Usenet is a decentralized, global network that predates the [[World Wide Web|web]], where users can post articles and share files across categorized newsgroups. Originally designed for discussions, it now serves as a platform for file sharing through a combination of specialized servers, newsreaders, and indexers. # Indexer Indexers are search tools and content catalogs. They don’t store Usenet data but instead help users locate files and articles across the Usenet network. # Provider Usenet providers are the actual **infrastructure**—they own and maintain the servers where Usenet data (posts, discussions, and binary files) is stored.