---
title: FTP
description: FTP / FTPS via basic-ftp. Node-only. Connect-per-operation with an injectable client for batch work; url() needs an HTTP front.
peerDeps:
  - "basic-ftp"
---

## Installation

`basic-ftp` is an optional peer dependency of `files-sdk` - install alongside the SDK so the adapter's imports resolve at runtime.

```package-install
files-sdk basic-ftp
```

## Usage

FTP and FTPS via the [`basic-ftp`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/basic-ftp) library. Virtual keys map to paths under a configurable `root` on the server, with a `..` traversal guard. **Node-only** — FTP uses raw sockets, so this adapter does not run on edge/browser/Workers runtimes.

By default the adapter opens a fresh connection per operation and closes it afterwards. For batch work, connect once and pass the `client` so every call reuses the same connection — you own its lifecycle.

```ts lineNumbers
import { Files } from "files-sdk";
import { ftp } from "files-sdk/ftp";

const files = new Files({
  adapter: ftp({
    host: "ftp.example.com",
    user: process.env.FTP_USERNAME!,
    password: process.env.FTP_PASSWORD!,
    secure: true, // FTPS over explicit TLS — strongly recommended
    root: "/uploads", // virtual keys resolve under here; defaults to "."
  }),
});

await files.upload("reports/q1.csv", csv, { contentType: "text/csv" });
const file = await files.download("reports/q1.csv");
```

Auth falls back to `FTP_HOST`, `FTP_USERNAME` (alias `FTP_USER`), `FTP_PASSWORD`, `FTP_SECURE` (`"true"` or `"implicit"`), and `FTP_PORT` (default `21`) when the matching option is omitted.

> **Plain FTP is cleartext.** Without `secure`, credentials and file contents are transmitted unencrypted. Prefer `secure: true` (explicit TLS / AUTH TLS); use `"implicit"` only for legacy servers.

## Options

<AutoTypeTable
  path="../../packages/files-sdk/src/ftp/index.ts"
  name="FtpAdapterOptions"
/>

## Limitations

Connect-per-operation means a high call rate becomes a high connection rate, and FTP servers commonly cap connections per IP - inject a pre-connected `client` for batch jobs.

## Compatibility

| Method            | Status | Notes                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| ----------------- | :----: | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `upload`          |   ⚠️   | User `metadata` and `cacheControl` throw - FTP files have no arbitrary-metadata or cache-header field. `contentType` is accepted for the return value but not stored (it's inferred from the key's extension on read). Stream bodies upload directly. Node-only (raw sockets).                                                                                |
| `download`        |   ✅   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| `delete`          |   ✅   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| `list`            |   ⚠️   | Walks the directory tree recursively on every call - FTP has no native prefix scan or pagination - and skips symlinks. `prefix`/`limit`/`cursor` are applied client-side over the full walk, so they're accurate but a large tree means a full traversal per call. Content type is inferred from each key's extension; `lastModified` comes from the listing. |
| `search`          |   ⚠️   | Built on `listAll` — inherits this adapter's `list` behavior above. Client-side key match (glob, regex, substring, exact).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| `head`            |   ⚠️   | FTP stores no content type, etag, or user metadata - `head()` infers the type from the key's extension (or `application/octet-stream`) and returns no etag. `size` comes from `SIZE`; `lastModified` is an `MDTM` probe that many servers don't support, so it can be absent.                                                                                 |
| `exists`          |   ✅   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| `copy`            |   ⚠️   | Read-then-write - FTP has no server-side copy, so the source is downloaded and re-uploaded over one connection. The whole object is buffered in memory; not atomic.                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| `url`             |   ❌   | Throws unless `publicBaseUrl` is set (an HTTP server fronting the same tree), in which case it returns `<publicBaseUrl>/<key>`. FTP serves no HTTP and has no signing primitive. `responseContentDisposition` always throws because the HTTP-front URL cannot bind the override.                                                                              |
| `signedUploadUrl` |   ❌   | Throws - FTP has no presigned-upload concept. Use `upload()`, or inject a pre-connected `client` for batch transfers.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |