Click a Nerd | FTP Commands


	List of raw FTP commands (Warning: this is a technical document, not necessary for most FTP use.) Note that commands marked with a * are not implemented in a number of FTP servers. Common commands ABOR - abort a file transfer CWD - change working directory DELE - delete a remote file LIST - list remote files MDTM - return the modification time of a file MKD - make a remote directory NLST - name list of remote directory PASS - send password PASV - enter passive mode PORT - open a data port PWD - print working directory QUIT - terminate the connection RETR - retrieve a remote file RMD - remove a remote directory RNFR - rename from RNTO - rename to SITE - site-specific commands SIZE - return the size of a file STOR - store a file on the remote host TYPE - set transfer type USER - send username Less common commands ACCT* - send account information APPE - append to a remote file CDUP - CWD to the parent of the current directory HELP - return help on using the server MODE - set transfer mode NOOP - do nothing REIN* - reinitialize the connection STAT - return server status STOU - store a file uniquely STRU - set file transfer structure SYST - return system type ABOR Syntax: `ABOR` Aborts a file transfer currently in progress. ACCT* Syntax: `ACCT account-info` This command is used to send account information on systems that require it. Typically sent after a PASS command. ALLO Syntax: `ALLO size [R max-record-size]` Allocates sufficient storage space to receive a file. If the maximum size of a record also needs to be known, that is sent as a second numeric parameter following a space, the capital letter "R", and another space. APPE Syntax: `APPE remote-filename` Append data to the end of a file on the remote host. If the file does not already exist, it is created. This command must be preceded by a PORT or PASV command so that the server knows where to receive data from. CDUP Syntax: `CDUP` Makes the parent of the current directory be the current directory. CWD Syntax: `CWD remote-directory` Makes the given directory be the current directory on the remote host. DELE Syntax: `DELE remote-filename` Deletes the given file on the remote host. HELP Syntax: `HELP [command]` If a command is given, returns help on that command; otherwise, returns general help for the FTP server (usually a list of supported commands). LIST Syntax: `LIST [remote-filespec]` If remote-filespec refers to a file, sends information about that file. If remote-filespec refers to a directory, sends information about each file in that directory. remote-filespec defaults to the current directory. This command must be preceded by a PORT or PASV command. MDTM Syntax: `MDTM remote-filename` Returns the last-modified time of the given file on the remote host in the format "`YYYYMMDDhhmmss`": `YYYY` is the four-digit year, `MM` is the month from 01 to 12, `DD` is the day of the month from 01 to 31, `hh` is the hour from 00 to 23, `mm` is the minute from 00 to 59, and `ss` is the second from 00 to 59. MKD Syntax: `MKD remote-directory` Creates the named directory on the remote host. MODE Syntax: `MODE mode-character` Sets the transfer mode to one of: S - Stream B - Block C - Compressed The default mode is Stream. NLST Syntax: `NLST [remote-directory]` Returns a list of filenames in the given directory (defaulting to the current directory), with no other information. Must be preceded by a PORT or PASV command. NOOP Syntax: `NOOP` Does nothing except return a response. PASS Syntax: `PASS password` After sending the USER command, send this command to complete the login process. (Note, however, that an ACCT command may have to be used on some systems.) PASV Syntax: `PASV` Tells the server to enter "passive mode". In passive mode, the server will wait for the client to establish a connection with it rather than attempting to connect to a client-specified port. The server will respond with the address of the port it is listening on, with a message like: `227 Entering Passive Mode (a1,a2,a3,a4,p1,p2)` where a1.a2.a3.a4 is the IP address and p1256+p2 is the port number. PORT Syntax:* `PORT a1,a2,a3,a4,p1,p2` Specifies the host and port to which the server should connect for the next file transfer. This is interpreted as IP address a1.a2.a3.a4, port p1256+p2. PWD Syntax:* `PWD` Returns the name of the current directory on the remote host. QUIT Syntax: `QUIT` Terminates the command connection. REIN* Syntax: `REIN` Reinitializes the command connection - cancels the current user/password/account information. Should be followed by a USER command for another login. REST Syntax: `REST position` Sets the point at which a file transfer should start; useful for resuming interrupted transfers. For nonstructured files, this is simply a decimal number. This command must immediately precede a data transfer command (RETR or STOR only); i.e. it must come after any PORT or PASV command. RETR Syntax: `RETR remote-filename` Begins transmission of a file from the remote host. Must be preceded by either a PORT command or a PASV command to indicate where the server should send data. RMD Syntax: `RMD remote-directory` Deletes the named directory on the remote host. RNFR Syntax: `RNFR from-filename` Used when renaming a file. Use this command to specify the file to be renamed; follow it with an RNTO command to specify the new name for the file. RNTO Syntax: `RNTO to-filename` Used when renaming a file. After sending an RNFR command to specify the file to rename, send this command to specify the new name for the file. SITE* Syntax: `SITE site-specific-command` Executes a site-specific command. SIZE Syntax: `SIZE remote-filename` Returns the size of the remote file as a decimal number. STAT Syntax: `STAT [remote-filespec]` If invoked without parameters, returns general status information about the FTP server process. If a parameter is given, acts like the LIST command, except that data is sent over the control connection (no PORT or PASV command is required). STOR Syntax: `STOR remote-filename` Begins transmission of a file to the remote site. Must be preceded by either a PORT command or a PASV command so the server knows where to accept data from. STOU Syntax: `STOU` Begins transmission of a file to the remote site; the remote filename will be unique in the current directory. The response from the server will include the filename. STRU Syntax: `STRU structure-character` Sets the file structure for transfer to one of: F - File (no structure) R - Record structure P - Page structure The default structure is File. SYST Syntax: `SYST` Returns a word identifying the system, the word "Type:", and the default transfer type (as would be set by the TYPE command). For example: `UNIX Type: L8` TYPE Syntax: `TYPE type-character [second-type-character]` Sets the type of file to be transferred. type-character can be any of: A - ASCII text E - EBCDIC text I - image (binary data) L - local format For A and E, the second-type-character specifies how the text should be interpreted. It can be: N - Non-print (not destined for printing). This is the default if second-type-character is omitted. T - Telnet format control (`<CR>`, `<FF>`, etc.) C - ASA Carriage Control For L, the second-type-character specifies the number of bits per byte on the local system, and may not be omitted. USER Syntax: `USER username` Send this command to begin the login process. username should be a valid username on the system, or "anonymous" to initiate an anonymous login.