent.
torrent.files[...]An array of all files in the torrent. See the file section for more info on what methods the file has.
torrent.swarmThe attached bittorrent-swarm instance.
torrent.remove()Alias for client.remove(torrent).
torrent.addPeer(addr)Adds a peer to the underlying bittorrent-swarm instance.
torrent.select(start, end, [priority], [notify])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.
torrent.deselect(start, end, priority)Deprioritizes a range of previously selected pieces.
torrent.critical(start, end)Marks a range of pieces as critical priority to be downloaded ASAP. From start to end
(both inclusive).
torrent.createServer([opts])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()
client.add(magnet_uri, 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.nameFile name, as specified by the torrent. Example: 'some-filename.txt'
file.pathFile path, as specified by the torrent. Example: 'some-folder/some-filename.txt'
file.lengthFile length (in bytes), as specified by the torrent. Example: 12345
file.select()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.
file.deselect()Deselects the file, which means it won't be downloaded unless someone creates a stream for it.
stream = file.createReadStream([opts])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.
file.getBlobURL(function callback (err, url) {})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 when it is ready. callback must be specified and may be called with a an Error
or the blob url (String) when the file data is available and ready to be used.
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
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 modules I am writing to make WebTorrent work:
| module | tests | version | description |
|---|---|---|---|
| webtorrent | | | torrent client (this module) |
| addr-to-ip-port |  |  | cache for addr->ip:port |
| 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 |
| buffer |  |  | node buffer api for the browser |
| 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 |
| parse-torrent-file |  |  | parse .torrent files |
| simple-peer |  |  | simpler webrtc api |
| simple-websocket |  |  | simpler websocket api |
| string2compact |  |  | convert 'hostname:port' to compact |
| torrent-discovery |  |  | find peers via dht and tracker |
| typedarray-to-buffer |  |  | efficient buffer creation |
| ut_metadata |  |  | metadata for magnet uris (ext) |
| ut_pex |  |  | peer discovery (ext) |
| webtorrent-swarm |  |  | webtorrent connection management |
| webtorrent-tracker |  |  | webtorrent tracker server/client |
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 --help
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=* webtorrent
Of course, this also works for the development version:
DEBUG=* ./bin/cmd.js
In 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
Chromebooks are set to refuse all incoming connections by default. To change this, run:
sudo iptables -P INPUT ACCEPT
MIT. Copyright (c) Feross Aboukhadijeh.
FAQs
Streaming torrent client
The npm package webtorrent receives a total of 3,044 weekly downloads. As such, webtorrent popularity was classified as popular.
We found that webtorrent demonstrated a healthy version release cadence and project activity because the last version was released less than a year ago. It has 0 open source maintainers collaborating on the project.
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