File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard network protocol used to transfer files from one computer to another over a network, such as the internet. FTP is a client-server protocol, which means that one computer (the client) is used to initiate a connection to another computer (the server), and to request the transfer of files.
FTP is commonly used to transfer large files, such as images, videos, and documents, between computers. It is also often used to upload and download files to and from websites and servers.
To use FTP, users typically need an FTP client, which is a piece of software that allows them to connect to an FTP server and transfer files. FTP clients are available for a variety of platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.
FTP is a simple and widely-used protocol for transferring files, but it has some security vulnerabilities, such as the lack of encryption for transmitted data. As a result, more secure alternatives, such as Secure FTP (SFTP) and FTPS (FTP over SSL/TLS), have been developed to provide additional security for file transfers.