Comparison of file transfer protocols: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:16, 11 April 2005

Revision as of 19:10, 11 April 2005

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:''See [[file transfer protocol (disambiguation)]] for alternative meanings.''

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

A '''protocol for file transfer''' or '''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]].