FrostWire for Android 3.1.0 build 771: modern playback, safer downloads, and much stronger Android compatibility

~ gubatron ~ Leave a comment

FrostWire for Android 3.1.0 build 771 is a major stability and modernization release centered on one high-impact outcome: the app now behaves much more like a modern Android media and download app.

This build rebuilds the music player around Media3/ExoPlayer, restores reliable standard Android media notifications, hardens YouTube and Internet Archive downloads, migrates preferences to Jetpack DataStore, modernizes VPN/Wi-Fi protection logic, and removes a long list of UI-thread bottlenecks that could lead to freezes or ANRs.

By the numbers

FrostWire for Android 3.1.0 build 771 includes 120 documented Android release-note items:

  • 69 fixes
  • 13 improvements
  • 33 maintenance items
  • 5 new features

We were able to perform 120 updates using a ton of AI compute sponsored by your donations, thank you.

There is no separate crash: bucket in the 3.1.0 changelog, but many of the fixes are crash-class or ANR-class hardening, especially around Chaquopy/yt-dlp startup, music playback transitions, DataStore persistence, MediaStore access, and deprecated Android API migrations.

Highlights, from most important to least important

1. The music player was rebuilt around ExoPlayer and Media3

This is the biggest change in the release.

FrostWire’s Android player moved from the deprecated MediaPlayer and RemoteControlClient stack to ExoPlayer / Jetpack Media3 / MediaSessionService. That migration fixed long-standing race conditions and made the player work like a current Android media app.

The result:

  • a standard Android media notification instead of a fragile custom RemoteViews implementation
  • output device selection in the notification for Bluetooth/Cast-style routing
  • more reliable play/pause, shuffle, repeat, and metadata refresh behavior
  • much better behavior during cold start, background playback, next/previous, and auto-advance transitions

2. Android media notifications now survive real playback use

The media notification work was not just a visual refresh. It fixed a whole class of playback-control failures that made background listening unreliable.

This release fixes:

  • missing media notifications on Android 12+
  • notification disappearance during engine-service notification refreshes
  • notification loss during next/previous/auto-advance transitions
  • stale Not playing state during active playback
  • notification controls failing to keep metadata, cursor state, and queue state in sync
  • previous-track history breaking after several songs
  • playback being killed when backing out through FrostWire’s “go home” dialog

In practice, the player notification is now much closer to how people expect Spotify, YouTube Music, or Pocket Casts to behave.

3. Fresh downloads and direct-file playback now work much better

3.1.0 removes a major source of frustration around newly downloaded songs.

The app now handles audio files more intelligently before MediaStore has indexed them:

  • freshly downloaded audio can start immediately instead of waiting for slow MediaStore indexing
  • YouTube audio downloads now open in FrostWire instead of a third-party app
  • direct-file playback no longer depends on a valid MediaStore ID
  • freshly completed YouTube downloads from Transfers can replace the current song correctly
  • album art fallback works even when MediaStore IDs or album IDs are not ready yet

This means FrostWire now behaves correctly in the exact window where users most often try to play a file: right after the download completes.

4. YouTube download reliability was substantially hardened

The YouTube pipeline got a deep reliability pass.

Notable fixes include:

  • fixing the Chaquopy/yt-dlp startup crash path caused by Android-incompatible subprocess behavior
  • threading per-format http_headers through the full download pipeline so requests keep the headers YouTube expects
  • preventing malformed headers from dropping all subsequent headers
  • treating non-2xx responses as failures so FrostWire no longer leaves behind misleading 0-byte files
  • improving browser-like default headers in the OkHttp wrapper

This release also updates the Python/Chaquopy environment and the yt_dlp integration so Android playback and downloading are much less brittle.

5. Search and download sources are more dependable again

Several search and download integrations were repaired or improved:

  • SoundCloud search was restored by validating remote credentials before caching and falling back safely when necessary
  • SoundCloud result filtering was corrected to match real downloadable/streamable behavior
  • Internet Archive downloads from search results were restored, including nested archive paths for composite crawled results
  • YouTube playlist URL search was added, with playlist partial-result support in Telluride
  • FrostWire is now offered more reliably for .torrent files and magnet links from browsers and download managers

The common theme is less silent failure and better handoff from search results into actual playback or downloads.

6. Preferences and settings were modernized with Jetpack DataStore

This release migrates FrostWire away from SharedPreferences to Jetpack DataStore, with a central configuration repository and safer default handling.

Benefits include:

  • atomic preference writes
  • safer migration from older installs
  • less risk of preference corruption or type mismatch crashes
  • settings writes moved off the UI thread to reduce ANR risk
  • a single source of truth for defaults and volatile preference resets

This is one of the most important under-the-hood changes in 3.1.0, even though it is less visible than the player work.

7. UI freezes, disk I/O, and ContentResolver work were pushed off the main thread

A large part of 3.1.0 is Android hygiene work that directly affects responsiveness.

The release removes:

  • 38 ContentResolver.query() calls from the UI thread
  • 12 disk I/O operations from the UI thread
  • 9 unnecessary async roundtrips for simple in-memory reads

It also fixes multiple StrictMode violations across music, transfers, suggestions, settings, and file opening flows.

These are the kinds of changes that make the app feel less fragile even when they are not visible as a single headline feature.

8. VPN Guard and Wi-Fi Only protections were updated for modern Android APIs

Networking protections had been weakened by deprecated Android APIs.

3.1.0 fixes this by:

  • migrating network monitoring from deprecated broadcast-based connectivity APIs to NetworkCallback
  • restoring correct Wi-Fi Only behavior
  • restoring correct VPN Guard behavior
  • adding faster periodic protection-state monitoring
  • surfacing transfer-screen indicators when protections pause downloads

This is important correctness work for anyone relying on FrostWire to respect network constraints.

9. Transfers, My Music, and deletion flows were cleaned up

Several library and transfer-list correctness bugs were fixed:

  • transfer rows and transfer detail file lists now refresh against the correct live state
  • transfer audio play buttons now open the same player flow used by My Music
  • deleting songs no longer leaves ghost entries in Recent/Favorites
  • 0-byte broken downloads are now filtered out of Recent
  • track deletion avoids a lifecycle-related NullPointerException

This reduces a class of bugs where FrostWire appeared to “undo” the user’s action because the UI reloaded stale data too early.

10. New power-user and privacy features were added

The release also adds a few meaningful new capabilities:

  • I2P network integration for anonymous proxy support
  • I2P settings UI under Settings > Advanced
  • frostwire_launcher.py TUI to build, install, run, and inspect the app without Android Studio
  • live logcat viewing from the launcher

These are not the core reason 3.1.0 matters, but they make the build more capable for both advanced users and developers.

11. Android compatibility and dependency modernization continued

This build also includes a broad modernization sweep:

  • EngineIntentService moved away from deprecated JobIntentService
  • deprecated fragment/activity/notification APIs were migrated across the app
  • old custom media notification plumbing was removed in favor of Media3
  • Gradle/AGP/Python/build tooling and multiple Android dependencies were updated
  • search and media helper code was cleaned up and consolidated

That maintenance work matters because much of the 3.1.0 stability gain comes from removing old code paths that modern Android no longer treats kindly.

Types of work in 3.1.0

This release is not just “a player update.” It spans several categories:

  • Playback architecture modernization: MediaPlayer -> ExoPlayer/Media3, MediaSessionService, notification/output controls
  • Playback correctness fixes: queue sync, metadata refresh, previous/next behavior, cold-start playback, direct-file playback
  • Download hardening: yt-dlp/Chaquopy reliability, YouTube headers, 0-byte download prevention, archive.org result downloads
  • Search/source fixes: SoundCloud, Internet Archive, YouTube playlist URLs, intent filters for torrents/magnets
  • Settings/persistence modernization: SharedPreferences -> Jetpack DataStore, safer migrations, centralized defaults
  • Responsiveness and ANR prevention: main-thread query and disk-I/O removal, StrictMode cleanup, fewer async hops
  • Network protection correctness: Wi-Fi Only, VPN Guard, and modern connectivity monitoring
  • Developer and power-user tooling: I2P support, launcher TUI, live logcat

Why 3.1.0 matters

FrostWire for Android 3.1.0 build 771 matters because it fixes the seams between searching, downloading, and actually using media on a modern Android device.

Before this release, the most visible pain points were exactly where users notice breakage fastest: fresh downloads not opening correctly, notifications disappearing, playback controls getting stuck, settings writes freezing the UI, and modern Android API changes quietly breaking network protections or media behavior.

This build addresses those pain points directly and moves the app onto a much healthier foundation.

New FrostWire 7.0.3 for Desktop — Release Notes

~ gubatron ~ Leave a comment

Date: March 25, 2026
Build: 330
Urgency: High

This update focuses on critical stability improvements, memory management, and the initial infrastructure for I2P integration. We’ve also addressed several UI bugs and search logic inconsistencies to provide a smoother user experience.

Windows:
frostwire-7.0.3.windows.exe

MacOS:
frostwire-7.0.3-x86_64.pkg
frostwire-7.0.3-arm64.pkg

Linux:
frostwire-7.0.3.x86_64.tar.gz
frostwire-7.0.3.arm64.tar.gz

🚀 New Features

  • I2P Integration: Added the foundational configuration infrastructure for I2P, including a dedicated UI settings panel and registration within the options dialog
  • JDK 26: Updated to JDK 26 bundled runtime
  • Telluride Build 44: Latest Telluride Video Downloader improvements

🛠️ Bug Fixes & Stability

  • Memory Leak Prevention: Implemented bounds on previously unbounded image and icon caches to stop excessive memory consumption
  • Crash Fix: Resolved a specific crash that occurred when users pasted non-video URLs into the search bar
  • Linux Improvements: Fixed persistent tray icon issues specifically for users on KDE Plasma (#845)
  • Search Logic: Fixed the “Search Tools” filter and overhauled the logic to ensure all search filters now work independently and accurately
  • I2P Configuration: Fixed I2PPaneItem return value for applyOptions to ensure settings are saved correctly

📈 UI/UX Refinements

  • Speed Accuracy: Fixed a calculation error in the Peers Tab; download/upload speeds are now correctly converted from bytes/s to KB/s for easier reading

Note: This release is marked with High Urgency due to the memory leak and crash fixes. Users are encouraged to update immediately to ensure application stability.

