File transfer

File transfer is the transmission of a computer file through a communication channel from one computer system to another. Typically, file transfer is mediated by a communications protocol. In the history of computing, a large number of file transfer protocols have been designed for different contexts.

Some examples of file transfer:

Network file systems may allow transparent file transfers
FTP is an older cross-platform file transfer protocol
Secure copy (scp) is based on the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol
HTTP can support file transfer
Bittorent, Gnutella and other distributed file transfers systems use peer-to-peer
In IBM Systems Network Architecture, LU 6.2 Connect:Direct and XCOM Data Transport are traditional
Many instant messaging or LAN messenger systems support the ability to transfer files
Computers may transfer files to peripheral devices such as USB flash drives
Dial-up modems null modem links used XMODEM, YMODEM, ZMODEM and similar

Protocols

A file transfer protocol is a convention that describes how to transfer files between two computing endpoints. They are meant solely to send the stream of bits 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 HTTP protocol operates at the topmost application layer of the TCP/IP stack, whereas XMODEM, YMODEM, and ZMODEM typically operate across RS-232 serial connections.

Computer files
Types	Binary file / Text file File format List of file formats File signatures Magic number Metafile Sidecar file Sparse file Swap file System file Temporary file Zero-byte file
Properties	Filename 8.3 filename Long filename Filename mangling Filename extension List of filename extensions File attribute Extended file attributes File size Hidden file / Hidden directory
Organisation	Directory/Folder NTFS junction point Temporary folder Directory structure File sequence File system Filesystem Hierarchy Standard Path
Operations	Open Close Read Write
Linking	Alias File descriptor Hard link Shadow Shortcut Symbolic link
Management	File comparison File compression File manager Comparison of file managers File system permissions File transfer File sharing File verification

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File transfer

Protocols

See also