{"id":10090,"date":"2020-06-15T10:05:37","date_gmt":"2020-06-15T14:05:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/blog\/?p=10090"},"modified":"2024-01-23T14:21:20","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T19:21:20","slug":"ftp-free-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.inmotionhosting.com\/blog\/ftp-free-alternatives\/","title":{"rendered":"Free Alternatives to FTP"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At some point or another, it will be necessary to upload (or download) files from your server. Even if you use WordPress, there are occasions on which you will need to have direct access to the content of your server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For years, the most popular file transfer method was the File Transfer Protocol (FTP)<\/a>, which comes pre-installed in every InMotion Hosting account (and virtually any hosting account you may find).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t have FTP, it\u2019s easy to install, setup, and use. And if you\u2019ve ever had a long download stall in the middle, you know how much time can be lost re-uploading from the beginning. One of the great things about FTP is that it can continue a transfer from where it left off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What FTP gains in convenience it lacks in security. FTP is not encrypted. This means the format is open and files could be spied on in transit. For security-conscious users, there are more secure alternatives to check out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, if you don\u2019t like FTP, or you want something quicker, secure, and more flexible, there are many alternatives for transferring files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note Your Document Root<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most importantly, to properly configure any kind of file transfer, it\u2019s critical to have the right document root<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The document root of your website is the highest level in the file hierarchy. It will be the directory that is used when your domain name is pulled up in a browser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For your purposes, you will need to have the document root set properly, or you will be uploading files to the wrong location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The document root is one part of your server\u2019s file architecture. You should seek to be familiar with the rest of the file system, but that is outside of the scope of this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secure Copy (SCP)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Secure copy (SCP)<\/a> is a very simple, highly configurable command line file transfer tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCP uses the SSH protocol, which is very reliable and secure right out of the box, so minimal setup is required to get it working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Secure<\/em> File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Technically, SFTP<\/a> is sort of like FTP, but it\u2019s different. The “S” part means \u201cSecure,\u201d and it uses a different port than standard FTP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, you can use the same FTP client you\u2019re familiar with and re-configure it for SFTP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Git<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Git is a popular version control system, but you can also use it for publishing files to your server<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using Git for file transfer is preferable, if possible, because you can save a few extra steps. With \u201chooks,\u201d you can program your Git system to automatically transfer files whenever you \u201ccommit\u201d your code or at any point in your workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to set up these hooks properly, it\u2019s best to work on your command line jujitsu, but you can also use the Github website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019d like to get familiar with Git, I\u2019d recommend starting with our Git series in the Support Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

cPanel File Manager<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For many users, the cPanel File Manager<\/a> provides the most user-friendly interface for transferring files. It\u2019s easy because you can bookmark it right in your browser. And all you need to log in is your cPanel username and password.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to get to the file manager, all you need to do is log into cPanel and select File Manager<\/em> under the \u201cFiles\u201d section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once there, you can easily navigate your file system, upload, and download files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Local Folders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the file transfer methods above, you can also use your local file browser. In the Mac world, you might be familiar with the \u201cFinder,\u201d similar to the Windows \u201cExplorer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your local file system can also connect you to your servers using FTP, SSH, or other protocols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

At some point or another, you will need to get access to your server files. For everyday use, the cPanel file manager is probably the best option. But if you have any large files, try SCP or SFTP. For quickly syncing smaller files between two servers, Git is the best option.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At some point or another, it will be necessary to upload (or download) files from your server. Even if you use WordPress, there are occasions on which you will need to have direct access to the content of your server. For years, the most popular file transfer method was the File Transfer Protocol (FTP), which comes Read More ><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[358],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-web-development"],"yoast_head":"\nFree Alternatives to FTP | InMotion Hosting<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You need access to your server files, for uploading and downloading, here are some great alternatives to FTP.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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