📥 Download

Download FrostWire

ℹ️ About FrostWire

FrostWire is a free, open-source BitTorrent client and media player that has been actively developed since 2004. This release continues our commitment to stability, performance, and user privacy with the addition of I2P infrastructure support.

Full Changelog: View on GitHub

FrostWire 7.0.2 Released: Enhanced Privacy with VPN-Drop Protection & Smarter Search

~ gubatron ~ Leave a comment

We are excited to announce the release of FrostWire 7.0.2 (Stable) for Windows, macOS, and Linux. This update is a significant milestone for user privacy and search efficiency, introducing a robust “VPN-Drop Protection” system to keep your identity safe while downloading.

Windows
frostwire-7.0.2.windows.exe

MacOS
frostwire-7.0.2-x86_64.pkg (Intel)
frostwire-7.0.2-arm64.pkg (Apple Silicon)

Linux
frostwire-7.0.2.x86_64.tar.gz
frostwire-7.0.2.arm64.tar.gz

Whether you are a casual downloader or a power user, 7.0.2 brings a more responsive, cleaner, and safer experience to your desktop.

🛡️ Stay Protected: New improved VPN-Drop Protection

Screenshot 2025-12-28 at 2 15 16 PM

The headline feature of this release is the VPN-Drop Protection. In the world of BitTorrent, maintaining a secure connection is paramount. We’ve added a fail-safe to ensure your real IP address is never accidentally exposed.

Quick Toggle: You’ll notice a new checkbox in the status bar. This allows you to instantly enable or disable VPN-Drop Protection.

Automatic Pausing: If this setting is on and your VPN disconnects, FrostWire will automatically pause all BitTorrent transfers.

Smart Alerts: FrostWire now checks for an active VPN connection when you start a new download, open a .torrent file, or paste a magnet link. If you aren’t protected, a dialog will alert you before the transfer begins.

Performance First: We’ve optimized the logic behind the scenes (using a new VPNDropGuard system) to ensure that checking your VPN status won’t lag your computer or freeze the interface.

🔍 Better Search, Faster Results

We’ve overhauled how FrostWire sorts your search results to help you find the highest quality files in less time.

Relevance First: Search results are now prioritized by keyword matches first, followed by seed counts and popularity. This ensures that the most relevant and “healthy” files stay at the top of your list.

Bug Fix: We’ve squashed a bug where seed counts were occasionally disappearing from the search UI. You’ll now have full visibility into the health of every file before you click download.

🎨 Clean & Compact UI

We believe a powerful tool should also be a beautiful one. FrostWire 7.0.2 features a more compact status bar layout. By reducing spacing and using a smaller font for the VPN indicators, we’ve freed up screen real estate while still keeping your vital connection stats front and center.

There is even a handy, clickable “VPN” link in the status bar that takes you directly to information on how to better protect your privacy.

Changelog Highlights:

Improved: Search result sorting (Keyword relevance > Seeds/Popularity).

New: VPN-Drop protection checkbox in the status bar.

New: VPN status checks when starting downloads or opening magnet links.

Fix: Resolved issue with disappearing seed counts in search results.

Optimization: All VPN-related logic moved to background threads to prevent UI blocking.

UI: Minimalist spacing for VPN and status indicators.

Download FrostWire

FrostWire for Android 3.0.14: Critical Stability Fixes & Engine Optimization

~ gubatron ~ Leave a comment

Just in time for the new year, we are rolling out a vital update for our Android users. FrostWire 3.0.14 (build 768) is now available, and it addresses several critical “day-one” issues introduced with our recent V2 architecture overhaul.

This release focuses on making sure the app starts correctly, downloads reliably, and accurately reports the status of your transfers.

What’s Fixed in Build 768?

🛠 Fixing the “Error” Status Bug

Many users reported that newly started torrents would immediately show an “Error” status even when the download was healthy. We found that the app was occasionally reading from an outdated status cache. We’ve implemented a fix to invalidate that cache immediately upon starting a transfer, ensuring you see the actual download progress instead of a false error.

⚡ Solving Initialization Crashes

We’ve eliminated two major race conditions that occurred during the app’s startup sequence:

  • Port 0 Binding Failure: Previously, the BitTorrent engine (BTEngine) would sometimes try to start before your settings were loaded, causing it to fail by trying to connect to “Port 0.”
  • Session Initialization: We’ve ensured the ConfigurationManager now blocks and finishes loading preferences before the engine starts, preventing session-related crashes.

🔍 Restoring Search-to-Download Functionality

Following our recent search architecture consolidation, some results from popular sources (like TPB, 1337X, and MagnetDL) weren’t being recognized as torrents.

  • We have added support for the new CompositeFileSearchResult interface.
  • This ensures that when you click a search result, the download starts immediately as intended.

📈 Maintenance & Core Updates

We have refreshed our core dependencies to ensure maximum compatibility with the latest Android devices:

  • yt-dlp Updated to 2025.12.08: Essential for high-speed cloud video downloads.
  • Gradle Plugin 8.13.2: Optimized build performance.
  • Library Updates: Updated Firebase BOM (v34.7.0), AndroidX ExifInterface (v1.4.2), and SwipeRefreshLayout (v1.2.0).

How to Update

  • Direct Download: Visit FrostWire.com to download the latest APK directly.

If you’ve been having trouble with downloads not starting or seeing unexpected errors in your transfer list, this update is highly recommended. Thank you for helping us make FrostWire better by reporting these issues!

Happy New Year and Happy Downloading!
— The FrostWire Team

FrostWire 7 — The Next Generation of Desktop BitTorrent

~ gubatron ~ Leave a comment

18 years ago FrostWire began as a community-driven fork with a mission: keep decentralized file-sharing alive, open, and powerful. In 2025 we’re still here — evolving faster than ever.

Today, we’re proud to introduce FrostWire 7

Download FrostWire 7 today.



A massive leap forward. A brand-new era for the app.
Not a facelift — an entirely new heart.

🚀 A New BitTorrent Engine for a New Decade

Under the hood, FrostWire 7 is powered by jlibtorrent 2.0:
two years of engineering, hundreds of optimizations, and native support for BitTorrent v2.

What that means to you:

  • Faster swarm performance
  • Better integrity checking
  • More resilient downloading
  • Hybrid v1+v2 torrents that “just work”
  • Optimized disk I/O for modern hardware

This is the biggest peer-to-peer core upgrade in FrostWire’s history.

✂️ No More Ads. No Bundled Garbage. Just Open Source.

We’re done with the distractions.

  • 0% third-party ads
  • 0% bundled installer offers
  • 100% free & open-source

FrostWire is now fully community-supported — donations and optional VPN referrals keep the lights on.
The app belongs to users again.

If you believe in a world where software is free because it is free — we’d love your help.

🔍 The Search Experience Rebuilt From Scratch

We demolished our legacy search architecture and rebuilt the engine to be leaner and faster:

  • Up to 50% less memory allocation
  • New performers like Knaben and TorrentCSV
  • Far quicker result rendering
  • Smarter I/O scheduling so search doesn’t freeze the UI

Search feels snappy again — even on older systems.

⚡ FrostWire 7 Starts Faster and Stays Smooth

A huge part of this cycle focused on eliminating UI freezes and making startup feel instant. We pushed expensive tasks off the main UI thread — all 19+ offenders fixed.

Benefits you’ll feel right away:

  • Launch in seconds, not ages
  • Smooth scrolling through huge torrent lists
  • Zero-stall layout rendering
  • More responsive search result interaction

We want FrostWire to be a fast desktop app, not “a Java app that runs like one.”

🧩 Smarter Packaging: Simpler Installs, Broader Linux Support

This release also marks a major cleanup in how FrostWire ships across platforms.

Linux: One Package to Run Them All

We’ve moved away from distro-specific packaging like .deb and .rpm. They constantly forced us into whack-a-mole compatibility battles across dozens of flavors.

Instead, FrostWire 7 now ships as:

  • Linux x86_64 .tar.gz
  • Linux ARM64 .tar.gz (yes, Raspberry Pi users and macOS with Apple Silicon on UTM containers — finally!)

Just unpack and run:

./frostwire

Or choose a full installation so your desktop environment recognizes FrostWire automatically:

./install.sh

You can remove it just as easily:

./uninstall.sh

Tested across GNOME, KDE, XFCE, Cinnamon — everywhere Linux thrives.

One archive. All Linux. Zero drama.

macOS: The .pkg Era

We’ve retired the old .dmg drag-and-drop days.
FrostWire for macOS now uses a modern .pkg installer:

  • Double-click
  • Follow the dialog
  • Done

No more wondering where the app actually landed.

🎧 Less is More — Media Player Removed

FrostWire 7 no longer ships with its own audio/video player.

Why?

  • Less binary bloat
  • Less CPU/memory footprint
  • Less maintenance overhead

Your OS already has a media player — and usually a better one.
So now playback just hands off to the default app.

More focus, fewer bundled components.

🛠️ And Thousands of Under-the-Radar Improvements

Cleaner codebase.
Modern libraries.
Better diagnostics.
Safer crypto.
New hashing support.
Countless bug fixes from years of backlog.

We even finally removed legacy Azureus code that had been haunting the repo since the early 2000s.

FrostWire 7 is the most stable, modern, and maintainable version we have ever shipped.

🌎 Built by and for the Open-Source Peer-to-Peer Movement

FrostWire 7 is more than just revision numbers and changelog entries — it’s a statement:

Decentralized file sharing deserves fast, transparent, user-owned tools.
No corporate lock-in. No telemetry farms. No crypto-mining in the background.
Just freedom to share.

If that vision resonates with you…

Every bit of support helps keep the project alive and independent.

🔥 Welcome to the Future of FrostWire

Download FrostWire 7 today.
Rejoin the swarm.
Let’s keep building an internet that cannot be censored.

