An FTP client is an application on your computer that connects you to remote servers through FTP and other protocols. In order to send files from a computer to a web server via FTP, website owners use an FTP client. WordPress users can also take advantage of FTP for uploading theme and plugin files downloaded from third-party sources. FTP is a way of sending these files straight to your server so you can publish them. FTP can be very useful for website owners, as it lets you upload website files from your personal device to your hosting server.įor example, say you have a version of your website saved locally on your computer, such as a backup or a local test site.

The File Transfer Protocol (or FTP for short) is a network protocol for transferring files over the internet.

To understand FTP clients, let’s first discuss FTP. Then, we’ll give our recommendations for the best FTP clients you can download today. In this post, we’ll first unpack what the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is, what an FTP client really does, and why you might need one to help in your website development process. Any time you need to send a file to a server (such as your web server) or download something from it, the right FTP client is your best friend. One essential tool for many website owners is the humble FTP client, an application that facilitates the transfer of files from one device to another over the internet.

Free ftp software for windows