BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing protocol designed for the efficient distribution of large amounts of data across the internet. Created by Bram Cohen in 2001, it differs from traditional client-server downloads by allowing users to download pieces of a file simultaneously from multiple different sources (other users) rather than a single central server.
: A collection of peers (users) who are all simultaneously uploading and downloading the same file. BitTorrent
: A user who is still in the process of downloading the file (though they typically upload pieces they've already received). BitTorrent