Supportsoft Glossary

Standard for Transferring Files Online

 FTP has been around a long time to allow users to transfer files between their computers and other computers on the internet (aka FTP). It was the primary means of transferring web content when cloud storage did not exist; today, many businesses still use FTP as a means of transferring data to servers.

Users interact with FTP via a client/server system. Users connect their clients to the FTP server using FTP control commands, validate with their usernames and passwords, and then send file or command requests to transfer their files across a direct FTP connection to the server. Some versions of FTP also support SSL and SSH encryption, which adds further protection for users to protect their sensitive files.

Although FTP is very easy to understand, it is an effective solution for using large files. It is commonly used as an automation tool when building automated structures within web application development (such as continuous integration build systems) and also to help maintain organised file information from the server.

Both FTP and the automated file upload methods continue to be valuable to many organisations that require accessible and direct file manipulation capabilities. Due to its simplicity and ease of understanding, FTP has endured for many years due to its effectiveness and continuing support from organisations for its use in building systems.