What is SFTP, and how do I use an SFTP client to transfer files?

On this page:

• Overview
• Graphical clients
• Command-line SFTP
• At IU

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Overview

The SSH File Transfer Protocol (also known as Secure FTP and SFTP) is a computing network protocol for accessing and managing files on remote file systems. SFTP also allows file transfers between hosts, similar to the SCP protocol. Unlike standard File Transfer Protocol (FTP), SFTP encrypt commands and data both, preventing passwords and sensitive information from being transmitted in the clear over a network.

SFTP clients are programs that use SSH to access, manage, and transfer files. SFTP clients are functionally similar to FTP clients, but they use different protocols. Consequently, you cannot use standard FTP clients to connect to SFTP servers, nor can you use clients that support only SFTP to connect to FTP servers. Graphical clients are available for SFTP, or you can use it from the command line on a Unix or Mac OS X computer.

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Graphical SFTP clients

Graphical SFTP clients simplify file transfers by allowing you to drag and drop icons from one window to another. Each icon represents a file or directory, and each window represents a computer's file system. When you open the program, you specify the name of the remote host to which you want to connect, and then authenticate with your username and password for that host.

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Command-line SFTP

You can use SFTP from the command line on Unix and Mac OS X computers. To start an SFTP session, at the command prompt, enter:

sftp username@host

For example, if your username is dvader, to connect to your account on the host empire.gov, enter:

sftp dvader@empire.gov

Enter your password when prompted.

Some standard command-line SFTP commands include:

Command	Function
cd	Change the directory on the remote computer.
chmod	Change the permissions of files on the remote computer.
chown	Change the owner of files on the remote computer.
exit (or quit)	Close the connection to the remote computer and exit SFTP.
get	Copy a file from the remote computer to the local computer.
help (or ?)	Get help on the use of SFTP commands.
lcd	Change the directory on the local computer.
lls	List the contents of the current directory on the local computer.
lmkdir	Create a directory on the local computer.
ln (or symlink)	Create a symbolic link for a file on the remote computer.
lpwd	Show the current directory (present working directory) on the local computer.
ls (or dir)	List the contents of the current directory on the remote computer.
lumask	Change the local umask value.
mkdir	Create a directory on the remote computer.
put	Copy a file from the local computer to the remote computer.
pwd	Show the current directory (present working directory) on the remote computer.
rename	Rename a file on the remote computer.
rm	Delete a file on the remote computer.
rmdir	Remove a directory on the remote computer (the directory usually has to be empty).
version	Display the SFTP version.
!	Exit to the Unix shell prompt, where you can enter commands. To get back to SFTP, enter exit. If you combine  ! with a command (e.g., !pwd), SFTP will execute the command without dropping you to the Unix prompt.

How to use FTP from a command line?

Note: FTP is not an encrypted transmission, which means any data sent over it, including your username and password could be read by anyone who may intercept your transmission. If you're wanting a more secure transmission we suggest usingSFTP.

Connect using FTP
Send and receive a file in FTP
FTP commands

Connect using FTP

To connect to another computer using FTP at the MS-DOS prompt, command line, or Linux shell type FTP and press enter. Once in FTP> Type:

open ftp.example.com

In the above example, you'd substitute example.com for the name of your domain you're wanting to connect to. In addition to the domain name the IP address of the computer you're trying to connected to can also be typed in, for example, open 192.168.1.12.

Once connected you will be asked for a username and password. If these are entered properly you'll be successfully connected to the server where you can browse the files, send files, or receive files depending on your rights. Some servers may also allow anonymous logins you can connect to these computers using guest or e-mail address.

Send and receive a file in FTP

To get files from the server onto your own computer use the get command as shown in the example below. In this example you'd get the file myfile.htm.

Tip: If you want to get more than one file use mget and wildcards, for example, if you wanted to get all files that end with .htm you could type mget *.htm. Finally, if you do not want to be prompted as each file is being sent make sure to type prompt to disable prompting.

get myfile.htm

To send a file from your computer to the computer you are connected to assuming you have the rights use the send command as shown in the example below. In this example we're sending the myfile.htm to the directory we're currently in.

send myfile.htm

It is important to realize that the files being sent must be in your local working directory. In other words the directory you were in when you typed the FTP command. If you want to change to the directory that contains your files use the lcd command. For example, on Windows you'd type lcd c:\windows to set the local directory to the Windows directory.

FTP Commands

Depending upon the version of FTP and the operating system being used, each of the below commands may or may not work. Typing -help or a ? will list the commands available to you. Below is a general description of FTP commands available in the Windows command line FTP command.

• Linux and Unix FTP command help and information.

Command	Information
!	This command toggles back and forth between the operating system and ftp. Once back in the operating system, typing exit takes you back to the FTP command line.
?	Access the Help screen.
append	Append text to a local file.
ascii	Switch to ASCII transfer mode
bell	Turns bell mode on or off.
binary	Switches to binary transfer mode.
bye	Exits from FTP.
cd	Changes directory.
close	Exits from FTP.
delete	Deletes a file.
debug	Sets debugging on or off.
dir	Lists files if connected. dir -C = Will list the files in wide format. dir -1 = Lists the files in bare format in alphabetic order dir -r = Lists directory in reverse alphabetic order. dir -R = Lists all files in current directory and sub directories. dir -S = Lists files in bare format in alphabetic order.
disconnect	Exits from FTP.
get	Get file from the computer connected to.
glob	Sets globbing on or off. When turned off the file name in the put and get commands is taken literally and wildcards will not be looked at.
hash	Sets hash mark printing on or off. When turned on for each 1024 bytes of data received a hash-mark (#) is displayed.
help	Access the Help screen and displays information about command if command typed after help.
lcd	Displays local directory if typed alone or if path typed after lcd will change local directory.
literal	Sends a literal command to the connected computer with an expected one line response.
ls	Lists files of the remotely connected computer.
mdelete	Multiple delete.
mdir	Lists contents of multiple remote directories.
mget	Get multiple files.
mkdir	Make directory.
mls	Lists contents of multiple remote directories.
mput	Sent multiple files
open	Opens address.
prompt	Enables or disables the prompt.
put	Send one file
pwd	Print working directory
quit	Exits from FTP.
quote	Same as the literal command.
recv	Receive file.
remotehelp	Get help from remote server.
rename	Renames a file.
rmdir	Removes a directory on the remote computer.
send	Send single file.
status	Shows status of currently enabled and disabled options
trace	Toggles packet tracing.
Type	Set file transfer type.
user	Send new user information.
verbose	Sets verbose on or off.