computer science

Orbot

Orbot is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Orbot rather than just read about it. In short: Orbot is a free proxy app that provides anonymity on the Internet for users of the Android and iOS operating systems. It allows traffic from apps such as web browsers, email clients, map programs, and others to be routed via the Tor network.

Orbot — illustration

Key takeaways

Orbot belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Orbot to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Orbot from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Orbot is a free proxy app that provides anonymity on the Internet for users of the Android and iOS operating systems. It allows traffic from apps such as web browsers, email clients, map programs, and others to be routed via the Tor network. This tool is used to keep the communications of users anonymous and hidden from governments and third parties that might be monitoring their internet traffic.

Reception In 2014 Orbot was discussed in detail in an article on "reporting securely from an Android device". In January 2016, Lisa Vaas of NakedSecurity by Sophos described how to use Tor, including with Orbot on Android, to connect to Facebook. In July 2021, Tech Radar named Orbot one of 8 "Best privacy apps for Android in 2021" but warned of slower speeds. In July 2021 Android Authority discussed Tor Browser and Orbot in brief reviews of "15 best Android browsers". In November 2021, John Leyden of The Daily Swig described collaboration between the Tor Project and the Guardian Project to develop Orbot for censorship circumvention for any application on a device, but warned Orbot does not remove identifying information from app traffic. In July 2022, Laiba Mohsin of PhoneWorld.com described Orbot as a simple way to access the Dark Web on mobile. In October 2022, Damir Mujezinovic of MakeUseOf described Orbot as a "flagship" product for both iOS and Android to use the Tor network, and said it "will not make you completely anonymous, but it can certainly help bypass certain geographical restrictions," In November 2022, Mujezinovic wrote a detailed guide to using Orbot on iOS or Android.

References

Further reading Hathaway, Jay (19 April 2010). "Orbot offers anonymous browsing on Android, via Tor". Switched.com. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2012.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Orbot

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Orbot claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Orbot before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Orbot ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Orbot

In research: Orbot appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Orbot in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Orbot is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Free and open-source Android software, Free software programmed in Java, Tor (anonymity network), so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Orbot outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Orbot in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Orbot means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Orbot out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Orbot in simple terms?

Why does Orbot matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Orbot?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Orbot.