Torrent is a protocol that allows users to download large files quickly using minimal bandwidth by connecting to other computers simultaneously downloading or sharing the same file. It works by using a tracker to identify the "swarm" of connected computers that have pieces of the requested file, and the torrent client software trades pieces with others in the swarm. This decentralized process means torrent downloads can be faster even on slow internet connections compared to traditional downloading. However, it requires at least one computer continuing to share the full file as a "seeder" in order for the download to work.