If you have problems with uploading some files in WordPress, be sure to read this article.
As you may have experienced, you can do many things from the dashboard of your WordPress website, but you can’t do everything. If you are experienced in this field, you will probably understand that there are times when you want to make a change directly in one of the website files, which requires the use of a series of codes that will be difficult if you do not know how to code. If you do a little research, you will see that using FTP is the solution to your problem, but how?
In short, FTP gives you direct access to your website files and you can edit, add, and even delete information and code directly without going to the dashboard. In this article, you will get to know all the questions you have about FTP and how to use its tools.
Table of Contents
What is FTP?
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol and is one of the methods of transferring information between a server and a user. As you know, your website files are used by you on the host’s servers, and in the same way, you can access those files as quickly as possible through FTP, and any changes you make will be automatically implemented on the server.
If you are a website owner, you must know that having a website requires endless uploading of files and folders to the server, if your website is complex, you probably have to upload many or large files, and managing all of this is exhausting. FTPs were created to solve exactly these problems for website owners and facilitate this never-ending process. To use FTP, you need an FTP software, or FTP Client, which you must install on your computer so that you can manage files directly. Installing and working with FTP software is not that difficult, in the following we will learn more about this process and popular types of FTP.
What can you do with FTP?
There are many reasons for using FTP, we mention a few of them here:
With it, you can directly install the WordPress themes and plugins you need.
There may be times when you cannot access the WordPress dashboard or it is disabled for some reason, in which case you can manually disable the plugin or theme via FTP.
You can upload files in bulk instead of one by one.
You can make changes in the main WordPress files like .htaccess and personalize it for yourself.
You can identify and fix the common errors on your website, such as compatibility problems, errors in the server, etc.
You can continue uploading files from the same part where you stopped.
You can create different FTP accounts and give each one different access.
Therefore, whenever you find a problem in this field, instead of looking for various tutorials on different websites to solve it, you can directly refer to the FTP software and solve your problem.
What features should an FTP software have?
Among the multitude of FTP software that exist, many of them are almost the same, but some of them have provided a series of additional features for the user that you can choose from according to your conditions and needs. In this section, we want to see what points we should pay attention to before installing FTP software.
The first thing you should remember is the compatibility of the software you are using and your operating system. Software may be made only for Windows, so you can’t use it on Mac OS. Also consider your operating system version, some FTPs work better on certain versions.
Try to choose a software that provides you with a good user interface and you are more comfortable working with its space.
The best FTPs usually have a bookmarking feature so you can access the server and files faster.
Before installing, be sure to research what services the FTP software can connect to. Some FTPs are only designed to transfer files between local and online servers, while some of them can connect to cloud storage such as Dropbox and Google Drive.
Be sure to research the type of protocol it supports. Some may be FTP and some may even be SSL or SSH.
File transfer speed is one of the most important features.
FTP software should have a two-way design to display the directory of files so that you can easily compare them side by side at a glance.
Some professional developers need to transfer very large files, the capability of this issue should also be considered.
Don’t forget, security is one of the most important considerations when choosing an FTP software. By choosing well-known software, you can put your mind at ease.
Introduction of 4 free FTP software
There are various software for FTP, but because it is not possible to pay dollars for us in Iran, in this article we will discuss 4 free software that can be useful for any person with any platform, you just need to install it without paying. These software include:
- FileZilla
- WinSCP
- Cyberduck
- Free FTP
In the following, we will discuss more about each of these software.
FileZilla software (supporting Mac, Linux, and Windows systems)
Price: Free
Filezilla is one of the open-source FTP that supports FTP, FTPS, and SFTP protocols and is very popular among WordPress users. Regardless of what kind of protocol you use, working with this software is very easy and has a user-friendly environment.
You can easily upload files by dragging and dropping them. In addition, you can upload several files at the same time. Also, installing and setting up Filezilla and connecting it to any server is done without any problem and easily. In the rest of the article, how to install and work with this application software will be taught.
Advantages:
Support for FTP, FTPS, and SFTP connections
The possibility of multiple connections at the same time
The ability to create bookmarks for easier and faster access to essential files
WinSCP software (Windows support)
Price: Free
WinSCP software is one of the flexible and open-source FTP systems. In addition to supporting FTP and SFTP protocols, this software also supports Amazon S3 and WebDAV protocols.
In addition, if you use the Command Line (Windows command line) to manage the website and get help from tools like PuTTY, WinSCP is fully compatible with this type of software and you will not find any problems in this case. All these features make this software one of the most powerful and professional FTP software, although the only problem is that it is only provided for Windows systems.
Advantages:
Supports FTP and SFTP connections
It supports Amazon3 and WebDAV connections
Compatible with interface tools such as PuTTY
It allows the automation of complex tasks through coding
Cyberduck software (supporting Mac and Windows systems)
Price: Free
One of the most versatile and compatible FTP software available is Cyberduck. In addition to supporting FTP and SFTP protocols, this software allows the user to connect to services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Amazon S3, etc.
The user interface of this software is very simple and even for those who are new in this field, it is easy to use and work with it. Of course, if you want to understand how to connect to all the platforms that this software supports, you should read a little in this field and use the site’s guide.
Advantages:
Supports FTP and SFTP connections
The ability to connect to different types of platforms such as Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Microsoft Azure, Backblaze, Amazon S3 accounts, etc.
Ability to choose the compatible version, based on the service you are connected to (e.g. Amazon S3)
The ability to set receiving notifications and notifications when transferring files
Free FTP software (Windows support)
Price: Free
Another excellent software that is provided as open source and free is called Free FTP. This software supports FTP and FTPS protocols and creates an easy environment and a pleasant user experience for the user due to the presence of large and clear icons.
In addition, this software has in-text editing capabilities and even allows you to view image files without leaving the main window. This software is liked by many beginners because of its simple and practical environment.
Advantages:
Supports FTP, FTPS, and SFTP connections
Ability to create bookmarks for easier and faster access to servers
The ability to take a backup from the website with just a few clicks
Ability to edit text and display photos