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:

• Transparent file transfers over network file systems
• Explicit file transfers from dedicated file transfer services like FTP or HTTP
• Distributed file transfers over peer-to-peer networks like Bittorent or Gnutella
• In IBM Systems Network Architecture, LU 6.2 peer-to-peer file transfer programs such as IBM's Connect:Direct and CA Technologies' XCOM Data Transport
• File transfers over instant messaging or LAN messenger
• File transfers between computers and peripheral devices
• File transfers over direct modem or serial (null modem) links, such as XMODEM, YMODEM and ZMODEM.

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.

See also

• File sharing
• List of file transfer protocols
• Managed file transfer
• Peer-to-peer file sharing
• Pull technology
• Push technology