Anyone who ran their own website in the 90s or early on 2000s is probably familiar with FTP. But for those who aren't, it can seem similar an arcane and hard to understand system. However, it's really quite unproblematic, and even these days, when many people use much friendlier tools like content management systems to run websites, FTP tin can still show useful. In this commodity, we'll take a look at what FTP is and how yous can use information technology on your Mac.

What is FTP?

FTP stands for file transfer protocol. The easiest way to understand it is that it sits alongside other net protocols like HTTP. Where HTTP allows you to connect to websites and move betwixt them using hyperlinks, FTP allows you to quickly and hands movement or copy files to and from a remote server or between two remote servers. For example, if yous run a website and have a hosting business relationship, yous tin can use FTP to copy files from your Mac to the web server that hosts your website. FTP is particularly useful for transferring large files considering some content management systems place limits on the maximum size of files that can be uploaded.

Benefits of FTP

  • Large files

FTP is particularly useful for transferring big files because some content management systems place limits on the maximum size of files that tin can be uploaded.

  • Piece of work on remote files

Another benefit of FTP is that once you have connected to a server from your Mac, it is treated every bit a local disk. So, depending on the FTP client you lot utilise, you could open up a file on the remote server, work on it on your Mac and and so save it without ever having to transfer it to your Mac.

Disadvantages of FTP

  • Needs extra software

While y'all can connect to an FTP server in Finder (encounter below), yous'll need to use a third-party customer if you want to make the nearly of FTP.

  • Security

While most FTP servers require you lot to log in using a username and password, these aren't encrypted. Many FTP servers accept been compromised using 'man in the center' attacks, where information is stolen while being transferred to and from an FTP server. The introduction of SFTP (secure file transfer protocol) and FTPS (FTP over SSL) have improved security by using encryption.

Tip

If you're going to transfer lots of files between your Mac and an FTP server, it'due south a proficient idea to accept a bit of cleanup first. Getting rid of junk files and other files you don't need will create more space on your Mac for those files y'all transfer from FTP servers. The easiest manner to clear space on your Mac is to use CleanMyMac X. It has several modules that tin can help.

CleanMyMac X - System junk scan complete

Ane of those, System Junk, scans your Mac looking for junk files like old cache files, temporary files that weren't removed, and language files for languages you don't apply. You can and so delete them all with i click or review what it has constitute and cull what to delete. CleanMyMac 10 also has a Large & Old Files module that identifies files that you haven't opened for a while or that are taking upwards lots of space on your Mac. You lot can download the app for gratis here.


Is FTP safe?

Yes. Notwithstanding, you should apply a secure version wherever possible. That could exist SFTP or FTPS, as long as it encrypts files as they are transferred.

How to utilize FTP on your Mac

The simplest style to use FTP on your Mac is to utilize Finder to connect to a remote server and Sharing to set your Mac upward as an FTP server. Hither's how to do it.

Set your Mac up as an FTP server

  1. Click on the Apple tree menu and choose System Preferences.
  2. Select the Sharing pane.
  3. Check the box next to Remote Login.
  4. Choose whether to permit access to all users or only users y'all choose.
  5. Quit System Preferences.

Enabling remote login allows SFTP access to your Mac using the username and countersign of an business relationship you lot have immune access to.

Connect to an FTP server from your Mac

  1. Click on the Finder in the Dock.
  2. Choose the Go menu, then Connect to Server.
  3. Type the address of the server into the text box.
  4. Press Connect.
  5. If requested, type in your username and countersign for the FTP server.

The best FTP clients for Mac

Connecting to an FTP server from the Finder allows yous to copy files to and from it, but non much else. Using a 3rd-party customer ways you lot tin edit files on the server, compare versions of files on the server with local versions, and manage duplicate files. In that location are lots of options for accessing FTP servers on a Mac. Some of them are full general file management tools that can be used in place of the Finder. Others are dedicated FTP clients. Here are some options.

  • Forklift
  • Commander Ane
  • DC Commander
  • Transmit
  • CyberDuck

The one yous cull will depend on what yous need to practise. If you want a basic file transfer tool that supports secure transfer protocols, CyberDuck is peachy. If you want a replacement for the Finder with a dual-pane interface and the ability to sync files between locations, ForkLift and Commander Ane will do that. And if you lot want a one-stop-shop for all file transfer tools and services, Transmit fits the bill.

FTP is a very useful tool for transferring files between your Mac and a remote server. Even so, you should use a secure version, either SFTP or FTPS, to brand sure your files are secure while in transit. Depending on what you want to practise, you can either connect to an FTP server from the Finder or employ a third-political party utility to transfer and manage files.