What are transfer protocols?

File transfer protocols are used for transferring files between a server and a client on a computer network. The diversity of today’s numerous networks implies a usage of many different complex protocols because there cannot be only one universal set of rules via which we control and handle all data transferring.

Today, the FTP is mostly used for downloading which actually means transferring a certain file from one computer to another. In most cases, you won’t even know the exact location of the computer you’re receiving files from. The computer designed for receiving the FTP connection is called an FTP site (or FTP server). It is like a huge library of files and an authorized person has the power to organize them according to their preferences, keep them locked (i.e. demands a User ID and Password) or open to the public (i.e. typing your email as username to get access).

With FTP programs (e.g. WS_FTP), you can do several things, such as:

• Publish a website
• Upload and download media
• Add images to online auctions

If you want to learn more about File Transfer Protocols, check out this blog post.