A magnet link is a hyperlink that contains a unique identifier, various parameters depending on the exact nature of the torrent, and most importantly, a cryptographic hash of the torrent files. It is a de facto standard for identifying files by their content, via cryptographic hash value rather than by their location. Magnet links are used in peer-to-peer file sharing networks because they allow resources to be referred to without the need for a continuously available host, and can be generated by anyone who already has the file, without the need for a central authority to issue them.
Magnet links contain information about the files being shared, such as their names, sizes, and information needed to do integrity checks on the data. They can be distributed by email, messaging, and other forms of communication but are most often found on torrent sites that usually offer both torrent and magnet links to their users. Magnet links trigger downloads in desktop torrent clients once a user clicks on them.
The advantages of magnet links include:
-
Links, not files: Magnet links are links and not files, which means providers can avoid the difficulty of finding a file hosting service, while users can save the extra steps of downloading and opening a file.
-
Reduce the number of steps to access media: Traditional torrent links involve downloading a hash code file to find the content. This large file contains the media name, BitTorrent tracker URL, and other metadata. Magnet links automatically request peer-shared media. The link won’t use an intermediary tracker or require decryption.
-
Save space on servers: Magnet links need not store files on their servers, which saves space.
In summary, a magnet link is a unique identifier that contains all the information needed to start downloading files from peers directly in a peer-to-peer file sharing network. It is a de facto standard for identifying files by their content, via cryptographic hash value rather than by their location. Magnet links are becoming the norm and offer advantages to both torrent providers and torrent users driving this change.
