Boneyard Tools

Torrent File Parser

Drop in a .torrent file to read what is inside it without a BitTorrent client. The parser decodes the bencode metadata and shows the torrent name, total size, every file and its size, the piece length and piece count, the announce trackers, the creating program, and the creation date. The file is decoded entirely in your browser and is never uploaded, so there is no download and no peer connection.

How to read a .torrent file

  1. Drag a .torrent file onto the box, or click to browse for one.
  2. Read the summary: name, total size, file count, piece info, and trackers.
  3. Scan the file list to confirm the contents and sizes before you download.

Examples

A multi-file album torrent

album.torrent describing a folder of 12 tracks
Name: My Album, 12 files, 84.2 MB total, 256 KB pieces, 1 tracker

Frequently asked questions

Is my torrent file uploaded anywhere?

No. The .torrent file is read and decoded entirely in your browser using JavaScript. Nothing is sent to a server, no tracker is contacted, and no peers are connected to, so the file stays on your device.

Does this download the actual files in the torrent?

No. A .torrent file only contains metadata: names, sizes, piece hashes, and tracker URLs. This tool reads that metadata so you can see what a torrent points to. It cannot fetch any of the content, which still requires a BitTorrent client.

What is bencode and how does the parser read it?

Bencode is the simple encoding BitTorrent uses for metadata, with four types: integers, byte strings, lists, and dictionaries. The parser decodes those bytes directly, then reads the well-known fields from the top dictionary and the nested info dictionary.

How is the piece count worked out?

The info dictionary stores a pieces field that is a run of 20-byte SHA-1 hashes, one per piece. The tool reads only the byte length of that field and divides by 20 to get the piece count. The raw hash bytes are never shown as text.

What is the difference between a single-file and multi-file torrent?

A single-file torrent stores one length in its info dictionary and describes one file. A multi-file torrent stores a files list, each with its own length and path segments, which are joined with a slash. The total size is the sum of every file.

What does the private flag mean?

Some trackers mark a torrent private by setting the info private flag to 1. That tells clients to use only the listed trackers and skip peer exchange and DHT. The tool surfaces this flag when it is set so you know the torrent is tracker-only.

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