👉 The Future is Peer-to-Peer.

frostwire (7.0.0) stable; urgency=high

  • New:Powered by Jlibtorrent 2.0.12.5 with bittorrent 2.0 support and hundreds of optimizations
  • New:Dynamic SoundCloud client ID and app version fetching from remote server for uninterrupted service
  • New:TorrentCSV search performer
  • New:Knaben Database Search Performer
  • New:Partial selection file dialog now allows shift-click to select ranges of files in torrents
  • New:settings panel to pick location for .torrent files
  • New:FlatLaf light theme
  • New:Header bar rearranged, search bar goes to the center, nav buttons on the left, FW Logo first
  • New:Torrent Transfer > Advanced > Check local data feature. If a file belonging to a torrent is now on disk it can be force checked
  • New:Audio and video playback now uses the operating system’s default media player instead of custom player infrastructure
  • New:Strict EDT Mode to catch long running tasks stalling event dispatch thread
  • EDT freeze:Comprehensive startup performance overhaul – defer heavy class loading and I/O to prevent EDT blocking during initialization (19 EDT violations fixed)
  • EDT freeze:ResourceManager uses deferred image loading instead of synchronous MediaTracker to avoid blocking on image I/O
  • EDT freeze:LibraryCoverArtPanel defers component listener initialization with SwingUtilities.invokeLater()
  • EDT freeze:SearchMediator uses lazy singleton pattern with deferred SearchResultDisplayer creation
  • EDT freeze:MPlayerInstance.runCommand() moved to background thread to avoid Process.waitFor() blocking EDT
  • EDT freeze:SearchResultDisplayer creation deferred with placeholder component to avoid class loading file I/O during tab initialization
  • EDT freeze:SplashWindow preloads OS icons during initialization to avoid file I/O during paint operations
  • EDT freeze:StatusLine defers bandwidth label icon loading to background EDT cycle using SwingUtilities.invokeLater()
  • EDT freeze:ApplicationHeader defers MediaPlayerComponent creation with placeholder panel to prevent class loading during startup
  • EDT freeze:MainFrame defers expensive minimum size calculations to background thread – prevents 2+ second EDT blocking from cascading layout calculations
  • EDT freeze:AbstractTab implements lazy icon loading to defer tab icon loading via SwingUtilities.invokeLater() on first getIcon() call
  • EDT freeze:SearchResultActionsRenderer defers 5 action button icons (play, download, details, speaker) via lazy static initialization with ensureIconsLoaded()
  • EDT freeze:AbstractActionsRenderer defers 3 action button icons (play, download, share) via lazy static initialization with ensureIconsLoaded()
  • EDT freeze:SourceRenderer defers 7 source icons (soundcloud, archive.org, tpb, zooqle, magnetdl, default, 1337x) via lazy static initialization with ensureIconsLoaded()
  • EDT freeze:TransferActionsRenderer defers 2 action button icons (play, share) via lazy static initialization with ensureIconsLoaded()
  • EDT freeze:TransferSeedingRenderer defers 2 seeding icons (seed, loading) via lazy static initialization with ensureIconsLoaded()
  • EDT freeze:TransferDetailFilesActionsRenderer defers 2 file action icons (play, share) via lazy static initialization with ensureIconsLoaded()
  • EDT freeze:PaymentOptionsRenderer defers 4 payment method icons (bitcoin_enabled, bitcoin_disabled, paypal_enabled, paypal_disabled) via lazy static initialization
  • EDT freeze:LogoPanel defers logo_header icon loading via SwingUtilities.invokeLater() with placeholder label
  • EDT freeze:MediaButton defers button icon loading (up and down icons) via SwingUtilities.invokeLater() in loadIcons() method
  • EDT freeze:LimeJFrame defers window icon loading via SwingUtilities.invokeLater() in loadWindowIcon() method
  • Performance:These EDT fixes significantly improve startup time and responsiveness, especially on resource-constrained systems and older hardware
  • Performance:Search architecture optimizations – 25-50% reduction in memory allocations
  • Performance:SizeParser utility consolidates duplicate implementations, 200+ lines of code eliminated
  • Performance:SearchMatcher memory optimization reduces garbage collection pressure by 25%
  • Performance:YT pattern static initialization and string operation optimization
  • Maintenance:SearchTimeoutException provides better diagnostics with performer and domain context
  • Maintenance:Search package hierarchy flattened, V2 package consolidated
  • Removed:TorrentDownloads search performer (site offline permanently)
  • Removed:BTDigg search performer (protected by Cloudflare, unable to reliably parse search results)
  • Maintenance:mplayer not available in linux warning can now not be shown ever again
  • Removed:Torlock search performer (old site is down, new site is malicious)
  • Removed:LimeTorrents search performer
  • Maintenance:MacEventHandler is now compatible with JDK 23 and JDK 24
  • Maintenance:Archive.org search
  • Maintenance:GloTorrents search
  • Maintenance:Idope search
  • Maintenance:MagnetDL search
  • Crash: fixed NPE in MultilineToolTip.updateUI() when switching from Synth L&F
  • Removed:FrostWire Media Player custom built-in audio/video player (fwplayer binaries for Windows/macOS/Linux)
  • Removed:MPlayer integration code and process management for audio playback
  • Removed:Player settings panel and configuration options
  • Removed:Playback state tracking and speaker icon indicators in UI components (TransferActionsRenderer, LibraryFilesTableDataLine, SearchResultActionsRenderer, etc.)
  • Removed:Speaker icon assets (speaker.png, speaker_light.png)
  • EDT freeze:moved media checks off EDT; coalesce selection; add EDT I/O guard
  • EDT freeze: Fix in TransferDetailFiles by moving heavy I/O to background thread, would stall app when opening large torrents on startup
  • Cleanup:removed all remnants of azureus source code
  • Optimization:PerformersHelper.sanitize() 8.8x speed gains in title normalization by not using a regex and instead simple string replacements
  • Fixed:logic bug in PerformersHelper.countMatchedTokens()
  • Cleanup:apple libdispatch removal
  • Cleanup:deprecated iTunes integration removed after cleanups. Users can manage their own playlists on Apple Music.
  • New: libtorrent::set_piece_hashes_posix_disk_io to avoid SIGSEGV/SIGBUS leaks to macos when creating torrents
  • Crash:don’t crash if a null set_piece_hashes_listener is passed to set_piece_hashes_ex
  • Crash:StatusLine seedingStatusButton.getText()
  • Crash:ConcurrentModificationException in Ssl$FWHostnameVerifier
  • Cleanup:Remove unused sun.awt.X11 classes (linux)
  • Maintenance:fix javadoc errors, javadoc cleanup
  • Maintenance:all license headers are consistent with GPL 3.0
  • Maintenance:simplified donations buttons in status bar to a single ‘Donate’ button
  • Maintenance:added don’t show me again for linux warning when mplayer isn’t found
  • Maintenance:fwplayer_osx.arm64 rebuilt with OpenSSL 3.5.3 support
  • Speed-up:reuse OkHttpClient instances to unlock connection pooling and reduce GC pressure
  • Speed-up:Cache torrent-search date parsers to eliminate per-result SimpleDateFormat allocations
  • Speed-up:Use buffered I/O for large transfers in OkHttpClientWrapper.save and ZipUtils.unzip. Up to 96% CPU savings in sys write calls, 30-50% reduction in CPU during I/O operations, search results should come out a lot faster
  • Speed-up:Optimize Levenshtein distance allocation footprint in PerformersHelper fuzzy matching
  • Speed-up:Optimize hot paths for string sanitizers – eliminate regex compilation overhead in search and scrapes (UrlUtils and StringUtils)
  • Speed-up:Optimize hot paths for Logger, ThreadPool, and collection sizing
  • Speed-up:Refactor SearchManager tasks to Runnable and remove Thread.yield() from hot path
  • Fixed:thread leak and data race in UrlUtils.getFastestMirrorDomain
  • EDT freeze:Comprehensive fix for EDT violations in transfers UI with multiple optimization layers
  • EDT freeze:Move BTDownloadModel.refresh() to background thread to prevent EDT blocking during model updates
  • EDT freeze:Add debouncing to BTDownloadDataLine.update() to prevent rapid successive JNI calls
  • EDT freeze:Throttle TransferActionsRenderer state checks to 200ms intervals during table rendering
  • EDT freeze:Move clearable downloads check to background thread in BTDownloadMediator.doRefresh()
  • EDT freeze:Add count caching to BTDownloadModel with background updates every 500ms
  • EDT freeze:Cache active uploads for hidden downloads in BTDownloadRowFilteredModel
  • EDT freeze:Use cached transfer state instead of expensive JNI calls in button state updates
  • jlibtorrent:libraries are now compiled with C++20 (ming/windows with C++2a which is the same)
  • jlibtorrent:g++-9 upgraded to g++-11 for linux build
  • jlibtorrent:new Sha256Hash::swig()
  • jlibtorrent:new SessionManager::find(Sha256Hash) and SessionManager::find(TorrentInfo) methods
  • jlibtorrent:built with android NDK r28c with 16K page size support
  • Android 64-bit binaries are compiled to have 16KB max-page-size
  • jlibtorrent:New com.frostwire:jlibtorrent- maven packages for easier integration with gradle/maven
  • jlibtorrent:new torrent_handle::get_resume_data() : add_torrent_params
  • jlibtorrent:new torrent_handle::get_resume_data(resume_data_flags_t flags) : add_torrent_params
  • jlibtorrent:new settings_pack.int_types i2p_inbound_length_variance
  • jlibtorrent:new settings_pack.int_types i2p_outbound_length_variance
  • jlibtorrent:Jar built with JDK 17 – JAVA_17 compatibility
  • jlibtorrentBoost 1.88.0 upgrade
  • jlibtorrent:OpenSSL 3.5.2 upgrade (from 1.1.1t)
  • jlibtorrent:Upgraded SWIG to 4.3.1
  • jlibtorrent:Gradle 9.0.0
  • dev:junit upgraded from 4.13.1 -> 4.13.2
  • lt:add option to send host header in HTTP proxy CONNECT command
  • lt:cache DNS failures for a shorter time
  • lt:file_renamed_alert is always posted, regardless of alert mask
  • lt:add feature to request resume data synchronously
  • lt:don’t leak file descriptors to child processes (O_CLOEXEC)
  • lt:optimize the utp resend
  • lt:optimize tracker announcements
  • lt:fix handling of invalid filenames
  • lt:add support for I2CP inbound.lengthVariance and outbound.lengthVariance tunnel settings
  • lt:validate add_torrent_params::save_path at run-time
  • lt:use stricter rules for what filenames are valid on Android
  • lt:fix applying IP filter to DHT traffic (HanabishiRecca)
  • lt:fix race condition when cancelling requests after becoming a seed
  • lt:fix performance bug in the file pool, evicting MRU instead of LRU (HanabishiRecca)
  • lt:fix bug where file_progress could sometimes be reported as >100%
  • jlibtorrent:BDecodeNode: hasList, hasDict, hasString, hasInt, getList, getDict, getString, getInt
  • lt:limit piece size in torrent creator
  • lt:don’t hint FADV_RANDOM on posix systems. May improve seeding performance
  • lt:allow boost connect while checking resume data if no_verify_files flag is set
  • lt:fix BEP-40 peer priority for IPv6
  • lt:fix file pre-allocation when changing file priority (HanabishiRecca)
  • jlibtorrent:SWIG interface files have been modularized for better maintainability and readability
  • jlibtorrent:Added missing alert types
  • jlibtorrent:Introduced typed_bitfield template
  • jlibtorrent:Operator renaming for Java compatibility
  • jlibtorrent:Included boost_system_error_code.i
  • jlibtorrent:Added prepare-macos.sh script
  • jlibtorrent:Updated run-swig.sh script
  • jlibtorrent:Set TORRENT_ABI_VERSION=4
  • jlibtorrent:Libtorrent updated to RC_2_0 (rev:2ab8fedabb7716947edc77958da6d0b5e1040df9)
  • jlibtorrent:Android NDK r26d (LTS) upgrade (from r25c)
  • jlibtorrent:Added --swig-only and --build-only options to swig/build scripts
  • jlibtorrent:Added prepare-macos.sh script for macOS build setup
  • jlibtorrent:Updated run-swig.sh script for improved SWIG processing
  • jlibtorrent:Enhanced exception handling in SWIG interfaces
  • jlibtorrent:Fixed issues in file_storage.hpp and ip_filter.hpp
  • jlibtorrent:Adjusted build flags and macros for Boost and libtorrent compatibility
  • jlibtorrent:Enabled SWIG directors for specific classes
  • lt:fix uTP issue where closing the connection could corrupt the payload
  • lt:apply DSCP/TOS to sockets before initiating the TCP connection
  • lt:assume copy_file_range() exists on linux (unless old glibc)
  • lt:fix issue where set_piece_deadline() did not correctly post read_piece_alert
  • lt:fix integer overflow in piece picker
  • lt:torrent_status::num_pieces counts pieces passed hash check, as documented
  • lt:check settings_pack::max_out_request_queue before performance alert
  • lt:allow on_unknown_torrent method in the absence of active torrents (new plugin feature added)
  • lt:add feature to async_move_storage() to not move files
  • lt:fix reject resume data if it contains mismatching info hashes
  • lt:fix clear the candidate_cache when clear peer_list
  • lt:fix missing python converter for dht::announce_flags_t
  • lt:fix issue with web seed connections when they close and re-open
  • lt:fallocate() not supported is not a fatal error
  • lt:fix proxying of IPv6 connections via IPv4 proxy
  • lt:treat CGNAT address range as local IPs
  • lt:add stricter checking of piece layers when loading torrents
  • lt:add stricter checking of v1 and v2 hashes being consistent
  • lt:cache failed DNS lookups as well as successful ones
  • lt:add an i2p torrent state to control interactions with clear swarms
  • lt:fix i2p SAM protocol parsing of quoted messages
  • lt:expose i2p peer destination in peer_info
  • lt:fix i2p tracker announces
  • lt:fix issue with read_piece() stopping torrent on pieces not yet downloaded
  • lt:improve handling of allow_i2p_mixed setting to work for magnet links
  • lt:fix web seed request for renamed single-file torrents
  • lt:fix issue where web seeds could disappear from resume data
  • lt:extend save_resume with additional conditional flags
  • lt:fix issue with retrying trackers in tiers > 0
  • lt:fix last_upload and last_download resume data fields to use posix time
  • lt:improve error messages for no_connect_privileged_ports, by untangle it from the port filter
  • lt:fix I2P issue introduced in 2.0.0
  • lt:add async tracker status query, post_trackers()
  • lt:add async torrent status query, post_status()
  • lt:support loading version 2 of resume data format
  • lt:fix issue with odd piece sizes
  • lt:add async piece availability query, post_piece_availability()
  • lt:add async download queue query, post_download_queue()
  • lt:add async file_progress query, post_file_progress()
  • lt:add async peer_info query, post_peer_info()
  • lt:fix uTP streams timing out instead of closing cleanly
  • lt:add write_torrent_file_buf() overload for generating .torrent files
  • lt:add create_torrent::generate_buf() function to generate into a buffer
  • lt:fix copy_file when the file ends with a sparse region
  • lt:uTP performance, fix packet loss when sending is stalled
  • lt:fix trackers being stuck after session pause/resume
  • lt:fix bug in hash_picker with empty files
  • lt:uTP performance, prevent premature timeouts/resends
  • lt:add option to not memory map files below a certain size
  • lt:settings_pack now returns default values when queried for missing settings
  • lt:fix copy_file fall-back when SEEK_HOL/SEEK_DATA is not supported
  • lt:improve error reporting from file copy and move
  • lt:tweak pad file placement to match reference implementation (tail-padding)
  • lt:uTP performance, more lenient nagle’s algorithm to always allow one outstanding undersized packet
  • lt:uTP performance, piggy-back held back undersized packet with ACKs
  • lt:uTP performance, don’t send redundant deferred ACKs
  • lt:support incoming SOCKS5 packets with hostnames as source address, for UDP trackers
  • lt:ignore duplicate network interface change notifications on linux
  • lt:fix total_want/want accounting when forcing a recheck
  • lt:fix merging metadata with magnet links added on top of existing torrents
  • lt:add torrent_flag to default all file priorities to dont_download
  • lt:fix &so= feature in magnet links
  • lt:improve compatibility of SOCKS5 UDP ASSOCIATE
  • lt:fix madvise range for flushing cache in mmap_storage
  • lt:open files with no_cache set in O_SYNC mode~
  • lt:fix issue in use of copy_file_range() on linux
  • lt:avoid open-file race in the file_view_pool
  • lt:fix issue where stop-when-ready would not close files
  • lt:fix issue with duplicate hybrid torrent via separate v1 and v2 magnet links
  • lt:added new function to load torrent files, load_torrent_*()
  • lt:support sync_file_range() on linux
  • lt:fix issue in write_torrent_file() when file size is exactly piece size
  • lt:fix file_num_blocks() and file_num_pieces() for empty files
  • lt:add new overload to make_magnet_uri()
  • lt:add missing protocol version to tracker_reply_alert and tracker_error_alert
  • lt:fix privilege issue with SetFileValidData()
  • lt:add asynchronous overload of torrent_handle::add_piece()
  • lt:default to a single hashing thread, for full checks
  • lt:Fix bug when checking files and the first piece is invalid
  • lt:fix issue creating a v2 torrent from torrent_info containing an empty file
  • lt:make recheck files also update which files use partfile
  • lt:add write_through disk_io_write_mode, which flushes pieces to disk immediately
  • lt:improve copy file function to preserve sparse regions (when supported)
  • lt:add function to truncate over-sized files part of a torrent
  • lt:fix directory creation on windows shared folders
  • lt:add flag to make add_files() not record file attributes
  • lt:deprecate (unused) allow_partial_disk_writes settings
  • lt:fix disk-full error reporting in mmap_disk_io
  • lt:fixed similar-torrents feature for v2 torrents
  • lt:fix potential unbounded recursion in add_completed_job, in disk I/O
  • lt:deprecated (unused) volatile_read_cache setting
  • lt:fix part files being marked as hidden on window
  • lt:on windows, explicitly flush memory mapped files periodically
  • lt:fix build with WolfSSL
  • lt:fix issue where incoming uTP connections were not accepted over SOCKS5
  • lt:fix several issues in handling of checking files of v2 torrents, esp. from magnet links
  • lt:make the token limit when parsing metadata from magnet files configurable
  • lt:fix issue with stalled pieces on disk full errors
  • lt:fix missing python binding for file_progress_flags
  • lt:fix torrent_file_with_hashes() to fail when we don’t have the piece layers
  • lt:restore path character encoding conversion for non UTF-8 locales on linux
  • lt:fix use-after-free bug in make_magnet_uri
  • lt:add write_torrent_file() to produce a .torrent file from add_torrent_params
  • lt:allow loading v2 .torrent files without piece layer
  • lt:fix issue with adding v2 torrents with invalid file root hash
  • lt:fix piece picker bug causing double-picks with prefer-contiguous enabled
  • lt:expose session_params in python bindings
  • lt:fix (deprecated) use of add_torrent_params::info_hash
  • lt:fix issue creating and loading v2 torrents with empty files. Improves conformance to BEP52 reference implementation
  • lt:add new torrent_file_with_hashes() which includes piece layers for creating .torrent files
  • lt:add file_prio_alert, posted when file priorities are updated
  • lt:fix issue where set_piece_hashes() would not propagate file errors
  • lt:add missing python binding for event_t
  • lt:add work-around for systems without fseeko() (such as Android)
  • lt:add convenience header libtorrent/libtorrent.hpp
  • lt:increase default max_allowed_in_request_queue
  • lt:fix loading non-ascii filenames on windows with torrent_info constructor (2.0 regression)
  • lt:add std::hash<> specialization for info_hash_t
  • lt:fix integer overflow in hash_picker and properly restrict max file sizes in torrents
  • lt:strengthen SSRF mitigation for web seeds
  • lt:add v1() and v2() functions to torrent_info
  • lt:fix piece_layers() to work for single-piece files
  • lt:fix python binding regression in session constructor flags
  • lt:fix unaligned piece requests in mmap_storage
  • lt:improve client_data_t ergonomics
  • lt:fix issue with concurrent access to part files
  • lt:fix attribute in single-file v2 torrent creation
  • lt:fix padding for empty files in v2 torrent creation
  • lt:add function to ask a file_storage whether it’s v2 or not
  • lt:fix mtime field when creating single-file v2 torrents
  • lt:fix performance regression in checking files
  • lt:disable use of SetFileValidData() by default (windows). A new setting allows enabling it
  • lt:dropped dependency on iconv
  • lt:deprecate set_file_hash() in torrent creator, as it’s superceded by v2 torrents
  • lt:deprecate mutable access to info_section in torrent_info
  • lt:removed deprecated lazy_entry/lazy_bdecode
  • lt:stats_alert deprecated
  • lt:remove bittyrant choking algorithm
  • lt:update userdata in add_torrent_params to be type-safe and add to torrent_handle
  • lt:add ip_filter to session_params
  • lt:added support for wolfSSL for SHA-1 hash and HTTPS (no Torrents over SSL)
  • lt:requires OpenSSL minimum version 1.0.0 with SNI support
  • lt:deprecated save_state() and load_state() on session in favour of new
  • lt:write_session_params() and read_session_params()
  • lt:added support for BitTorrent v2 (see docs/upgrade_to_2.0.html)
  • lt:create_torrent() pad_file_limit parameter removed
  • lt:create_torrent() merkle- and optimize-alignment flags removed
  • lt:merkle_tree removed from add_torrent_params
  • lt:announce_entry expose information per v1 and v2 info-hash announces
  • lt:deprecated sha1_hash info_hash members on torrent_removed_alert,
  • lt:torrent_deleted_alert, torrent_delete_failed_alert and add_torrent_params
  • lt:undeprecate error_file_metadata for torrent errors related to its metadata
  • lt:remove support for adding a torrent under a UUID (used for previous RSS support)
  • lt:remove deprecated feature to add torrents by file:// URL
  • lt:remove deprecated feature to download .torrent file from URL
  • lt:requires boost >= 1.66 to build
  • lt:update networking API to networking TS compatible boost.asio
  • lt:overhauled disk I/O subsystem to use memory mapped files (where available)
  • lt:libtorrent now requires C++14 to build
  • lt:added support for GnuTLS for HTTPS and torrents over SSL
  • lt:fix issue where stop-when-ready would not close files
  • lt:uTP performance, fix packet loss when sending is stalled
  • lt:uTP performance, prevent premature timeouts/resends
  • lt:uTP performance, more lenient nagle’s algorithm to always allow one outstanding undersized packet
  • lt:uTP performance, piggy-back held back undersized packet with ACKs
  • lt:uTP performance, don’t send redundant deferred ACKs
  • lt:fix wanted_done/done accounting when force-rechecking
  • lt:expose userdata via torrent_handle (back-port from 2.0)
  • lt:fix renaming of filenames that are too long for the filesystem
  • lt:made UPnP and LSD code avoid using select_reactor (to work around an issue on windows in boost.asio < 1.80)

