Peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing is a method of distributing and sharing digital media using P2P networking technology. This technology allows users to access media files such as books, music, movies, and games using a P2P software program that searches for other connected computers on a P2P network to locate the desired content¹. The nodes (peers) of such networks are end-user computers and distribution servers (not required).

How P2P File Sharing Works

In a P2P network, there is no central server for processing requests. Instead, the peers directly interact with one another without the need for a central server². When one peer makes a request, multiple peers may have a copy of the requested object. The underlying architecture of the P2P system determines how the client peer gets to know all the peers that have the requested object/file, and the file transfer takes place directly between these two peers².

P2P Architectures