简体中文
EnglishWhy WebTorrent Was Created
Updated
WebTorrent was created to make BitTorrent easier to use and to move the web toward peer-to-peer content delivery. The project's stated goal is a "peer-to-peer YouTube where viewers help to host the site's content." By lowering the barrier to using BitTorrent, the creators hope more people will participate and take first steps toward re-decentralizing the Internet.
The problem it addresses
Traditional torrent clients require installing desktop software, and ordinary websites rely on central servers to deliver files and video. WebTorrent takes a different approach: it is a streaming torrent client that runs in the web browser and on the desktop, written completely in JavaScript and using WebRTC for peer-to-peer transport whenever possible. In the browser, no plugins, extensions, or installation are required.
That combination matters for the stated motivation. If a torrent client can run on a web page with no install step, then a site can let visitors stream and share content directly with each other instead of routing everything through one server.
How the design supports the goal
| Design choice | What it enables |
|---|---|
| Runs in the browser with no plugins or installation | Lowers the effort needed to participate in BitTorrent |
| Written in JavaScript, the language of the web | Fits naturally into ordinary web pages and sites |
| Uses WebRTC for peer-to-peer transport when possible | Lets browsers exchange data directly rather than through a central server |
| Streaming rather than download-then-play | Content can be played before the download finishes |
The streaming behavior is visible in the desktop client as well. WebTorrent Desktop is described as a streaming torrent client for Mac, Windows, and Linux: whether the content is video from the Internet Archive, music from Creative Commons, or audiobooks from Librivox, it can play right away without waiting for the download to complete. The desktop client is described as fast, free, non-commercial, and open source.
A concrete example of the intent
Imagine a video site where the audience itself helps host the content. Instead of every viewer pulling the same file from one server, viewers who already have parts of the file can pass them to other viewers directly. WebTorrent's browser-based, WebRTC-based design is the mechanism that makes this kind of site possible without asking visitors to install anything. That is the "peer-to-peer YouTube" the project describes, and it is the practical meaning of "re-decentralizing the Internet" in this context.
What this means if you want to try it
The project points to two ways to see it in action:
- In the browser: try it on the web at Instant.io, where you can send a file to a friend using BitTorrent.
- On the desktop: install WebTorrent Desktop for Mac, Windows, or Linux for a fast, lightweight torrent client.
For background beyond the motivation, the site links to Get Started, Docs, and FAQ pages. The core takeaway is that WebTorrent exists to make peer-to-peer file sharing as easy as opening a web page, with the broader aim of getting more people to participate in a more decentralized web.