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What is FTP? How does FTP work?For the vast majority of Internet users, FTP is not a topic that comes up regularly. However, if you are a webmaster or interested in making your own website, then FTP is something you need to know about. What is FTP? FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. In the early days of the Internet, there were a couple of main ways of accessing the Internet -- there was FTP, Usenet, HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol = web browser). Everyone knows how HTTP works - type in the location of a webpage, and your browser displays it in the window, with hypertext links connecting pages. FTP is another way of seeing and moving files around the Internet. Basically, an FTP client is a piece of software that you run on your computer that connects your computer to servers somewhere on the Internet (most are password protected, requiring you to have the logon and password to access them, though are still open to anyone using an anonymous login). Imagine you have a website hosted on some ISP's server -- you need to send the photos and webpages you create on your PC or Mac over to the server so the rest of the world can see your website. So you login via this FTP program, you see the files on your computer and the files on your server -- you then are able to move files back and forth at will. You need to do this each time you update a webpage or post new pictures.
Some ISPs offer web-based FTP functions, allowing you to move files without using a special FTP program. And sites like blogger sites and social networking sites let you edit and create pages live online, without the need for using an FTP program to send your pages or postings to their servers. However, if you are more of an oldschool webmaster, creating and updating your own domain name and website(s), chances are you will need an FTP program to upload or download files and pages to your server. That being said, we'll take a look at some of the best commercial FTP programs and free FTP programs out there.
Best Free FTP Programs - Free FTP Client SoftwareThe best things in life are free, right? Well, sometimes... FTP software has been around for more than 15 years, and from the early freeware and shareware days of the Internet, there were and are many free options when it comes to an FTP client. For a long time WS FTP by Ipswitch was our favorite free FTP program. In fact, until recently moving to Vista OS we continued to use an old freeware version that has literally performed flawlessly for more than a decade. Unfortunately, they moved to a pay version for both home users and companies, so WS_FTP is no longer free (good for them, bad for us users :( ...). Anyways, here is a selection of other free FTP programs for webmasters just getting started...
Best Commercial FTP ProgramsOK, so you are not happy with getting an FTP program for free, and you want to pay for it instead? Don't worry, we've got you covered. A number of companies also offer top-of-the-line paid FTP programs to choose from. As we mentioned above, one of our favorite old-time FTP software programs is WS_FTP.
FTP for Mac - Best Mac FTP SoftwareFact is most web development, other than graphics, is done on plain old Windows PCs, so the selection of Mac software for any application is usually a fraction of what is available for Windows. Fetch (FetchSoftworks.com) is probably the most popular Mac FTP program, with both FTP and SFTP support for secure file transfers. Comes with all the standard FTP features - move, rename, delete, change file and directory permissions, etc. It costs $25 (15 day free trial period)Check out FTP Client for Mac (FTPClient.com) -- it's packed with a ton of features like automatic reconnect, large file support, remote editing, and support for FTPS. In use for more than 10 years, this a proven and tested product. Unfortunately, it is not a free Mac FTP program -- there is a 7 day free trial to see if you like it, but then you pay either $30-$35 if you decide to purchase it. ClassicFTP (above) also makes a free Mac FTP version - try it out if all you need is the basics.
Do you have a quality site or product that belongs in this guide? We are always happy to evaluate or review new products and websites. Feel free to contact us at the email address below and let us know about you. If you have a demo product you'd like us to look at, please contact us before sending anything. Thank you.
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