FrostWire for Android 3.0 is here. Next generation bittorrent 2.0 and privacy with no more third party ads

~ gubatron ~ Leave a comment

We’re incredibly excited to announce the biggest overhaul of FrostWire for Android in years, representing two years of dedicated development. This update delivers unprecedented speed, stability, and a renewed commitment to your privacy.

DOWNLOAD frostwire-android-release-3.0.12-b766-plus.apk NOW

🔒 Core Principle Change: Zero Ads and Tracking

The most significant change is our commitment to a truly private experience:

  • 🚫 Complete Ad Removal: We have permanently eliminated all third-party ads and advertising tracking of any kind.
  • 🧘 Distraction-Free Search: Search is now optimized for speed and focus, with the distraction-free mode enabled by default.

⚡ Performance & Stability: Upgrading the Core Engine

We’ve integrated the new jlibtorrent 2.0.12.7, bringing hundreds of bug fixes and next-generation features:

New Features

  • BitTorrent v2 Protocol Support: Full support for the modern v2 and hybrid v1/v2 protocols.
  • New Search Sources: Added Knaben and TorrentCSV search performers for more results.
  • Flexible Port Selection: New setting: Settings > Torrent Settings > Incoming Connection Port Range selection.
  • Automatic Seeding: Finished HTTP transfers are now seeded automatically if seeding is enabled (matching desktop functionality).

Major Performance Optimizations

  • Architectural Overhaul: Achieved a 25-50% reduction in memory allocations and significantly reduced garbage collection pressure.
  • Blazing Fast Search: Search sorting has been optimized from $O(n^2 \log n)$ to $O(n \log n)$.
  • 8.8x Speed Gains: Title normalization and cleaning is now dramatically faster by eliminating heavy regular expressions.
  • Efficient I/O: CPU usage during disk I/O operations is reduced by 30-50% (up to 96% in system write calls) by using buffered I/O.

Critical Crash & Freeze Fixes

  • Eliminated ANR Crashes: Fixed numerous ANR (Application Not Responding) crashes in the Transfers list, menu preparation, and playback services by moving blocking tasks to background threads.
  • Network API Migration: Fixed critical issues with VPN Guard and Wi-Fi-Only protection by migrating from deprecated network APIs to the modern NetworkCallback API.
    • VPN Guard: Now correctly stops torrents when a VPN is required but not connected.
    • Wi-Fi-Only: Correctly pauses torrent downloads on mobile data.
  • Protection Visuals: Added visual status indicators in the transfers screen to show when protections pause downloads.

🔧 Maintenance & Library Upgrades

We’ve updated the entire internal technology stack for security and modern compatibility:

  • Image Loading: Replaced the older Picasso library with the modern Coil image loading library.
  • Library Updates: Updated Kotlin, Gradle, OkHttp, and many core AndroidX libraries.
  • Removal of Dead Performers: Removed the TorrentDownloads, BTDigg, Torlock, and LimeTorrents search performers due to being permanently offline or unreliable.
  • jlibtorrent Updates: Upgraded to jlibtorrent 2.0.x with C++20 compilation, OpenSSL 3.5.2, and Boost 1.88.0.

This update ensures FrostWire is faster, more stable, more private, and ready for years to come!

