Question 1

How to build a simple torrent client using bittorrent-protocol?

Accepted Answer

Start by creating a Protocol instance, pipe it to a network socket, handle events like 'handshake' and 'request', and integrate extensions like ut_metadata for metadata exchange. The README provides a basic server example to get you going.

Question 2

bittorrent-protocol vs webtorrent – which one should I use?

Accepted Answer

bittorrent-protocol is a low-level library for implementing the wire protocol, while WebTorrent is a full-featured, high-level client. Use bittorrent-protocol if you need custom protocol logic; choose WebTorrent for a ready-made client with streaming and browser support.

Question 3

Does bittorrent-protocol support magnet links?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but indirectly: it supports the extension protocol (BEP 10), which allows integrating extensions like ut_metadata (BEP 9) to handle magnet links by fetching metadata from peers, as shown in the extension API section.

Question 4

How to add custom extensions to bittorrent-protocol?

Accepted Answer

Use the wire.use() method to register extensions that follow the BEP 10 standard, similar to how ut_metadata is integrated. Extensions can hook into events like 'handshake' and 'extended' to add new functionality.

Question 5

Is bittorrent-protocol good for browser-based torrent clients?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it works in the browser with browserify, but this requires additional build tooling. It's used by WebTorrent for browser clients, but you'll need to handle networking and UI separately.

Question 6

What are the performance trade-offs with bittorrent-protocol?

Accepted Answer

The stream-based API is efficient for data transfer, but since it's a pure JavaScript implementation, it may have overhead compared to native solutions. Proper error handling and timeout management are crucial to avoid bottlenecks.

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