QBittorrent
Contents
QBittorrent
qBittorrent is a free and open-source BitTorrent client. It is a cross-platform application designed to be a free software alternative to various proprietary BitTorrent clients. qBittorrent aims to provide a comprehensive suite of features while maintaining a simple and user-friendly GUI.
It is built using the C++ programming language and the Qt toolkit for its user interface, and it uses the libtorrent-rasterbar library for the BitTorrent protocol communication.
Key Features
qBittorrent includes many common and advanced features expected in a modern BitTorrent client:
- **Integrated Search Engine:** Allows searching for torrents directly within the client interface (requires Python).
- **Web User Interface (Web UI):** A built-in Web UI that allows for remote control of the client over a network. This is particularly useful for managing qBittorrent running on a server or headless system.
- **Sequential Downloading:** Ability to download files in sequential order, allowing users to preview media files while still downloading.
- **RSS Feed Support:** Automatically download torrents from configured RSS feeds with advanced filtering options.
- **Encryption:** Supports encryption of peer connections.
- **Peer Exchange (PEX), DHT, LSD:** Support for peer discovery technologies to find more peers.
- **Torrent Creation:** Ability to create new torrent files.
- **Bandwidth Control:** Extensive options for controlling upload and download speeds, including scheduling bandwidth limits.
- **IP Filtering:** Support for filtering peers based on IP addresses or ranges.
- **Torrent Prioritization:** Prioritize downloading specific files within a torrent or prioritizing certain torrents over others.
- **Port Forwarding:** Support for UPnP and NAT-PMP for automatic Port forwarding.
Interfaces
qBittorrent offers two primary interfaces:
- GUI: The main desktop application interface, built with the Qt toolkit. This is the standard interface when running qBittorrent on a desktop OS) (Windows, macOS, Linux).
- Web UI: A web-based interface accessible via a web browser. This is used to manage the `qbittorrent-nox` version, which runs without a graphical display.
The `qbittorrent-nox` version is specifically designed for servers and headless systems, running as a background daemon and controlled entirely through the Web UI.
Technology
qBittorrent is implemented in C++ and relies heavily on the Qt toolkit for its cross-platform graphical elements and the libtorrent-rasterbar library to handle the BitTorrent protocol logic. This combination provides a robust and efficient foundation for the client.
Usage
qBittorrent is widely used by individuals on their desktop computers across various OSs (Windows, macOS, Linux). Its user-friendly GUI and feature set make it a popular choice for general BitTorrent use.
The `qbittorrent-nox` version is commonly deployed on servers, headless systems, and seedboxes. Its low resource usage and remote manageability via the Web UI make it well-suited for environments where a graphical display is not available or remote access is preferred for managing torrents.
Licensing
qBittorrent is distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2 or later. This designates it as free and open-source.
See Also
References
- Official qBittorrent Website - Primary source for downloads, news, and documentation.
- qBittorrent Wiki - Provides user guides and information, including details on the Web UI and command-line options.
- Official libtorrent-rasterbar Website - Website for the BitTorrent library used by qBittorrent.
- AlternativeTo - qBittorrent - Lists qBittorrent as an alternative to other clients and shows its popularity.
