Torrent file In the file distribution system, a torrent file is a that contains about files and folders to be distributed, and usually also a list of the network locations of, which are computers that help participants in the system find each other and form efficient distribution groups called swarms. A torrent file does not contain the content to be distributed; it only contains information about those files, such as their names, sizes, folder structure, and for verifying file integrity. Depending on context, a torrent may be the torrent file or the referenced content. Torrent files are normally named with the.torrent. Background Typically, internet access is asymmetrical, supporting greater download speeds than upload speeds, limiting the bandwidth of each download, and sometimes enforcing bandwidth caps and periods where systems are not accessible. This creates inefficiency when many people want to obtain the same set of files from a single source; the source must always be online and must have massive outbound bandwidth. The BitTorrent protocol addresses this by decentralizing the distribution, leveraging the ability of people to network ', among themselves.