FTP stands for “File Transfer Protocol” and is a network protocol in IT that is used to transfer files between computers in a network. This allows users to transfer and manage files from one computer (FTP server) to another (FTP client).
This is useful for making files available for publication on a website or for creating back-ups of files on a remote server. Users can also download files from the FTP server to their local computer, allowing access to publicly accessible files. Furthermore, FTP ensures the creation, deletion, renaming and moving of files and directories on the FTP server, which facilitates the organization of content on a server. Nevertheless, FTP is an insecure protocol, as the data and login information are transferred in plain text. Therefore, the use of SFTP (Secure File Transport Protocol) or FTPS (FTP Secure) is recommended in security-critical applications, as these offer encryption and authentication. This ensures the security of the transferred data.
FTP is used in many areas, for example in web development, file sharing or updating software and content on a server. It is an efficient tool for transferring files over local and remote networks.