diff --git a/utils_qb.py b/utils_qb.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4625356
--- /dev/null
+++ b/utils_qb.py
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import os
+from qbittorrentapi import Client
+import tomllib
+from pathlib import Path
+
+config = tomllib.loads(Path("config.toml").read_text())
+
+def get_qb_client() -> Client:
+    """
+    Initializes and returns an authenticated qBittorrent client.
+    Based on existing implementations in TrackerEditor.
+    """
+    qb = Client(host=config["qb"]["host"], username=config["qb"]["username"], password=config["qb"]["password"])
+    qb.auth_log_in()
+    return qb
+
+
+def download_torrent(qb_client: Client, torrent_source: str, save_path: str) -> str:
+    """
+    4. Calls qb api to download a torrent to a messy directory.
+    
+    :param qb_client: Authenticated qbittorrentapi.Client
+    :param torrent_source: File path to a .torrent file, or a magnet link / URL.
+    :param save_path: The directory where the torrent should be downloaded (e.g. the messy folder).
+    :return: Response from the API.
+    """
+    if os.path.isfile(torrent_source):
+        # It's a local .torrent file
+        return qb_client.torrents_add(torrent_files=torrent_source, save_path=save_path)
+    else:
+        # It's a magnet link or URL
+        return qb_client.torrents_add(urls=torrent_source, save_path=save_path)
+
+
+def get_torrent_file_tree(qb_client: Client, torrent_hash: str) -> list:
+    """
+    5. Calls qb api to view the file tree inside the torrent.
+    
+    :param qb_client: Authenticated qbittorrentapi.Client
+    :param torrent_hash: The hash of the target torrent.
+    :return: A list of dicts representing the files inside the torrent, 
+             which includes their relative paths reflecting the file tree.
+    """
+    try:
+        files = qb_client.torrents_files(torrent_hash=torrent_hash)
+        
+        # The API returns a list of dictionaries containing file info (name with path separators, size, etc.)
+        file_tree = []
+        for f in files:
+            file_tree.append({
+                "id": getattr(f, "id", None),
+                "name": getattr(f, "name", ""),
+                "size": getattr(f, "size", 0),
+                "progress": getattr(f, "progress", 0)
+            })
+        return file_tree
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"Error fetching file tree for {torrent_hash}: {e}")
+        return []