A '''BitTorrent index''' is a "list of [[Torrent file|.torrent files]], which typically includes descriptions" and information about the torrent's content,<ref>Chwan-Hwa (John) Wu, J. David Irwin. ''Introduction to Computer Networks and Cybersecurity''. Chapter 5.4.: Partially Centralized Architectures. [[CRC Press]]. February 4, 2013. ISBN 9781466572133</ref> potentially accessible via the [[BitTorrent protocol]]. Many [[BitTorrent (protocol)|BitTorrent]] websites act as both [[BitTorrent tracker|trackers]] and indexes.
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[[The Pirate Bay]] has been one of the world's largest BitTorrent trackers.<ref>Jonas Andersson Schwarz. ''Online File Sharing: Innovations in Media Consumption''. Page 132. Chapter 5.5.: The Pirate Bay: Loosening the Digital from the Physical. [[Routledge]]. September 5, 2013. ISBN 041585430X.</ref> Entries in BitTorrent indexes typically contain a textual description of the file, credits, a cryptographical identifier and a list of [[Internet host]]s willing to transmit the file or coordinate the transmission, given said cryptographical identifier. The identifier can then be used to validate that the file received is the one described in the index.
