Comparison of file transfer protocols: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 19:43, 5 April 2005

Revision as of 19:53, 5 April 2005

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:''This page is about file transfer protocols in general. For the standard Internet File Transfer Protocol, see [[File Transfer Protocol|FTP]].''

A '''file transfer protocol''' is a convention or standard that controls or enables the transfer of [[computer file|file]]s between two computing endpoints. Unlike with a general-purpose [[Protocol (computing)|communication protocol]], file transfer protocols are not designed to send arbitrary data or facilitate [[asynchronous communication]] such as [[Telnet]] sessions. They are meant solely to send the stream of [[bit]]s stored as a single unit in a [[file system]], plus any relevant [[metadata]] such as the [[filename]], file size, and [[timestamp]].

File transfer protocols usually operate on top of a lower-level protocol in a [[protocol stack]]. For example, the [[FTPFile Transfer Protocol|Internet FTP]] protocol operates as the topmost layer of the [[TCP/IP stack]], whereas [[XMODEM]], [[YMODEM]], and [[ZMODEM]] typically operate across [[RS-232]] serial connections to [[modem]]s.

==List of file transfer protocols==

===Primarily used with [[TCP/IP]]===

*[[FTAM]]

*[[File Transfer Protocol|FTP]]

*[[HTTP]]

*[[rcp]]