BitTorrent Releases Peer-to-Peer Browser Open Beta

BitTorrent released the first open beta of a decentralized browser based on the protocol of the same name on Friday. The browser, Project Maelstrom, only works on Windows for now. Mac and Linux versions are in the pipeline.

BitTorrent, the company behind the protocol of the same name and the Torrent client, announced the decentralized browser in December. The developers want to build a ‘new internet’ with the new browser and form an alternative to http.

BitTorrent claims to have around 10,000 developers behind it after its announcement in December. Another 3,500 publishers will be added, who are investigating how they can make use of this ‘new internet’. Interested parties also include technicians, academics and researchers, the company said in a blog post.

In addition to releasing the first test version, BitTorrent has also published tools for developers. That way they can use the technology behind the browser. One of the tools is a Python script that converts static web files into optimized torrents. That script has appeared on GitHub.