A torrent is a small computer file that contains metadata about other files and folders to be shared or downloaded over the internet using the BitTorrent protocol, a peer-to-peer (P2P) file transfer system. The torrent file does not contain the actual data (like a movie or software) but provides information on where to find pieces of that data across many computers (peers) in the network. Users download pieces of the file from multiple peers simultaneously, and once they have the entire file, they can also upload it to others, creating a decentralized sharing system. This method allows faster downloads, reduces load on central servers, and is often used for sharing large files efficiently.

Torrenting refers to the act of using such torrent files with specialized software (torrent clients) to download and upload data within this P2P network. The network participants include seeders (those who have the complete file and share it) and leechers (those downloading but not necessarily uploading). The whole group sharing the file is called a swarm, and trackers are servers that help peers find each other.