FTP Concepts and Definitions

FTP Concepts and Definitions

The key definition to remember is the term "protocol," which means a set of rules or standards that govern the interactions between computers. It is a key component in many terms that are now taken for granted: Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol or TCP/IP, the governing standards for internet communications; Hyper Text Transfer Protocol or HTTP, which established the benchmarks for internet addresses and communications between two computers in the internet; and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) which, as has been said, sets the rules for transferring files between computers.

The primary objective in the formulation of File Transfer Protocols was to make file transfers uncomplicated and to relieve the user of the burden of learning the details on how the transfer is actually accomplished. The result of all these standards and rules can be seen in today's web interactions, where pointing-and-clicking (with a mouse) initiates a series of actions that the typical internet user does not see or even remotely understand.