29.04.2025
This week, two open-source projects have unveiled updated versions of their popular torrent clients, a timely release for many users in Russia facing challenges with licensed software due to the exit of various companies from the region. The new iterations of these well-established free and open-source applications could provide significant utility for those seeking reliable solutions.
Deluge 2.2
After nearly three years of development, Deluge 2.2 has made its debut. This cross-platform BitTorrent client, crafted in Python, operates on the libtorrent library and utilizes the Twisted framework. Users can choose from several interface options: a familiar graphical window via GTK, a web browser interface, or a console mode, allowing for a personalized experience. Deluge is distributed under the GPL license, enabling users to freely utilize and modify the software.
Deluge’s architecture is somewhat unconventional, functioning on a client-server model. This design separates the user interface from the core process responsible for downloading and sharing files. Notably, the “engine” can be run on a different machine, allowing for remote management—ideal for those wishing to set up a torrent server at home or on a VPS.
The feature set of Deluge is extensive, supporting nearly all modern capabilities essential for torrenting. These include DHT for peer discovery without trackers, UPnP and NAT-PMP for automatic router configuration, peer exchange, local network user detection, and traffic encryption. Additionally, it supports proxy connections, WebTorrent, allows for individual speed limits on downloads and uploads, and can download files in a specified order.
Among the new features in version 2.2 is support for the new torrent format—BitTorrent v2. This format enhances hash calculations, allowing them to be computed for individual files rather than the entire distribution. The outdated SHA-1 algorithm has been replaced with the more secure SHA2-256, and Merkle hash trees are now employed in torrent files, improving the integrity and verification of the distribution structure. Furthermore, the encoding of directories has been refined, optimizing performance when dealing with numerous small files.
The torrent protocol facilitates direct file sharing among users, automatically selecting the fastest available source and switching if it becomes unavailable.
In the graphical interface (GTK), users can now toggle between light and dark themes, and a Deluge icon has been added to the system tray for convenience when the client is minimized. The web interface has also received theme selection options, enhancing the overall user experience in the browser.
It is important to note that the application has dropped support for Python 3.6; the minimum required version is now 3.7, a necessary change due to the lack of updates and support for older Python versions.
qBittorrent
The latest version of the qBittorrent client has also been released, a program that resembles µTorrent in appearance and functionality but remains entirely free and open-source. Compatible with Windows, Linux, and macOS, qBittorrent is developed in C++ using the Qt library.
qBittorrent boasts a robust feature set: users can search for torrents directly within the application, subscribe to RSS feeds, manage downloads via a browser, set file download priorities, fine-tune tracker and peer settings, impose speed limits, utilize IP filters, create their own torrents, and automatically configure network settings through UPnP or NAT-PMP.
This new version introduces several useful enhancements. Users can now drag files into the torrent content window, view their external IP address at the bottom of the application, and configure the frequency of statistics saving. Additionally, developers have improved random number generation for enhanced security on both Linux and Windows platforms.
New settings allow for precise control over the length of magnet links, the ability to retrieve a list of trackers via URL, and the option to select the port used for sending requests (announcements). The search functionality has been upgraded to support multiple queries simultaneously, with history and tabbed results saved for convenience, along with a button to repeat previous searches. The web interface has undergone significant improvements, with over 50 changes implemented, and the application now integrates better with the Thunar file manager.