FULL CHANGELOG

FrostWire 3.0.12 build 766 DEC/02/2025

  • new:Powered by jlibtorrent 2.0.12.7 with bittorrent v2 protocol support with hundreds of bug fixes and performance improvements
  • new:No more third party ads or advertising tracking of any kind. Only frostwire support requests, vpn suggestions and promotional free downloads.
  • new:Knaben search performer, a new torrent search source
  • new:TorrentCSV search performer, a new torrent search source
  • new:Settings > Torrent Settings > Incoming Connection Port Range selection
  • new:Seed finished HTTP transfers if seeding is enabled (automatically creates torrent of finished download like on desktop)
  • new:Dynamic SoundCloud client ID and app version fetching from remote server for uninterrupted service
  • new:YT search results now handled via details URL detection (youtube.com)
  • new:SearchResultUtils utility class for reusable search result utilities
  • new:Telluride dialog now works with generic SearchResult instead of YTSearchResult
  • new:Distraction free search now on by default, much better experience
  • performance:Search architecture optimizations – 25-50% reduction in memory allocations
  • performance:SizeParser utility consolidates duplicate implementations, 200+ lines of code eliminated
  • performance:SearchMatcher memory optimization reduces garbage collection pressure by 25%
  • performance:YT pattern static initialization and string operation optimization
  • performance:PerformersHelper.sanitize() 8.8x speed gains in title normalization by not using a regex and instead simple string replacements
  • performance:Optimize stackBlur() with array pooling to reduce allocations
  • performance:Added periodic VPN/WiFi protection state monitoring to detect VPN disconnections immediately
  • performance:Performance optimized periodic checks run on background thread to keep UI responsive
  • performance:Added visual status indicators in transfers screen when protections pause downloads
  • performance:Optimize search sorting from O(n² log n) to O(n log n)
  • performance:reuse OkHttpClient instances to unlock connection pooling and reduce GC pressure
  • performance:Replace global Hashtable throttling with lock-free ConcurrentHashMap in TaskThrottle
  • performance:Cache torrent-search date parsers to eliminate per-result SimpleDateFormat allocations
  • performance:Use buffered I/O for large transfers in OkHttpClientWrapper.save and ZipUtils.unzip. Up to 96% CPU savings in sys write calls, 30-50% reduction in CPU during I/O operations, search results should come out a lot faster
  • performance:Optimize Levenshtein distance allocation footprint in PerformersHelper fuzzy matching
  • performance:Optimize hot paths for string sanitizers – eliminate regex compilation overhead in search and scrapes (UrlUtils and StringUtils)
  • performance:Optimize hot paths for Logger, ThreadPool, and collection sizing
  • performance:Optimize MainApplication startup by deferring heavy initialization
  • performance:Optimize RecyclerView onBindViewHolder() hot paths
  • crash:ANR crashes in Transfers list when updating transfer state due to blocking JNI calls
  • crash:ANR crash in menu preparation – menu visibility now cached on background thread
  • crash:ANR crash during transfer list adapter initialization – UI state capture moved to background thread
  • crash:ANR crash in transfer detail fragment – download/upload speeds cached on background thread
  • crash:ANR crash in onCheckDHT – DHT status updates cached on background thread
  • crash:ANR crash in BasePlaylistDialog – removed blocking CountDownLatch.await() on main thread
  • crash:ANR crash in transfer list adapter – DiffUtil calculations moved to background thread
  • crash:NullPointerException in AbstractConfirmListDialog when “select all” clicked with empty list
  • crash:logic bug in PerformersHelper.countMatchedTokens(), matched tokens were not counted correctly
  • crash:ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException by adding foreground check and error handling
  • crash:Android 14+ ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException in MusicPlaybackService
  • crash:Android JobScheduler alarm limit exceeded crashes by configuring WorkManager
  • crash:ClassCastException in SearchResultListAdapter OnLinkClickListener
  • crash:HandlerDispatcher NullPointerException crashes in Picasso image loading (removed on build 760)
  • crash:NPE in ImageFetcher.loadCurrentArtwork()
  • crash:WiFi-Only protection and VPN Guard were broken due to deprecated network API changes
  • crash:Migrated network monitoring from deprecated CONNECTIVITY_ACTION broadcasts to modern NetworkCallback API
  • crash:WiFi-Only protection now correctly pauses torrent downloads on mobile data when setting is enabled
  • crash:VPN Guard protection now correctly stops torrents when VPN is required but not connected
  • crash:NullPointerException in BasePlaylistDialog when fragment is detached from activity
  • crash:NullPointerException in MusicUtils.getIdForPlaylist() with defensive null check
  • crash:NameError in telluride.py query_video() – undefined qjs_path variable
  • crash:ConcurrentModificationException in Ssl$FWHostnameVerifier
  • crash:Picasso HandlerDispatcher NullPointerException on network state changes when app is backgrounded by keeping Picasso alive instead of shutting down (removed on build 760)
  • crash:thread leak and data race in UrlUtils.getFastestMirrorDomain
  • freeze:ensure MusicUtils.removeFromPlaylist ContentResolver activity is in the background
  • freeze:sorting through too many results could cause an ANR when cleaning up titles
  • freeze:ANR in MusicPlaybackService.setDataSource
  • freeze:ANR in MusicPlaybackService.playFDs
  • freeze:in playFDs
  • freeze:in MusicPlaybackService.setDataSource
  • maintenance:Guard favorites toast when fragment detached
  • maintenance:ProGuard now uses proguard-android-optimize.txt for better code optimization and APK size reduction
  • maintenance:Updated gradle plugin to 8.13.1
  • maintenance:Updated okhttp3 to 5.3.2
  • maintenance:Updated androidx.lifecycle:lifecycle-viewmodel-ktx to 2.10.0
  • maintenance:Updated Kotlin to 2.2.21
  • maintenance:Updated com.google.gms:google-services to 4.4.4
  • maintenance:Updated com.google.android.ump:user-messaging-platform to 4.0.0
  • maintenance:SearchTimeoutException provides better diagnostics with performer and domain context
  • maintenance:Search package hierarchy flattened, V2 package consolidated
  • maintenance:Removed commented imports and debug code
  • maintenance:Fixed typo in PREF_KEY_NETWORK_ENABLE_DHT constant (froswire -> frostwire)
  • maintenance:Avoid possible context leak on EngineBroadcastReceiver
  • maintenance:all license headers are GPL 3.0
  • maintenance:archive.org search fixed
  • maintenance:ArchiveorgSearchPerformer -> InternetArchiveSearchPerformer
  • maintenance:glotorrents search fixed
  • maintenance:idope search fixed
  • maintenance:magnetdl search fixed
  • maintenance:add BitmapFactory.inSampleSize to prevent OOM crashes
  • maintenance:Add Bitmap.recycle() to prevent native memory leaks
  • maintenance:Replace deprecated setDrawingCacheEnabled() with Canvas API
  • refactor:SearchManager tasks to Runnable and remove Thread.yield() from hot path
  • removed:TorrentDownloads search performer (site offline permanently)
  • removed:BTDigg search performer (protected by Cloudflare, unable to reliably parse search results)
  • removed:Torlock search performer (old site is down, new site is malicious)
  • removed:LimeTorrents search performer
  • replaced:Picasso for Coil image loading library
  • yt_dlp-2025.11.12
  • org.jetbrains:annotations:26.0.2-1
  • androidx.appcompat:appcompat:1.7.1
  • androidx.browser:browser:1.9.0
  • com.chaquo.python:gradle:16.1.0, now with linked 16KB mode compatible with android compile sdk 36
  • org.codehaus.groovy:groovy-all:3.0.25
  • com.squareup.picasso3:picasso:3.0.0-alpha06 and refactor of ImageLoader to use it (removed on build 760)
  • new: io.coil-kt.coil3:coil:3.0.4 and io.coil-kt.coil3:coil-network-okhttp:3.0.4
  • com.google.gms:google-services:4.4.4
  • com.google.firebase:firebase-crashlytics-gradle:3.0.6
  • androidx.core:core:1.17.0
  • androidx.exifinterface:exifinterface:1.4.1
  • androidx.lifecycle:lifecycle-viewmodel-ktx:2.10.0
  • com.google.android.material:material:1.13.0
  • com.google.code.gson:gson:2.13.2
  • com.google.re2j:re2j:1.8
  • com.squareup.okhttp3:okhttp:5.3.2
  • androidx.work:work-runtime-ktx:2.11.0
  • com.google.firebase:firebase-bom:34.6.0
  • com.google.android.ump:user-messaging-platform:4.0.0
  • org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-stdlib-jdk8:2.2.21
  • io.coil-kt.coil3:coil:3.3.0
  • io.coil-kt.coil3:coil-network-okhttp:3.3.0
  • removed: com.applovin:applovin-sdk
  • removed: com.applovin.mediation:unityads-adapter
  • Maintenance:all license headers are consistent with GPL 3.0
  • jlibtorrent:libraries are now compiled with C++20 (ming/windows with C++2a which is the same)
  • jlibtorrent:g++-9 upgraded to g++-11 for linux build
  • jlibtorrent:new Sha256Hash::swig()
  • jlibtorrent:new SessionManager::find(Sha256Hash) and SessionManager::find(TorrentInfo) methods
  • jlibtorrent:built with android NDK r28c with 16K page size support
  • Android 64-bit binaries are compiled to have 16KB max-page-size
  • jlibtorrent:New com.frostwire:jlibtorrent- maven packages for easier integration with gradle/maven
  • jlibtorrent:new torrent_handle::get_resume_data() : add_torrent_params
  • jlibtorrent:new torrent_handle::get_resume_data(resume_data_flags_t flags) : add_torrent_params
  • jlibtorrent:new settings_pack.int_types i2p_inbound_length_variance
  • jlibtorrent:new settings_pack.int_types i2p_outbound_length_variance
  • jlibtorrent:Jar built with JDK 17 – JAVA_17 compatibility
  • jlibtorrentBoost 1.88.0 upgrade
  • jlibtorrent:OpenSSL 3.5.2 upgrade (from 1.1.1t)
  • jlibtorrent:Upgraded SWIG to 4.3.1
  • jlibtorrent:Gradle 9.0.0
  • dev: junit upgraded from 4.13.1 -> 4.13.2
  • lt:add option to send host header in HTTP proxy CONNECT command
  • lt:cache DNS failures for a shorter time
  • lt:file_renamed_alert is always posted, regardless of alert mask
  • lt:add feature to request resume data synchronously
  • lt:don’t leak file descriptors to child processes (O_CLOEXEC)
  • lt:optimize the utp resend
  • lt:optimize tracker announcements
  • fix handling of invalid filenames
  • add support for I2CP inbound.lengthVariance and outbound.lengthVariance tunnel settings
  • lt: validate add_torrent_params::save_path at run-time
  • lt: use stricter rules for what filenames are valid on Android
  • lt: fix applying IP filter to DHT traffic (HanabishiRecca)
  • lt: fix race condition when cancelling requests after becoming a seed
  • lt: fix performance bug in the file pool, evicting MRU instead of LRU (HanabishiRecca)
  • lt: fix bug where file_progress could sometimes be reported as >100%
  • jlibtorrent:BDecodeNode: hasList, hasDict, hasString, hasInt, getList, getDict, getString, getInt
  • lt:limit piece size in torrent creator
  • lt:don’t hint FADV_RANDOM on posix systems. May improve seeding performance
  • lt:allow boost connect while checking resume data if no_verify_files flag is set
  • lt:fix BEP-40 peer priority for IPv6
  • lt:fix file pre-allocation when changing file priority (HanabishiRecca)
  • jlibtorrent:SWIG interface files have been modularized for better maintainability and readability
  • jlibtorrent:Added missing alert types
  • jlibtorrent:Introduced typed_bitfield template
  • jlibtorrent:Operator renaming for Java compatibility
  • jlibtorrent:Included boost_system_error_code.i
  • jlibtorrent:Added prepare-macos.sh script
