> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/nicotine-plus/nicotine-plus/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Welcome to Nicotine+

> A graphical client for the Soulseek peer-to-peer network - user-friendly, fast, free, and open source

<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nicotine-plus/nicotine-plus/master/data/icons/icon.svg" alt="Nicotine+ Logo" width="128" height="128" />

## What is Nicotine+?

Nicotine+ is a graphical client for the [Soulseek](https://www.slsknet.org/news/) peer-to-peer network. Share files, chat, and find people with similar interests. Nicotine+ is user-friendly, fast, free, and open source. It provides features and refinements that focus on usability, while remaining fully compatible with other Soulseek clients.

Nicotine+ is written in Python and uses GTK for its graphical user interface.

## Key Features

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="File Sharing" icon="folder-open">
    Share your music, documents, and files with the Soulseek community. Set up multiple share folders with granular privacy controls.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Advanced Search" icon="magnifying-glass">
    Find files across the network with powerful search filters. Save searches to your wishlist and get notified when matches appear.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Chat & Community" icon="comments">
    Join chat rooms, send private messages, and connect with users who share your interests. Build your network of music enthusiasts.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Smart Transfers" icon="arrows-rotate">
    Queue management, bandwidth throttling, and automatic retry. Resume interrupted downloads and manage upload slots efficiently.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Quick Links

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Download Nicotine+" icon="download" href="/downloads">
    Get the latest version for Windows, macOS, or Linux
  </Card>

  <Card title="Quick Start Guide" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart">
    Get up and running in minutes
  </Card>

  <Card title="Core Features" icon="star" href="/features/file-sharing">
    Explore what Nicotine+ can do
  </Card>

  <Card title="Configuration" icon="gear" href="/configuration/settings">
    Customize your experience
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Current Version

The current stable version of Nicotine+ is **3.3.10**, released on March 10, 2025.

## Cross-Platform Support

Nicotine+ runs on:

* **GNU/Linux** - All major distributions (Arch, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, and more)
* **BSD & Unix** - FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Haiku, Solaris
* **Windows** - Windows 10 and later
* **macOS** - macOS 13 Ventura and later (Intel and Apple Silicon)

<Note>
  Nicotine+ requires Python 3.9 or newer and GTK 4.6.9+ (or GTK 3.24.24+) for the graphical interface.
</Note>

## Open Source & Privacy

Nicotine+ is free and open source software, released under the terms of the [GNU General Public License v3.0 or later](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0-standalone.html).

**Privacy**: The Nicotine+ Team does not collect any data used or stored by the client. Different policies may apply for data sent to the default Soulseek server, which is not operated by the Nicotine+ Team.

<Warning>
  Soulseek is an unencrypted protocol not intended for secure communication. When connecting to the default Soulseek server, you agree to abide by the Soulseek [rules](https://www.slsknet.org/news/node/681) and [terms of service](https://www.slsknet.org/news/node/682).
</Warning>

## Get Involved

Nicotine+ is built by contributors around the world. There are several ways to get involved:

* **[Issue Tracker](https://github.com/nicotine-plus/nicotine-plus/issues)** - Report problems or suggest improvements
* **[Translations](https://hosted.weblate.org/engage/nicotine-plus)** - Help translate Nicotine+ into your language
* **[Development](/development/overview)** - Implement bug fixes, enhancements, or new features
* **[IRC Channel](https://web.libera.chat/?channel=#nicotine+)** - Chat with the community on Libera.Chat

## Why "Nicotine"?

> I was in a geeky mood and was browsing bash.org's QDB. I stumbled across this quote:
>
> **\<etc>** so tempting to release a product called 'nicotine' and wait for the patches.
>
> **\<etc>** then i would have a reason to only apply one patch a day. otherwise, i'm going against medical advise.
>
> So I thought what the hell and bluntly stole etc's idea.

— Hyriand, former Nicotine maintainer, 2003


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.