File Transfer Protocol

The File Transfer Protocol, (FTP) is a protocol that is to be able to transfer files between machines with widely different operating systems.

It is an 8-bit protocol, capable of handling any type of file without further processing such as MIME or UUEncode. However, FTP has extremely high latency, the time between beginning the request and starting to receive the required data can be quite long, a lengthy login procedure is required.

FTP is standardized in RFC 0959 by the IETF as:

RFC 0959 File Transfer Protocol (FTP). J. Postel, J. Reynolds. Oct-1985. (Format: TXT=147316 bytes) http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc959.txt

The objectives of FTP are:

To promote sharing of files (computer programs and/or data).
To encourage indirect or implicit (via programs) use of remote computers
To shield a user from variations in file storage systems among hosts
To transfer data reliably and efficiently.

FTP, though usable directly by a user at a terminal, is designed mainly for use by programs.