One of the most common tasks for a WordPress site owner is using Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) to access files and folders. As it happens, it’s also one of the most scary aspects of running a site. After all, you’re working on your site in the most direct way possible. As such, you’ll want to have a great SFTP by your side; because it’s one of the most popular solutions on the market, learning how to use FileZilla is a fantastic idea.
This is an often-recommended SFTP client that packs a punch. You can log into your server fast, get instant feedback on the state of your connection, and log out again. What’s more, you only need one window to carry out all the basic tasks you’ll want to carry out.
In this post, we’re going to give you a full tutorial on how to use FileZilla. We’ll show you what everything within the interface means, and how to carry out some of the fundamental tasks with the client. First, we’re going to talk more about what FileZilla does, and where it sits among other solutions.
Introducing FileZilla
For the unaware, FileZilla is a standout SFTP client for Windows, macOS, and Linux machines. It lets you make a remote connection to any server you have the credentials for, and work with the files and folders within.
Because SFTP is a secure and quick way to get into a server, it’s a typical standard for many site owners. However, to make the process as smooth as possible, you’ll want to have a suitable client. FileZilla uses a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to help you navigate both machines – your own and the remote server.
If you think that a solution such as this would cost a pretty penny, think again! FileZilla is open-source and free to download. As such, you don’t have to open your wallet to use the entire functionality of the client.
There are plenty more reasons to use FileZilla. In the next section, we’ll look at what they are, along with why you’d want to use this over other SFTP clients.
Why You’d Want to Use FileZilla
We can get right into the bulk of why you’d want to use FileZilla: It’s the standard-bearer for almost every other SFTP client available. Many other similar topics (including WordPress.org’s own post) state that FileZilla is a recommended tool.
However, while others solutions can (and do) rival the experience of FileZilla, there are solid benefits of using it as your primary client:
- You’ll use one window for 95 percent of tasks, which is fantastic for quick work and keeping the ‘fear factor’ low.
- The User Interface (UI) is familiar, especially if you’re a Windows user. This means you likely won’t need to consult documentation.
- FileZilla is cross-platform, so you can use the same features, functionality, and interface regardless of the computer you use.
- It’s worth pointing out again that the client is free to use, because some aren’t (despite solid feature
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This article was written by Tom Rankin and originally published on WPKube.