Protocol Features
Gnutella2 has an extensible binary packet format, comparable to an XML document tree, which was conceived as an answer for some of gnutella's less elegant parts. The packet format was designed so that future network improvements and individual vendor features could be added without worry of causing bugs in other clients on the network.
For file identification and secure integrity check of files it employs SHA-1 hashes. To allow for a file to be reliably downloaded in parallel from multiple sources as well as to allow for the reliable uploading of parts as the file is being downloaded (swarming), Tiger tree hashes are used.
To create a more robust and complete system for searching, Gnutella2 also has a metadata system for more complete labeling, rating, and quality information to be given in the search results than would simply be gathered by the file names. Nodes can even share this information after they have deleted the file, allowing users to mark viruses and worms on the network without requiring them to keep a copy.
Gnutella2 also utilizes compression in its network connections to reduce the bandwidth used by the network.
Shareaza has the additional feature to request previews of images and videos, though currently no additional clients take advantage of this.
Read more about this topic: Gnutella2
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“Each reader discovers for himself that, with respect to the simpler features of nature, succeeding poets have done little else than copy his similes.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)