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--- tools:sftp [2025/09/22 01:13] – created Humphrey Boa-Gart
+++ tools:sftp [2025/09/30 22:44] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ====== Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) ======
-**Secure File Transfer Protocol** //(or **SFTP**)//, is an extension of [[tools:ssh|SSH]] that provides encrypted file transfer capabilities. Since it is built into OpenSSH, it is one of the easiest ways to transfer files between system.
+**Secure File Transfer Protocol** //(or **SFTP**, and also known as **SSH File Transfer Protocol**)//, is an extension of [[tools:ssh|SSH]] that provides encrypted file transfer capabilities. Since it is built into SSH, it is one of the easiest ways to transfer files between system, as in many cases you won't have to configure additional software to use it.
+===== Using SFTP =====
+SFTP is a widely-supported protocol, so you can use it in a variety of applications. For Linux, BSD & MacOS users, your local [[tools:bash|shell]] is by far the quickest way to transfer files using SFTP:
+==== Connecting ====
+Connecting to an SFTP server works exactly the same as connecting to an [[tools:ssh#linux-bsd-macos|SSH]] server - you just use the ''sftp'' instead of the ''ssh'' command, and when prompted give your password:
+  $ sftp username@domain.com
+  or
+  $ sftp username@123.123.123.123
+Since SFTP is part of SSH, that means the preset aliases in your ''.ssh/config'' file will all work with the ''sftp'' command. If you have not created one of these files, you will want to, as it enables automatically passing public/private key pairs for convenient password-less authentication. Read [[tools:ssh#configuration|SSH Configuration]] for more information on how to do this.
+==== Navigation ====
+Traversing an SFTP system works much the same way as it does in [[tools:bash|bash]] - in fact it uses simplified versions of many of the same commands, albeit in a reduced form.
+=== Finding Your Location ===
+Use ''pwd'' to show your current location //(the 'present working directory')// on the remote server:
+  sftp> pwd
+=== Showing Directory Contents ===
+Use the ''ls'' command to show the contents of the pwd. Use ''ls -la'' to show a more detailed listing with metadata:
+  sftp> ls
+  sftp> ls -la
+=== Moving Around ===
+Use the ''cd'' command to change the pwd:
+  sftp> cd path/to/directory/
+==== File Transfer ====
+=== Check Local Path ===
+Before downloading anything, check the download path //(or the 'local pwd')// with the ''lpwd'' command, so you know where your files are going:
+  sftp> lpwd
+If you are not happy with this path, use the ''lcd'' command //(like ''cd'' above)// to change it. Likewise, use ''lls'' to list the contents of your local pwd.
+  sftp> lcd new/path/
+  sftp> lls -la
+=== Downloading Files ===
+Once you know where your downloads are going, you can grab files with the ''get'' command:
+  sftp> get filename
+To download whole directories, use the ''-r'' flag:
+  sftp> get -r name/of/directory/
+=== Uploading Files ===
+{{wst>expand}}
+==== Advanced Wizardry ====
+{{wst>expand}}
+===== SFTP in PowerShell =====
+For unfortunate Windows users with [[tools:powershell|PowerShell]], you do not have SFTP support built-in. You will have to set up [[https://www.nakivo.com/blog/how-to-build-powershell-tools-to-setup-sftp/|Posh-SSH]] to use SFTP from your shell with your local filesystem.
+===== Graphical Applications =====
+If command line is too daunting for you, you can always install programs like [[https://filezilla-project.org/|Filezilla]] or [[https://winscp.net/|WinSCP]] to visually browse the SFTP server. Many other programs support SFTP connections as well.
+See what works for you, but we recommend getting familiar with the CLI ''sftp'' command instead.
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