  • jlibtorrent:Updated run-swig.sh script
  • jlibtorrent:Set TORRENT_ABI_VERSION=4
  • jlibtorrent:Libtorrent updated to RC_2_0 (rev:2ab8fedabb7716947edc77958da6d0b5e1040df9)
  • jlibtorrent:Android NDK r26d (LTS) upgrade (from r25c)
  • jlibtorrent:Added --swig-only and --build-only options to swig/build scripts
  • jlibtorrent:Added prepare-macos.sh script for macOS build setup
  • jlibtorrent:Updated run-swig.sh script for improved SWIG processing
  • jlibtorrent:Enhanced exception handling in SWIG interfaces
  • jlibtorrent:Fixed issues in file_storage.hpp and ip_filter.hpp
  • jlibtorrent:Adjusted build flags and macros for Boost and libtorrent compatibility
  • jlibtorrent:Enabled SWIG directors for specific classes
  • lt:fix uTP issue where closing the connection could corrupt the payload
  • lt:apply DSCP/TOS to sockets before initiating the TCP connection
  • lt:assume copy_file_range() exists on linux (unless old glibc)
  • lt:fix issue where set_piece_deadline() did not correctly post read_piece_alert
  • lt:fix integer overflow in piece picker
  • lt:torrent_status::num_pieces counts pieces passed hash check, as documented
  • lt:check settings_pack::max_out_request_queue before performance alert
  • lt:allow on_unknown_torrent method in the absence of active torrents (new plugin feature added)
  • lt:add feature to async_move_storage() to not move files
  • lt:fix reject resume data if it contains mismatching info hashes
  • lt:fix clear the candidate_cache when clear peer_list
  • lt:fix missing python converter for dht::announce_flags_t
  • lt:fix issue with web seed connections when they close and re-open
  • lt:fallocate() not supported is not a fatal error
  • lt:fix proxying of IPv6 connections via IPv4 proxy
  • lt:treat CGNAT address range as local IPs
  • lt:add stricter checking of piece layers when loading torrents
  • lt:add stricter checking of v1 and v2 hashes being consistent
  • lt:cache failed DNS lookups as well as successful ones
  • lt:add an i2p torrent state to control interactions with clear swarms
  • lt:fix i2p SAM protocol parsing of quoted messages
  • lt:expose i2p peer destination in peer_info
  • lt:fix i2p tracker announces
  • lt:fix issue with read_piece() stopping torrent on pieces not yet downloaded
  • lt:improve handling of allow_i2p_mixed setting to work for magnet links
  • lt:fix web seed request for renamed single-file torrents
  • lt:fix issue where web seeds could disappear from resume data
  • lt:extend save_resume with additional conditional flags
  • lt:fix issue with retrying trackers in tiers > 0
  • lt:fix last_upload and last_download resume data fields to use posix time
  • lt:improve error messages for no_connect_privileged_ports, by untangle it from the port filter
  • lt:fix I2P issue introduced in 2.0.0
  • lt:add async tracker status query, post_trackers()
  • lt:add async torrent status query, post_status()
  • lt:support loading version 2 of resume data format
  • lt:fix issue with odd piece sizes
  • lt:add async piece availability query, post_piece_availability()
  • lt:add async download queue query, post_download_queue()
  • lt:add async file_progress query, post_file_progress()
  • lt:add async peer_info query, post_peer_info()
  • lt:fix uTP streams timing out instead of closing cleanly
  • lt:add write_torrent_file_buf() overload for generating .torrent files
  • lt:add create_torrent::generate_buf() function to generate into a buffer
  • lt:fix copy_file when the file ends with a sparse region
  • lt:uTP performance, fix packet loss when sending is stalled
  • lt:fix trackers being stuck after session pause/resume
  • lt:fix bug in hash_picker with empty files
  • lt:uTP performance, prevent premature timeouts/resends
  • lt:add option to not memory map files below a certain size
  • lt:settings_pack now returns default values when queried for missing settings
  • lt:fix copy_file fall-back when SEEK_HOL/SEEK_DATA is not supported
  • lt:improve error reporting from file copy and move
  • lt:tweak pad file placement to match reference implementation (tail-padding)
  • lt:uTP performance, more lenient nagle’s algorithm to always allow one outstanding undersized packet
  • lt:uTP performance, piggy-back held back undersized packet with ACKs
  • lt:uTP performance, don’t send redundant deferred ACKs
  • lt:support incoming SOCKS5 packets with hostnames as source address, for UDP trackers
  • lt:ignore duplicate network interface change notifications on linux
  • lt:fix total_want/want accounting when forcing a recheck
  • lt:fix merging metadata with magnet links added on top of existing torrents
  • lt:add torrent_flag to default all file priorities to dont_download
  • lt:fix &so= feature in magnet links
  • lt:improve compatibility of SOCKS5 UDP ASSOCIATE
  • lt:fix madvise range for flushing cache in mmap_storage
  • lt:open files with no_cache set in O_SYNC mode~
  • lt:fix issue in use of copy_file_range() on linux
  • lt:avoid open-file race in the file_view_pool
  • lt:fix issue where stop-when-ready would not close files
  • lt:fix issue with duplicate hybrid torrent via separate v1 and v2 magnet links
  • lt:added new function to load torrent files, load_torrent_*()
  • lt:support sync_file_range() on linux
  • lt:fix issue in write_torrent_file() when file size is exactly piece size
  • lt:fix file_num_blocks() and file_num_pieces() for empty files
  • lt:add new overload to make_magnet_uri()
  • lt:add missing protocol version to tracker_reply_alert and tracker_error_alert
  • lt:fix privilege issue with SetFileValidData()
  • lt:add asynchronous overload of torrent_handle::add_piece()
  • lt:default to a single hashing thread, for full checks
  • lt:Fix bug when checking files and the first piece is invalid
  • lt:fix issue creating a v2 torrent from torrent_info containing an empty file
  • lt:make recheck files also update which files use partfile
  • lt:add write_through disk_io_write_mode, which flushes pieces to disk immediately
  • lt:improve copy file function to preserve sparse regions (when supported)
  • lt:add function to truncate over-sized files part of a torrent
  • lt:fix directory creation on windows shared folders
  • lt:add flag to make add_files() not record file attributes
  • lt:deprecate (unused) allow_partial_disk_writes settings
  • lt:fix disk-full error reporting in mmap_disk_io
  • lt:fixed similar-torrents feature for v2 torrents
  • lt:fix potential unbounded recursion in add_completed_job, in disk I/O
  • lt:deprecated (unused) volatile_read_cache setting
  • lt:fix part files being marked as hidden on window
  • lt:on windows, explicitly flush memory mapped files periodically
  • lt:fix build with WolfSSL
  • lt:fix issue where incoming uTP connections were not accepted over SOCKS5
  • lt:fix several issues in handling of checking files of v2 torrents, esp. from magnet links
  • lt:make the token limit when parsing metadata from magnet files configurable
  • lt:fix issue with stalled pieces on disk full errors
  • lt:fix missing python binding for file_progress_flags
  • lt:fix torrent_file_with_hashes() to fail when we don’t have the piece layers
  • lt:restore path character encoding conversion for non UTF-8 locales on linux
  • lt:fix use-after-free bug in make_magnet_uri
  • lt:add write_torrent_file() to produce a .torrent file from add_torrent_params
  • lt:allow loading v2 .torrent files without piece layer
  • lt:fix issue with adding v2 torrents with invalid file root hash
  • lt:fix piece picker bug causing double-picks with prefer-contiguous enabled
  • lt:expose session_params in python bindings
  • lt:fix (deprecated) use of add_torrent_params::info_hash
  • lt:fix issue creating and loading v2 torrents with empty files. Improves conformance to BEP52 reference implementation
  • lt:add new torrent_file_with_hashes() which includes piece layers for creating .torrent files
  • lt:add file_prio_alert, posted when file priorities are updated
  • lt:fix issue where set_piece_hashes() would not propagate file errors
  • lt:add missing python binding for event_t
  • lt:add work-around for systems without fseeko() (such as Android)
  • lt:add convenience header libtorrent/libtorrent.hpp
  • lt:increase default max_allowed_in_request_queue
  • lt:fix loading non-ascii filenames on windows with torrent_info constructor (2.0 regression)
  • lt:add std::hash<> specialization for info_hash_t
  • lt:fix integer overflow in hash_picker and properly restrict max file sizes in torrents
  • lt:strengthen SSRF mitigation for web seeds
  • lt:add v1() and v2() functions to torrent_info
  • lt:fix piece_layers() to work for single-piece files
  • lt:fix python binding regression in session constructor flags
  • lt:fix unaligned piece requests in mmap_storage
  • lt:improve client_data_t ergonomics
  • lt:fix issue with concurrent access to part files
  • lt:fix attribute in single-file v2 torrent creation
  • lt:fix padding for empty files in v2 torrent creation
  • lt:add function to ask a file_storage whether it’s v2 or not
  • lt:fix mtime field when creating single-file v2 torrents
  • lt:fix performance regression in checking files
  • lt:disable use of SetFileValidData() by default (windows). A new setting allows enabling it
  • lt:dropped dependency on iconv
  • lt:deprecate set_file_hash() in torrent creator, as it’s superceded by v2 torrents
  • lt:deprecate mutable access to info_section in torrent_info
  • lt:removed deprecated lazy_entry/lazy_bdecode
  • lt:stats_alert deprecated
  • lt:remove bittyrant choking algorithm
  • lt:update userdata in add_torrent_params to be type-safe and add to torrent_handle
  • lt:add ip_filter to session_params
  • lt:added support for wolfSSL for SHA-1 hash and HTTPS (no Torrents over SSL)
  • lt:requires OpenSSL minimum version 1.0.0 with SNI support
  • lt:deprecated save_state() and load_state() on session in favour of new
  • lt:write_session_params() and read_session_params()
  • lt:added support for BitTorrent v2 (see docs/upgrade_to_2.0.html)
  • lt:create_torrent() pad_file_limit parameter removed
  • lt:create_torrent() merkle- and optimize-alignment flags removed
  • lt:merkle_tree removed from add_torrent_params
  • lt:announce_entry expose information per v1 and v2 info-hash announces
  • lt:deprecated sha1_hash info_hash members on torrent_removed_alert,
  • lt:torrent_deleted_alert, torrent_delete_failed_alert and add_torrent_params
  • lt:undeprecate error_file_metadata for torrent errors related to its metadata
  • lt:remove support for adding a torrent under a UUID (used for previous RSS support)
  • lt:remove deprecated feature to add torrents by file:// URL
  • lt:remove deprecated feature to download .torrent file from URL
  • lt:requires boost >= 1.66 to build
  • lt:update networking API to networking TS compatible boost.asio
  • lt:overhauled disk I/O subsystem to use memory mapped files (where available)
  • lt:libtorrent now requires C++14 to build
  • lt:added support for GnuTLS for HTTPS and torrents over SSL
  • lt:fix issue where stop-when-ready would not close files
  • lt:uTP performance, fix packet loss when sending is stalled
  • lt:uTP performance, prevent premature timeouts/resends
  • lt:uTP performance, more lenient nagle’s algorithm to always allow one outstanding undersized packet
  • lt:uTP performance, piggy-back held back undersized packet with ACKs
  • lt:uTP performance, don’t send redundant deferred ACKs
  • lt:fix wanted_done/done accounting when force-rechecking
  • lt:expose userdata via torrent_handle (back-port from 2.0)
  • lt:fix renaming of filenames that are too long for the filesystem
  • lt:made UPnP and LSD code avoid using select_reactor (to work around an issue on windows in boost.asio < 1.80)

