What Does FTP Stand For?
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Website Building Basics > What Does FTP Stand For
FTP, File Transfer Protocol, is the method of copying the
files that make up your website from your local computer to the web
hosting account that you setup with your web hosting provider.
This is actually a very easy process plus there generally
isn't a cost for it. There are quite a few options for
transferring files to your remote web hosting account but using
FTP software allows you to upload files, make changes to the
file directly on the server and perform other functions such as
changing the permissions of certain files.
Free FTP SoftwareI personally use FileZilla, it's a free
application that is actively being improved with frequent updates.
It's a very easy interface to use, you simply find the files on one
side of the application and connect to your hosting account by
entering your username and password.
From there you simply highlight the files that you'd like to
transfer and then drag them to your server. Depending on the number
of files and the size, it shouldn't take much time at all for the
files to be uploaded.
Feel free to click on this thumbnail for a screenshot of
FileZilla.
Uses For FTP Software
There are quite a few things to use FTP for but the primary reason
is to transfer files between your local computer and your remote web
hosting account. When you first open your FTP client you'll simply
need to enter your host name, which is generally your website
address. Then you'll enter your username and password that you chose
when you setup your hosting account.
From there you can use your FTP client to transfer files, update the
permissions of files for certain scripting like
CGI scripts or even make changes directly to a file on the
server without having to update the file on your computer. This is
perfect if you happen to be away from your computer and need to make
an important change.
Webmaster ForumI invite you to visit my
webmaster forum,
it's a great place to discuss websites and ask questions to fellow
webmasters regarding topics that you may still have questions on. |
