Magnet links are an increasingly popular way to make downloading and sharing bittorrent files even faster and easier! Sometimes called “magnet URIs,” magnet links let you download your favorite content using a plain-text link. Just copy and paste the link into e-mails and instant messages and you’re good to go!
What Is a Magnet Link
Magnet links make life easier for both bittorrent hosts and users. Without them, files (and pieces of files) had to be assigned specific names (or “hashes”) to guard against corrupt or dummy files—but with magnet links, the client can just copy, paste, and send the link.
Downloading Torrents Using Magnet Links
With magnet links, you no longer need to download a “.torrent” file to download a torrent. Magnet links have the same functionality as a “.torrent” file. To use magnet URIs, you need only ensure that your bittorrent client is associated with them. Just click the magnet link and let the bittorrent client do the rest.
SOURCE: http://www.vuze.com/about-torrents/magnet-links