jlibtorrent 2: powering the next generation of BitTorrent clients in Java and on arm64

~ gubatron ~ Leave a comment

Since its inception, jlibtorrent has bridged the high-performance C++ BitTorrent engine libtorrent with Java environments—enabling developers to build full-featured torrent clients on Android, desktop Java, and server applications. With the recent jlibtorrent 2 release series (version 2.0.11.0 onward) the library undertakes a major leap—both in API richness, platform portability (including native arm64 binaries), and runtime capability—positioning it as the backbone for the next generation of BitTorrent clients built in Java (many targeting Android) and for server-side deployments on Linux arm64 for low-energy hosting.

Java API changes in jlibtorrent 2

  • A fluent builder API for creating .torrent files: the TorrentBuilder class now offers TorrentBuilder.Listener (for file-filtering and progress callbacks) and TorrentBuilder.Result to expose rich metadata output.
  • Time-series metrics support via TorrentStats.SeriesMetric (including metrics like TIME, DOWNLOAD_RATE, UPLOAD_RATE) enabling richer monitoring and analytics.
  • Enhanced DHT/item support for mutable items: SessionManager.MutableItem introduces editable DHT items with Ed25519 signatures and versioning, opening up advanced peer/data-anchoring use-cases.
  • Networking introspection via EnumNet.IpInterface (address, netmask, friendly names) and EnumNet.IpRoute (routing table entries with gateway and MTU) to support complex network-aware clients.
  • Comprehensive API refinements: many previously internal types (AnnounceInfohash, Pair, PiecesTracker, Vectors, AlertMulticaster, MoveFlags, IntSeries, and nested types) have been documented, and now offer full JavaDoc coverage with dozens of example usage patterns.
  • Zero HTML/critical errors in the generated javadoc for the 2.0.12.8 release, marking a maturation of API stability and documentation quality.

