Connecting to FTP via the Linux command line
I need to upload files via FTP from the command line. I have this information: a URL, a username, a password, a port, and the fact that I am supposed to use passive mode. How do I upload a file given this information? Note that I am having to do this from a script, so I need to be able to enter this information automatically.
ftp happens do be one FTP client. Others might be better suited depending on what the user wants. Simply linking to a man page isn’t exactly helpful.
3 Answers 3
There’s many CLI (command line) clients out there. Most common is simply ftp . You’ve got , , , and «passive mode». Using ftp you should do:
-p switch means «use passive mode». Then you’ll be asked about your username and password. After successful login (server let you know about that), you are able to give some commands. Type help and press «enter» to get list of commands available. You can use e.g. cd , ls , mkdir ftp commands to change working directory (on the server), list its contents and create a new directory. If before running ftp you were in the same directory as you files you want to send, you can use put or mput command to start actual transfer. First command sends one file, second multiple files using globbing (e.g. mput *pdf will send all pdf files in current directory). To get simple help about command you can use help from within ftp app. I’d say that’s enough for starters. For the rest use man ftp or info ftp . To end ftp session type bye . There are other ways to do that but I think this one is just elegant :).
As for the other clients, some interesting choices were pointed here, but I personally use lftp . It’s just solid, good, flexible and easy to use ftp client. If you prefer more visual approach while still being under command line, you can go for mc or «Midnight Command». It’s general application file manager utilizing Norton Commander paradigm, but can be also used to access ftp servers.
How to Use the Linux ftp Command
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a network protocol used for transferring files from one computer system to another. Even though the safety of FTP tends to spark a lot of discussion, it is still an effective method of transferring files within a secure network.
In this tutorial, we will show you how to use the ftp command to connect to a remote system, transfer files, and manage files and directories.
- Access to a local system and a remote FTP server (learn how to install an FTP server on Ubuntu, CentOS 7, or Raspberry Pi).
- A working Internet connection.
- Access to the terminal window.
IMPORTANT: FTP traffic is not encrypted and is thus considered unsafe. It is not recommended to transfer files over the Internet using FTP. To learn more about secure alternatives to FTP, have a look at our articles on SFTP and TSL vs. SSL.
Linux ftp Command Syntax
The Linux ftp command uses the following basic syntax:
The IP is the IP address of the system you are connecting to.
The options available for the ftp command are:
| FTP Command Options | Description |
|---|---|
| -4 | Use only IPv4. |
| -6 | Use only IPv6. |
| -e | Disables command editing and history support. |
| -p | Uses passive mode for data transfers, allowing you to use FTP despite a firewall that might prevent it. |
| -i | Turns off interactive prompting during multiple file transfers. |
| -n | Disables auto-login attempts on initial connection. |
| -g | Disables file name globbing. |
| -v | Enables verbose output. |
| -d | Enables debugging. |
The ftp command connects you to a remote system and initiates the FTP interface. The FTP interface uses the following commands to manage and transfer files to the remote system:
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
| ! | Temporarily escape to the local shell. |
| $ | Execute a macro. |
| ? | Display help text. |
| account | Supply a password for the remote system. |
| append | Append a local file to a file on the remote system. |
| ascii | Set the file transfer type to network ASCII (default type). |
| bell | Enable a sound alert after each transfer is complete. |
| binary | Set the file transfer type to binary image transfer. |
| bye | Exit the FTP interface. |
| case | Toggle upper/lower case sensitivity when ID mapping during the mget command. |
| cd | Change the current working directory on the remote system. |
| cdup | Change to the parent of the current working directory on the remote system. |
| chmod | Change file permissions on the remote system. |
| close | Exit the FTP interface. |
| cr | Toggle carriage return stripping on ASCII file transfers. |
| debug | Toggle debugging mode. |
| delete | Delete a file from the remote system. |
| dir | List the contents of a directory on the remote system. |
| disconnect | Terminate the FTP session. |
| exit | Terminate the FTP session and exit the FTP interface. |
| form | Set the file transfer format. |
| get | Transfer a file from the remote system to the local machine. |
| glob | Toggle meta character expansion of local file names. |
| hash | Toggle displaying the hash sign («#«) for each transferred data block. |
| help | Display help text. |
| idle | Set an inactivity timer for the remote system. |
| image | Set the file transfer type to binary image transfer. |
| ipany | Allow any type of IP address. |
| ipv4 | Only allow IPv4 addresses. |
| ipv6 | Only allow IPv6 addresses. |
| lcd | Change the current working directory on the local machine. |
| ls | List the contents of a directory on the remote system. |
| macdef | Define a macro. |
| mdelete | Delete multiple files on the remote system. |
| mdir | List the contents of multiple directories on the remote system. |
| mget | Transfer multiple files from the remote system to the local machine. |
| mkdir | Create a directory on the remote system. |
| mls | List the contents of multiple directories on the remote system. |
| mode | Set the file transfer mode. |
| modtime | Show the last time a file on the remote system was modified. |
| mput | Transfer multiple files from the local machine to the remote system. |
| newer | Transfer a file from the remote system to the local machine only if the modification time of the remote file is more recent than that of the local file (if a local version of the file doesn’t exist, the remote file is automatically considered newer). |
| nlist | List the contents of a directory on the remote system. |
| nmap | Set templates for default file name mapping. |
| ntrans | Set translation table for default file name mapping. |
| open | Establish a connection with an FTP server. |
| passive | Enable passive transfer mode. |
| prompt | Force interactive prompts when transferring multiple files. |
| proxy | Execute command on an alternate (proxy) connection. |
| put | Transfer a file from the local machine to the remote system. |
| pwd | Display the current working directory on the remote system. |
| qc | Toggle displaying a control character («?«) in the output of ASCII type commands. |
| quit | Terminate the FTP session and exit the FTP interface. |
| quote | Specify a command as an argument and send it to the FTP server. |
| recv | Transfer a file from the remote system to the local machine. |
| reget | Transfer a file from the remote system to the local machine if the local file is smaller than the remote file. The transfer starts at the end of the local file. If there is no local version of the file, the command doesn’t execute. |
| rename | Rename a file on the remote system. |
| reset | Clear queued command replies. |
| restart | Restart a file transfer command at a set marker. |
| rhelp | Display help text for the remote system. |
| rmdir | Remove a directory on the remote system. |
| rstatus | Show the status of the remote system. |
| runique | Toggle storing files on the local machine with unique filenames. |
| send | Transfer a file from the local machine to the remote system. |
| sendport | Toggle the use of PORT commands. |
| site | Specify a command as an argument and send it to the FTP server as a SITE command. |
| size | Display the size of a file on the remote system. |
| status | Show the status of the FTP interface. |
| struct | Set the file transfer structure. |
| sunique | Toggle storing files on the remote system with unique filenames. |
| system | Show the operating system on the remote system. |
| tenex | Set the file transfer type to allow connecting to TENEX machines. |
| tick | Toggle printing byte counter during transfers. |
| trace | Toggle packet tracing. |
| type | Set a file transfer type. |
| umask | Set a default permissions mask for the local machine. |
| user | Provide username and password for the remote FTP server. |
| verbose | Toggle verbose output. |
How to Use ftp Command in Linux
The ftp command connects a computer system to a remote server using the FTP protocol. Once connected, it also lets users transfer files between the local machine and the remote system, and manage files and directories on the remote system.
Establish an FTP Connection
To establish an FTP connection to a remote system, use the ftp command with the remote system’s IP address:
For instance, connecting to a remote server with the IP address 192.168.100.9: