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What is FTP?
FTP (File Transfer Protocol), a standard protocol, is the
simplest way to exchange files between computers on the Internet.
Like the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which transfers
displayable Web pages and related files, and the Simple Mail
Transfer Protocol (SMTP), which transfers e-mail, FTP
is an application protocol that uses the Internet's TCP/IP protocols.
FTP is commonly used to transfer Web page files from their
creator to the computer that acts as their server for everyone on
the Internet. It's also commonly used to download programs and other
files to your computer from other servers.
As a user, you can use FTP with a simple command
line interface (for example, from the Windows MS-DOS Prompt window)
or with a commercial program that offers a graphical user interface.
Your Web browser can also make FTP requests to download programs
you select from a Web page. Using FTP, you can also update (delete,
rename, move, and copy) files at a server. You need to log on to
an FTP server. However, publicly available files are easily accessed
using anonymous FTP.
FTP is usually provided as part of a suite of programs
that come with TCP/IP.
Selected Links
Among FTP programs with a graphical user interface that you can
download from the Web are:
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