Getting started with FTP - The File Transfer Protocol

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FTP from command line is for advanced users, such as system administrators etc.
To access FTP server, pretty much every operating system has a built a built in FTP client program that you can use from command line.
I am using Ubuntu machine as a client machine to connect to our FTP server.
I will type command, FTP, to get to FTP prompt.
To exist from this mode, type BYE, and press Enter.
To launch our FTP client in passive mode, we will add dash P switch to FTP client program and press enter.
To open a new connect to our FTP server, type,
open space, [address of your FTP server] and press enter.
type in the username and password when prompted and press enter.
We are in.
Let me now show you few important commands that you may end up using.
To list all the files and directories from FTP folder, you use LS command.
As you can see that FTP folder is listed, the first D your see under permission flags means, that FTP is a directory.

You get in to this directory, you use CD, (change directory) command.
To check content of this directory, you again use LS command.
Let's get out of this directory by issuing CD command, followed by two dots, two dots represent one level up, in directory tree.

Let's get in ftp folder again and check its contents. As previously described, D flag under permission flags means, list option is a directory.

To check which folder you are in, you can use PWD command.
To check status of your connection, issue a Status command.

Let's create a folder called test by using MKDIR command. Server responds with success. LS command shows that MKDIR command was successful.

Let's download file hello dot TXT from FTP folder, by using GET command.
This file is downloaded to the folder we are currently in, under our ubuntu prompt.

After we did that, let's delete hello dot TXT file with, delete command.
Now let's kill our FTP session and get out.

WHen I check my local folder on ubuntu, hello dot TXT has been downloaded successfully.
let's FTP connect with our server again.

Now that hello dot TXT was deleted by me, let's upload a copy from our local directory to our FTP server.
This can be done by using PUT command.
File has been uploaded successfully.
To check what other commands FTP program support. Type help, and press enter. List of commands will show up.

In next chapter, I will talk about Secure FTP.