Platform and build improvements

  • Native binaries now support Linux arm64 (alongside Apple Silicon and Android arm64) enabling client applications and servers to run on modern low-power, high-efficiency hardware (e.g., AWS Graviton, Ampere Altra, Raspberry Pi-class boards).
  • The jlibtorrent 2 series is built on libtorrent’s “RC_2_0” branch and uses modern toolchains (C++20, Boost 1.88.0+, OpenSSL 3.5.2) and updated SWIG bindings (e.g., 4.x series) ensuring performance, security, and long-term compatibility.
  • Android builds are optimized for 16KB page-size (NDK r28c) and modern Android SDKs; desktop builds support macOS (arm64), Windows, and Linux.
  • Maven/Gradle artifacts now include both class wrappers and native libraries for multiple architectures, simplifying client-side dependency management across platforms.

Why this matters

For Java and Android developers building BitTorrent clients, jlibtorrent 2 offers:

  • Java-friendly, high-performance torrent engine: Access to libtorrent’s capabilities (v2.0 engine) via Java wrappers means full-featured clients (seeding, DHT, magnets, v1/v2 torrents) without having to implement C++ JNI layers from scratch.
  • Cross-platform consistency: One set of Java APIs works on Android (arm/arm64/x86/x86_64), desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux), and now server/embedded arm64.
  • Server-side arm64 deployments: As hosting moves toward energy-efficient arm64 hardware (e.g., cloud Graviton/Altra, edge servers), jlibtorrent supports native binaries for these platforms—enabling server-side torrent applications, indexing, seeding farms, or hybrid models (mobile+backend) on modern infrastructure.
  • Rich API & observability: Features like the series metrics, IP route introspection, DHT mutable items, and builder APIs for .torrent generation make it easier to build advanced clients: monitoring, analytics, plugin extensions, custom storage strategies, or even BitTorrent-native plugin ecosystems.
  • Maturation: With more than 50 public API classes now fully documented, dozens of example use-cases, and a clean JavaDoc build, jlibtorrent 2 is positioned as a production-ready library rather than an exploratory layer.

How FrostWire leverages jlibtorrent 2

The open-source project FrostWire (which began as a fork of LimeWire and evolved into a Java-based BitTorrent client) now transitions into its next era: FrostWire for Android 3 and FrostWire 7 for Desktop. These versions (available today for developers that compile from source) incorporate jlibtorrent 2 as their underlying torrent engine.

  • On Android, the native arm64 builds of jlibtorrent allow FrostWire to run efficiently across modern mobile chipsets and tablets, with lower power consumption and full support for BitTorrent v2 features.
  • On desktop and server contexts, FrostWire 7 (and related server/daemon variants) leverage the arm64 Linux binaries to run on cost-effective, high-density hostings (such as Graviton nodes) for seeding, indexing, or cloud-based media distribution.
  • By basing on the new builder APIs, FrostWire can offer built-in “create and share a torrent” workflows, advanced analytics (upload/download rate time series), and network topology awareness (choosing optimal interfaces/routes).
  • FrostWire’s evolution thus illustrates how a modern Java client can span mobile, desktop, and backend/cloud deployments — all running the same torrent core logic via jlibtorrent 2.

Implications for the wider BitTorrent ecosystem

  • Java ecosystem: Historically, most BitTorrent client engines have been C++ (libtorrent), C (Transmission), or in other languages. By providing a fully-featured Java wrapper, jlibtorrent 2 lowers the barrier for Java/Kotlin (Android) developers to build native-capable clients without rewriting complex protocol engines.
  • Mobile-first torrenting: As mobile devices become more capable and power-efficient, having a mature Java/Android torrent engine means richer P2P apps, offline media distribution, peer-to-peer content delivery, etc., are more feasible on mobile platforms.
  • Edge/Server hybrid deployments: The availability of arm64 native binaries means torrent-based services can run on low-power edge servers, small VPS instances, or even embedded devices—broadening deployment scenarios beyond traditional x86 desktops.
  • BitTorrent v2 readiness: As the ecosystem moves toward BitTorrent v2 (merkle tree torrents, enhanced hashing), jlibtorrent 2 supports those features, enabling clients built today to be future-proof.
  • Extensibility: With plugin-capable API surfaces (builder APIs, DHT mutable items, network introspection), new use-cases—such as cryptocurrency-anchored DHT items, content-distribution overlays, branded client workflows, or hybrid peer/edge architectures—become more accessible to Java teams.

Summary

In short: jlibtorrent 2 represents the modern foundation for Java-based BitTorrent applications—high-performance native bindings across architectures (including arm64 servers and mobile), deeply-documented APIs, builder patterns, monitoring capabilities, and extensibility hooks. With FrostWire for Android 3 and FrostWire 7 for Desktop as flagship users, this library sets the stage not only for mobile and desktop clients, but also for server and edge deployments that use BitTorrent technology in new ways.

🎉 FrostWire Desktop 6.14.0 is Here – A Sleeker, Smarter, Darker Experience

~ gubatron ~ 2 Comments

We’re excited to announce a brand new update for FrostWire Desktop, now at version 6.14.0 (build 326). This release focuses on aesthetic upgrades, smarter search filtering, and a smoother experience for dark theme users.

📥 Download FrostWire 6.14.0

Available now for Windows, macOS (Intel & Apple Silicon), and Linux:

✨ What’s New in FrostWire 6.14.0?

🔍 Smarter Search

  • Search results now filter out junk more intelligently. If a result doesn’t actually match your keywords — even in a fuzzy way — it won’t clutter your screen.

🎨 Massive Dark Theme Overhaul

  • We’ve polished the dark mode experience throughout the app:
    • Darker, cleaner backgrounds in search, library, and transfers.
    • Unified colors across tables, text fields, and panels for a more consistent look.
    • Brightened icons so they’re visible even in the darkest corners of the app.
    • Dialogs, tooltips, and toggle buttons are now easier to read.
    • More natural gradients and dynamic row striping for tables.

🖼️ UI Refinements All Around

  • The new app splash image makes a bold entrance.
  • Slide panels now have a transparent download button and black background behind author names.
  • The Settings button in the status bar has been cleaned up.
  • Fixes and cleanup across the board for layout and responsiveness.

⚙️ Behind the Scenes

  • Better handling of theme changes without glitches.
  • Improved memory of what theme you’re using.
  • Exceptions during UI updates are now safely ignored to prevent crashes.
  • A complete cleanup of unnecessary or outdated UI rendering code.

FrostWire for Android 2.9.7 (Build 752 – FINAL 2.9.7 RELEASE) Is Live! 🚀

~ gubatron ~ Leave a comment

We’re excited to announce the latest FrostWire for Android release, version 2.9.7 (build 752). This update packs critical crash fixes, stability improvements, and under-the-hood tweaks to keep your BitTorrent experience smooth and reliable.

🔧 Crash Fixes & Stability Improvements

  • NPE Guard in PerformersHelper
    Fixed a NullPointerException in PerformersHelper.sortByRelevance when the current query was null or empty, eliminating random app crashes.
  • Safe UI Handling
    Guarded against showing UI after an activity is paused in local broadcast receivers, preventing IllegalStateException.
  • Notification Daemon Refinement
    Moved the startForeground() call from onCreate() to onStartCommand() in MusicPlaybackService, ensuring our notification update daemon starts exactly once—and only when it’s supposed to.
  • DrawerLayout Hardening
    Swapped out DrawerLayout for a new SafeDrawerLayout that catches measurement-related IllegalStateException and falls back gracefully.
  • Bundle Size Management
    Avoided TransactionTooLargeException by writing large torrent metadata to a temporary file (rather than squeezing it into an Intent bundle).
  • Chaquopy Packaging Fix
    Ensured Python code under src/main/python is included in the APK, fixing “marshall data too short” errors for scripting features.

🛠 Additional Under-the-Hood Tweaks

  • Version Bump
    Updated versionCode to 752 and versionName to 2.9.7 in the AndroidManifest.
  • Gradle Integration
    Added a Gradle block to package Chaquopy’s Python sources automatically.
  • Changelog Update
    Refreshed changelog.txt with all the above fixes, dated APR/24/2025.

📲 How to Update

frostwire-android-release-2.9.7-b752-plus.apk 106 MB
frostwire-android-debug-2.9.7-b752-plus.apk 108 MB (in case you want to send nice crashlogs)

Grab the FREE APK installer from our Github Release or directly from our official website and enjoy the seamless download experience.

Stay tuned for more updates as we get ready for a transition to Bittorrent 2.0!

Thank you for using FrostWire 🙌
As always, we appreciate your feedback—feel free to drop us a line on our GitHub issues page

Happy Torrenting! 🌐📲

❄️ FrostWire 2.9.6 for Android is here – Faster, Safer, Smoother

~ gubatron ~ Leave a comment

We just released FrostWire 2.9.6 (Build 748) and it’s more responsive than ever. This update brings performance improvements, upgraded libraries, and an important fix to avoid freezes when sorting large search result sets.

DOWNLOAD FROSTWIRE 2.9.6-b748 FOR ANDROID

🔧 What’s new in 2.9.6

  • ✅ Fix: Avoid ANR (freeze) when sorting massive search result sets
    • Sorting is now done asynchronously to keep the UI responsive, even with thousands of results.
  • 🧠 Updated yt-dlp to version 2025.03.31 for improved video/audio compatibility.
  • 📦 Dependency upgrades for performance and security:
    • androidx.core:core → 1.16.0
    • firebase-bom → 33.12.0
    • applovin-sdk → 13.2.0
    • unityads-adapter → 4.14.1.0
    • com.google.android.ump → 3.2.0
    • Kotlin plugin and stdlib → 2.0.21
    • Gradle wrapper → 8.11.1
    • Android Gradle Plugin → 8.8.2

🚀 Why this matters

This update is all about smoother performance and reliability. If you’ve ever experienced lag or freezes when handling large search result lists, this version eliminates that pain point. We’ve moved sorting logic to a background thread, keeping the app snappy and responsive on all devices.

🧊 Stay tuned…

More enhancements and features are in the works. Got feedback or requests? Join us on GitHub or drop your ideas in the community forums. We’re listening.

Built with ❤️ by the FrostWire Team