deluged

Start the Deluge daemon

$ deluged

$ deluged [[-p|--port]] [port]

$ deluged [[-c|--config]] [path/to/configuration_file]

$ deluged [[-l|--logfile]] [path/to/log_file]

deluged [OPTIONS]

-c, --config <path>
    Specify the configuration directory where Deluge stores its settings and state files.

-l, --logfile <path>
    Specify the path to the file where deluged will write its log messages.

-L, --loglevel <level>
    Set the verbosity of log messages (e.g., debug, info, warning, error, critical).

-p, --port <port>
    Specify the port number for the daemon's RPC (Remote Procedure Call) server to listen on.

-d, --daemon
    Instructs deluged to run as a background daemon process. This is often handled by system init scripts.

-f, --force-daemon
    Force deluged to start as a daemon even if another instance is detected to be running.

--do-not-daemonize
    Prevent deluged from detaching from the terminal, useful for debugging or when run under process managers.

--profile
    Enable profiling for performance analysis of the daemon.

--ipc-config <path>
    Specify a custom directory for IPC (Inter-Process Communication) related configuration.

-v, --version
    Display the version information of the deluged daemon and exit.

-h, --help
    Display a help message detailing available command-line options and exit.

deluged is the core daemon process for the Deluge BitTorrent client. It runs continuously in the background, independent of any graphical user interface, and is responsible for all fundamental torrent-related activities. This includes managing active torrents, handling downloads and uploads, connecting to peers, applying speed limits, and enforcing configured rules. Its design emphasizes being lightweight and highly extensible, making it an ideal solution for deployment on headless servers, network-attached storage (NAS) devices, or other systems where a full graphical environment is impractical or unnecessary. The daemon exposes an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) interface, allowing it to be controlled and monitored remotely by various front-end applications, such as the Deluge GTK desktop client, the Deluge Web UI for browser-based access, and the Deluge Console UI for terminal-based management. This architectural separation ensures stability and flexibility, enabling users to manage their torrents from virtually any connected device.

deluged is a daemon, designed for continuous background operation rather than interactive command-line use. While it can be started directly from the terminal, for persistent and robust operation on Linux systems, it's highly recommended to manage it as a service using a system init system like systemd. Most configuration and all torrent management are typically performed through one of the Deluge client UIs (GTK, Web, or Console), which connect to the running deluged instance.

By default, deluged stores its configuration files, torrent data, and session state in a user's home directory, typically under ~/.config/deluge or ~/.local/share/deluge. While these files can be edited manually, it's generally safer and recommended to use the Deluge client interfaces to modify settings to maintain data integrity and consistency.

On contemporary Linux distributions, deluged is often configured and managed as a systemd service. This setup ensures that the daemon starts automatically at boot, runs with appropriate permissions, and can be easily controlled via systemctl commands, such as systemctl start deluged.service, systemctl stop deluged.service, systemctl enable deluged.service, and systemctl status deluged.service.

Deluge, including its daemon component deluged, first emerged in 2006. It was created as a free and open-source BitTorrent client, developed using Python and GTK+. A foundational design principle from the outset was the clear separation of the core BitTorrent engine (deluged) from the user interface. This architectural choice enabled unparalleled flexibility, allowing the daemon to run on headless servers or embedded systems, while users could interact with it from any machine on the network via various front-ends. Its development has consistently focused on extensibility through a robust plugin system and broad cross-platform compatibility, securing its position as a favored choice for home media servers and remote torrent management.

deluge(1), deluge-console(1), deluge-web(1), transmission-daemon(1), rtorrent(1)