Meaning of different terms involve in torrenting

**SolomuN** · 04-19-2019

Availability - refers to the number of full pieces of a file available to the tracker. For example, if we have 1.0 at seed, then it's about one single complete copy of the files. If this is shown in procents (for example - 61,3%) then it's about a disponibility of 0.613. Anyways, if there are two involved clients in the process of file-exchange and both are having a portion of the file downloaded (like about 50%) and there is one single seeder, then the disponibility is 1.5.

Choked (blocked) - this word is used to describe protocol BitTorrent. It refers to the status of an uploader (the one that transmits the data to another user). When a connection is <chocked> this means that the sender doesn't want to send for the moment anything on that connection, more precisely to another peer. A client is chocked to another client in some situations, like:
- the second client is at seed, situation in which this one is not interested because he has all the pieces of the file.
- client is already an uploader at full capacity, the value for max_uploads is completed.

Leech - it's usually a peer that has a negative effect over swarm because he has a low share-ratio, in other words he downloads more than he uploads. Many leech use the internet connection asimetrically and don't let the BitTorrent open for the other to finish their download, in other words: they are not seeding. In some cases, many limit their upload speed. The terms of <leech> is also used for describing the clients which don't have all the files for a download.

Peer - is a instance of BitTorrent client which is connected with other clients and which is in the process of transfering the files. Usually <peers> don't have the files downloaded completely, but part of it. Also described a <peer> is the client that take part from swarm.

Scrape - defines the request of a client from server in account of obtaining informations about a torrent like:statistics from users and others.

Seed - the process in which is involved the client that has a complete copy of the torrent. Once the BitTorrent client finished the download he can stay with his torrent in the process called seed for allow the other clients to finish their torrents. For the vast majority of the trackers it is necessary to stay at seed, this way you can maintain a good seed/leech report.

Reseed - when the numbers of those who have a complete copy is zero and there are client that wanna complete their incomplete files, than it is created a request at those who had finished the download and haven't stayed at seed, to open the torrent and seed it. In most happy cases, this is happening, but there are situations when nobody has the full copy of the torrent needed. In this case it will be created and those who want the files begin their download from zero.

Snubbed - the uploader is marked <snubbed> if the downloader didn't receive any information from the uploader in the last 60 seconds.

Swarm - taken into account, all seeders and leechers that take part in a torrent. For example, ten seeders and three leechers become 13 clients.

Torrent - files with extension .torrent that contain metadata of files. These contain informations about the name of the file that are in the respective torrent, total number of pieces, their size. It contains also many informations about the tracker that host the torrent.

Tracker - the server that keep the evidence and coordonate the clients that take part in swarm. The tracker in not directly involved and doesn't contain a copy of the files from the torrents.

Ratio - it refers to the raport between the quantity of information sent (upload) and the one received (download) from a client. Taking this into account many trackers select their users and for those with the ratio below a required level, don't have acces to some new torrents. In some cases the accounts of this kind of users are deleted after a period, if the ratio level don't rise above the required level.

Download- the process of receiving data of files from another peer.

Upload - the process of sending data of files to another peer.

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