Seeder

Seeder is a term used in several domains. In agriculture and horticulture, a seeder is a device or implement that deposits seeds into soil or a growing medium. In computing, a seeder is a participant in a peer-to-peer network who has a complete copy of a file and shares it with others.

In farming, seeders include seed drills, planters, and broadcast spreaders. Seed drills and planters place seeds in furrows at a controlled depth and spacing, often with row units and metering mechanisms to regulate seed rate. Broadcast or spreading seeders disseminate seeds over a field, usually for grasses or cover crops. Modern seeders are frequently tractor-mounted and may offer features such as precise calibration, depth control, and variable-rate seeding to match soil conditions and crop needs.

In peer-to-peer networks such as BitTorrent, a seeder is a user who has the complete file and remains connected to upload to others. Seeders are essential to file availability; new participants (peers) download from seeders. The term contrasts with leechers, who download more data than they upload. Seeders may use seedboxes or high-bandwidth connections to improve distribution, and seeding duration is often tracked by trackers or clients.

Outside these contexts, seeding can refer to the act of sowing seeds in a garden or field, performed by human or mechanical means.