Editing File Transfer Protocol (section)

{{Short description|Standard protocol for transferring files over TCP/IP networks}}
{{Redirect|FTP}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox networking protocol
|       title = File Transfer Protocol
|     purpose = [[File transfer]]
|   developer = [[Abhay Bhushan]] for RFC 114
|        date = {{Start date and age|1971|4|16}}
|    osilayer = [[Application layer]]
|       ports = 21 for control, 20 for data transfer
|        rfcs = RFC 959
}}
{{IPstack}}
{{Internet history timeline}}

The '''File Transfer Protocol''' ('''FTP''') is a standard [[communication protocol]] used for the transfer of [[computer file]]s from a server to a client on a [[computer network]]. FTP is built on a client–server model architecture using separate control and data connections between the client and the server.<ref name="for">{{cite book |last=Forouzan |first=B.A. |year=2000 |title=TCP/IP: Protocol Suite |edition=1st |location=New Delhi, India |publisher=Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited}}</ref> FTP users may authenticate themselves with a [[plaintext|plain-text]] sign-in protocol, normally in the form of a username and password, but can connect anonymously if the server is configured to allow it. For secure transmission that protects the username and password, and encrypts the content, FTP is often [[#Security|secured]] with [[Transport Layer Security|SSL/TLS]] ([[FTPS]]) or replaced with [[SSH File Transfer Protocol]] (SFTP).

The first FTP client applications were [[Command-line interface|command-line programs]] developed before [[operating system]]s had [[graphical user interface]]s, and are still shipped with most [[Windows]], [[Unix]], and [[Linux]] operating systems.<ref name="tcpip">{{cite web |last=Kozierok |first=Charles M. |year=2005 |title=The TCP/IP Guide v3.0 |url=http://www.tcpipguide.com/free/t_FTPOverviewHistoryandStandards.htm |publisher=Tcpipguide.com}}</ref><ref name="net+"/> Many dedicated FTP [[client (computing)|client]]s and automation utilities have since been developed for [[desktop computer|desktops]], servers, mobile devices, and hardware, and FTP has been incorporated into productivity applications such as [[HTML editor]]s and [[file managers]].

An FTP client used to be commonly integrated in [[web browser]]s, where file servers are browsed with the [[Uniform Resource Identifier|URI]] prefix "<code>{{Cite FTP |url=ftp:// |server=FTP server |url-status=dead |title=FTP link }}</code>". In 2021, FTP support was dropped by [[Google Chrome]] and [[Firefox]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Vonau|first=Manuel|date=2021-07-07|title=Firefox follows in Chrome's footsteps and drops FTP support (APK Download)|url=https://www.androidpolice.com/2021/07/14/firefox-90-fully-removes-ftp-support-and-reorganizes-some-settings-apk-download/|access-date=2021-07-12|website=Android Police|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="chromestatus">{{Cite web|title=Remove FTP support - Chrome Platform Status|url=https://chromestatus.com/feature/6246151319715840|access-date=2021-09-02|website=www.chromestatus.com}}</ref>  two major web browser vendors, due to it being superseded by the more secure [[SSH File Transfer Protocol|SFTP]] and [[FTPS]]; although neither of them have implemented the newer protocols.<ref>{{Cite web |last=by |first=Written |date=2020-03-23 |title=Firefox is dropping FTP support |url=https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2020/03/23/firefox-is-dropping-ftp-support/ |access-date=2023-10-13 |website=Sophos News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Benj |date=2022-07-14 |title=Chrome and Firefox Killed FTP Support: Here's an Easy Alternative |url=https://www.howtogeek.com/744569/chrome-and-firefox-killed-ftp-support-heres-an-easy-alternative/ |access-date=2023-10-13 |website=How-To Geek |language=en}}</ref>