File transfer protocol (FTP) is an Internet-standard application for transferring files. FTP was first developed in 1971 as part of the U.S. Department of Defense's ARPANET protocols and thus predates both TCP and Internet Protocol (IP). It is currently documented for use with TCP in RFC 959.

The objectives of FTP are to promote file-sharing between different file systems, to promote use of remote computers across the Internet, and to allow effective file transfer. Although the World Wide Web became the major application for transferring files in 1995, FTP can still be used with most web browsers, and many organizations still maintain an FTP repository for public and/or restricted access. The convention for public FTP access is popularly referred to as anonymous FTP because the username is "anonymous."

FTP transmits copies of files between two computers. It allows users to upload and download file copies...