What is FTP? File Transfer Protocol Explained for Beginners

What is FTP?

FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol.
It is a standard network protocol used to transfer files between a computer and a web server.

📦 It’s the tool developers use to upload, download, or manage files on a website.

🌍 Where is FTP Used?

✅ Uploading a new website
✅ Updating HTML, CSS, JS, or image files
✅ Creating backups
✅ Managing folders on your server
✅ Downloading error logs or plugins

🖥️ How FTP Works (Step-by-Step)

1. You install an FTP client (like FileZilla)
2. You enter the hostname, username, password, and port
3. Once connected, you see:
   • Left side = Your computer
   • Right side = Website server
4. You drag and drop files to upload or download

💡 It’s just like copying files between two folders — but one folder is online!

🔒 FTP vs SFTP – What’s the Difference?

SFTP adds encryption for security and is commonly used today.

⚙️ Popular FTP Clients

📥 Example: Uploading Your Website with FTP

Let’s say you built a website called myportfolio.html.

To upload it:

1. Open FileZilla
2. Enter hosting credentials (from your cPanel or email)
3. Navigate to /public_html/ folder
4. Drag myportfolio.html and drop it there
5. Done! You can now access it at:
   https://yourdomain.com/myportfolio.html

🔧 Where to Get FTP Details?

🧠 Your web hosting provider (like Hostinger, Bluehost) will give you:

• FTP hostname (usually ftp.yourdomain.com)
• Username
• Password
• Port (usually 21 for FTP, 22 for SFTP)

📦 What Files Can You Transfer with FTP?

✅ HTML, CSS, JS
✅ PHP files
✅ Images, videos, docs
✅ Zip files
✅ Plugin & theme folders

🧠 Fun Fact

The first FTP protocol was introduced in 1971 — it’s older than the World Wide Web!
And it’s still in use today for website management 🚀

✅ Summary

💬 Comment Prompt

💬 Have you used FileZilla or any FTP client before?
Need help setting it up for your hosting? Drop a comment or ask in our Telegram group!

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