FTP Server
Servers & Server SoftwareFTP Server is software that accepts File Transfer Protocol connections to upload, download, and manage files on a remote system. It authenticates users, enforces permissions, and exposes directories as a file repository for websites, backups, or application assets. In web hosting, it is commonly used to publish site files, move logs, and automate deployments, often alongside more secure alternatives like SFTP.
How It Works
An FTP server listens for client connections and handles file operations such as listing directories, transferring files, renaming, and deleting. Traditional FTP uses a control channel for commands and a separate data channel for transfers, which can operate in active or passive mode. The server maps authenticated users to specific directories (often a website document root) and applies filesystem permissions and quotas.
Because classic FTP sends credentials and data in clear text, many hosting environments prefer encrypted variants. FTPS adds TLS encryption to FTP, while SFTP runs over SSH and uses a different protocol despite the similar name. Administrators typically configure user accounts, chroot or jailed access to limit exposure, passive port ranges for firewall compatibility, and logging to track changes and troubleshoot failed transfers.
Why It Matters for Web Hosting
FTP access affects how easily you can deploy and maintain a site, especially when you are not using Git-based deployment or a control panel file manager. When comparing hosting plans, check whether you get SFTP/FTPS (not just plain FTP), how many accounts you can create, whether access can be restricted per directory, and if the host supports passive mode and IP allowlisting. These details influence security, workflow, and team collaboration.
Common Use Cases
- Uploading website files to the public web root (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, media)
- Managing CMS themes, plugins, and assets when dashboard access is limited
- Transferring backups and exporting logs for troubleshooting
- Automating file synchronization with scripts or CI/CD jobs using SFTP/FTPS clients
- Providing limited file access to contractors with per-user permissions
FTP Server vs SFTP
An FTP server implements the FTP protocol, which is widely supported but insecure without TLS and more complex to firewall due to separate data connections. SFTP uses SSH, encrypts traffic by default, typically works over a single port (22), and is easier to secure with key-based authentication. For hosting plan selection, SFTP is usually the safer default, while FTPS can be acceptable when you need FTP compatibility with TLS encryption.