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332

answers:

5

Possible duplicate
What is the best open source example of a lightweight Windows Application?

µTorrent is a small bit-torrent client, a really small one. It doesn't come with an installer, just a exe, you drop in your PATH somewhere. It's super lightweight and yet feature rich. Plus it is the work of one man. It's also closed-source.

Many people have been curious about how it has been written, and there are hints here and there about a custom library etc. But the question is, are there any programs with attributes like µTorrent that are available with source code--attributes like speed, small size, awesomeness.

Possible related question (/questions/9603/what-is-some-great-source-code-to-read), but think smaller than something like the Linux kernel.

Clarification: I don't want examples of bit-torrent source code, but anything which is used by tons of people (validation of awesomeness) and also fast, small and awesome!

+1  A: 

rTorrent is a lightweight, feature-rich, console-only open-source torrent client.

Ben S
@Ben S, while I agree, rTorrent is awesome I don't think the "bit-torrent" portion of the app is what he was interested in. He wanted lean and mean applications with similar *qualities* to uTorrent.
Simucal
@Ben S: thanks, but Simucal is right ... I wasn't interested in torrent programs per se.
rm
+6  A: 

I think you should take a look at Notepad++ if you want to see a feature-rich low-consumption of power software :)

AraK
yes, notepad++ is brilliant
Edison Gustavo Muenz
Of course it's low-power. That's what you can do if you confine yourself to writing OS-specific, non-portable software.
Chris Lutz
@Chris You make it sound a given. I've got a few dozen OS-specific, non-portable bloated pieces of crap who'd like to have a word with you ;)
Pieter
@AraK: Thank you. I've got the source, will be checking it out. Any other suggestions?
rm
@Chris: Notepad++ is non portable, but then so is µTorrent ... I'm looking for something kick-ass ... if it is crossplatform then more points to it, but if it is not ... then so be it. :)
rm
A: 

FRESHMEAT is a great place to start.
There are lots of small open source programs available that you can study.

Examples:

  • XML-RPC specification.C implementation for Python. Its easy to learn and its fun.
  • Heapq [\Lib\heapq.py] , xml-rpc [\Lib\xmlrpc] and lots of other codes in Python library are very well written.
TheMachineCharmer
+1  A: 

I like Frhed, a simple open-source Windows hex editor.

Steve Jessop
Thanks, lemme have a look at it. Is it yours?
rm
I have no connection with it at all, other than using it.
Steve Jessop
+1  A: 

Netcat It's the program that started all of the curiousity behind networks and how things WORK. Everyone's looked at this source code.

bobby