Torrent files have become a popular way to share and download large files over the internet. While there are many graphical user interface (GUI) based torrent clients available for Ubuntu Linux, downloading torrent files using the terminal can be a more efficient and flexible way to manage your downloads. In this article, we will explore how to download torrent files using the terminal in Ubuntu Linux using the aria2 command-line utility.

Installing Aria2

Before we can start downloading torrent files, we need to install the aria2 utility on our Ubuntu Linux system. To do this, open the terminal and run the following command:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install aria2

This will update the package list and install the aria2 package.

Downloading a Torrent File

Once aria2 is installed, we can start downloading a torrent file. To do this, we need to know the URL of the torrent file we want to download. We can obtain this URL from a torrent website or by creating our own torrent file.

To download a torrent file, use the following command:

aria2c <torrent_url>

Replace <torrent_url> with the actual URL of the torrent file you want to download. For example:

aria2c http://example.com/example.torrent

This will start the download process, and aria2 will begin to download the files specified in the torrent file.

Options and Parameters

aria2 provides several options and parameters that we can use to customize the download process. Some of the most useful options include:

• -d or --dir: Specifies the directory where the downloaded files will be saved.


• -f or --file-allocation: Specifies how aria2 should allocate disk space for the downloaded files.


• -m or --max-overall-download-limit: Specifies the maximum overall download speed.


• -s or --split: Specifies the number of pieces to split the download into.

For example, to download a torrent file and save it to a specific directory, we can use the following command:

aria2c -d ~/Downloads http://example.com/example.torrent

This will download the torrent file and save it to the ~/Downloads directory.

Resume and Pause Downloads

One of the advantages of using aria2 is that it allows us to resume and pause downloads easily. To pause a download, we can use the --stop option:

aria2c --stop <torrent_url>

To resume a paused download, we can use the --resume option:

aria2c --resume <torrent_url>

Conclusion

Downloading torrent files using the terminal in Ubuntu Linux is a straightforward process using the aria2 command-line utility. By following the steps outlined in this article, we can easily download torrent files and customize the download process using various options and parameters. Whether we are an experienced Linux user or just starting out, using aria2 to download torrent files can be a convenient and efficient way to manage our downloads.

Reference

For more information on using aria2 to download torrent files, see the following article: How to Download a Torrent from the Internet using Aria2 on Ubuntu Terminal. This article provides a detailed guide on how to install and use aria2 to download torrent files, including examples and screenshots. By following the steps outlined in this article, we can become proficient in using aria2 to download torrent files and take advantage of its many features and options.