Software & Apps Linux LFTP: Linux Command and Unix Command This shell command transfers files over FTP, SFTP, and torrent by Juergen Haas Writer Former Lifewire writer Juergen Haas is a software developer, data scientist, and a fan of the Linux operating system. our editorial process Juergen Haas Updated on March 16, 2020 Linux Switching from Windows Tweet Share Email Like a Swiss Army knife of file transfers, the lftp program for Linux supports data exchange using protocols, including FTP, SFTP, and torrent. It's a small shell program that, although generally not installed by default, offers a ton of functionality. About 'lftp' This program, developed by Alexander Lukyanov and distributed under the GNU Public License, presents a unified front end for the FTP, SFTP, FXP, HTTP, FISH, and BitTorrent transfer protocols. It offers some advanced features, including parallel transfers, bookmarks, sophisticated job control, and extended built-in commands to mirror local and remote directories. It partially supports WebDAV. It's been continuously maintained since the 1990s. The 4.9.0 series of the program released in late December 2019. LFTP Home Page Using 'lftp' Invoke lftp from a shell prompt. When the program enters the foreground, the prompt changes. Run commands, as necessary. Syntax generally mirrors the standard syntax for the relevant protocol. The lftp program supports an array of specialized commands and command switches. Consult the program's manpage for specific usage parameters and syntax. Because lftp supports extended command-line arguments that perform complex functions, this utility is an excellent candidate for shell scripts. It's best, however, for people familiar with shell interaction for the underlying protocols, because the syntax is unforgiving to the inexperienced.