WebTorrent is a command-line tool that allows you to download and stream torrents. It supports magnets, URLs, info hashes, and .torrent files. In this article, we will explore various use cases of the WebTorrent CLI command, along with code examples and explanations for each use case.

Use Case 1: Downloading a Torrent

Downloading a torrent is one of the basic functionalities of WebTorrent. To download a torrent, you can use the following command:

webtorrent download "torrent_id"

• “torrent_id”: The identifier of the torrent you want to download.

Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to download a specific torrent file or magnet URI.

Example Output:

Downloading: torrent_name.mp4 [56%] 1.5MB/2.7MB downloaded

Use Case 2: Streaming a Torrent to VLC Media Player

WebTorrent CLI allows you to stream torrents directly to VLC media player. This can be done using the following command:

webtorrent download "torrent_id" --vlc

• “torrent_id”: The identifier of the torrent you want to stream.

Motivation: VLC media player is a popular media player that supports various codecs and formats. Streaming torrents to VLC allows you to watch or listen to content without downloading the entire file.

Example Output:

Streaming: torrent_name.mp4 [56%] 1.5MB/2.7MB streamed

Use Case 3: Streaming a Torrent to a DLNA Device

If you have a DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) device, you can stream torrents directly to it using WebTorrent CLI. To do so, use the following command:

webtorrent download "torrent_id" --dlna

• “torrent_id”: The identifier of the torrent you want to stream to the DLNA device.

Motivation: Streaming torrents to DLNA devices allows you to enjoy the content on a larger screen or through a connected audio system.

Example Output:

Streaming: torrent_name.avi [56%] 1.5GB/2.7GB streamed to DLNA device

Use Case 4: Displaying a List of Files for a Specific Torrent

If you want to see a list of files available in a specific torrent, you can use the following command:

webtorrent download "torrent_id" --select

• “torrent_id”: The identifier of the torrent for which you want to display the list of files.

Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to selectively download specific files from a torrent.

Example Output:

1. file1.mp4
2. file2.mp4
3. file3.mp4

Use Case 5: Specifying a File Index from the Torrent to Download

When you want to download a specific file from a torrent, you can use the --select option along with the file index in the torrent. For example:

webtorrent download "torrent_id" --select 1

• “torrent_id”: The identifier of the torrent from which you want to download a specific file.
• index: The index number of the file you want to download from the torrent.

Motivation: Selectively downloading specific files from a torrent can save bandwidth and storage space when you only need certain files.

Example Output:

Downloading: file2.mp4 [56%] 1.5MB/2.7MB downloaded

Use Case 6: Seeding a Specific File or Directory

WebTorrent CLI allows you to seed a specific file or directory to make it available for download. To seed, use the following command:

webtorrent seed path/to/file_or_directory

• path/to/file_or_directory: The path to the file or directory you want to seed.

Motivation: Seeding files or directories makes them available for others to download, helping in the distribution of content.

Example Output:

Seeding: file_or_directory [1.2GB] 10.5MB/s uploaded

Use Case 7: Creating a New Torrent File

To create a new torrent file for a specific file path, you can use the following command:

webtorrent create path/to/file

• path/to/file: The path to the file for which you want to create a torrent file.

Motivation: Creating torrent files allows you to share files via torrents and distribute them more effectively.

Example Output:

Torrent created: torrent_name.torrent

Use Case 8: Displaying Information for a Magnet URI or .torrent File

WebTorrent CLI can provide information about a magnet URI or .torrent file. To display this information, use the following command:

webtorrent info path/to/file_or_magnet

• path/to/file_or_magnet: The path to the .torrent file or magnet URI for which you want to display information.

Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to gather information about a torrent before downloading or streaming it.

Example Output:

Info for: torrent_name.mp4
- Size: 2.7GB
- Files: 3
- Seeds: 10
- Peers: 20

Conclusion

In this article, we explored several use cases of the WebTorrent CLI command. We covered downloading torrents, streaming to VLC media player and DLNA devices, displaying file lists, specifying file indices, seeding, creating torrent files, and retrieving information about torrents. By understanding these different use cases and their code examples, you can more effectively manage and utilize WebTorrent CLI for your torrent needs.