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Gnutella is a peer-to-peer (P2P) protocol for decentralized file sharing, meaning users can share files directly with each other without a central server. The term can also refer to the virtual network of computers running Gnutella-compatible software or to the original Gnutella software itself. It allows users to search for and download files from other users on the network by flooding the network with search queries.

How it works

Protocol: Gnutella is a protocol, or a set of rules, for how different programs can communicate with each other on the network. This means a variety of different applications can be used to connect to the Gnutella network.

Decentralized network: Gnutella was created as an alternative to centralized systems like Napster. Instead of a single server holding a database of all available files, users share files directly from their own computers.

Query flooding: When a user searches for a file, the query is sent to all connected "servents" (peers) in the network. These peers then forward the query to their neighbors, causing it to spread rapidly throughout the network to find matching files.

File transfer: Once a match is found, the file is transferred directly from the peer who has it to the peer who requested it, using the HTTP protocol.