FTP - What is FTP?

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is the generic term for a group of computer programs aimed at facilitating the transfer of files or data from one computer to another. It originated in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the early 1970s when mainframes, dumb terminals and time-sharing were the standard.


Traditionally, when communications speeds were low (ranging from the then-standard 9.8 kbps to the "fast" 16.8 Kbps unlike today's broadband 1 Mbps standard) FTP was the method of choice for downloading large files from various websites. Although the FTP programs have been improved and updated over time, the basic concepts and definitions remain the same and are still in use today.