FTP

File Transfer Protocol

A standard protocol used to transfer files between computers over a network, such as the internet. FTP was developed in the 1970s as a way to share files between remote computers and has since become a widely used method for transferring files.

FTP works by using a client-server architecture, where one computer acts as the server and another computer, typically a user’s computer, acts as the client. The client establishes a connection to the server using an FTP client software and can then navigate the server’s file directory to upload or download files.

FTP is often used by web developers to upload website files to a web server, as well as by businesses to transfer large files such as video or software updates. FTP can be used with a variety of operating systems and is supported by many web hosting providers and cloud storage services.

FTP has several security vulnerabilities and is not recommended for transferring sensitive data or files. More secure file transfer protocols, such as SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) and FTPS (FTP over SSL/TLS), are available and should be used in situations where data security is a concern.

• Abbreviation: FTP