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Learn morepar HelpSystems • 23 Apr 2020
Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) are both application layer protocols that can allow you to transfer files between two systems, but what’s the difference between them – and which one performs better? Or, is there a better solution that outperforms both? Read on to find out!
You are probably already familiar with HTTP as this protocol is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web (WWW) – as in, the whole WWW runs on it. It’s the backbone of the WWW and it defines the format of messages through which web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, etc.) and web servers communicate. It also defines how a web browser should respond to a specific web request.
HTTP uses Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) as an underlying transport and typically runs on port 80. It’s a stateless protocol since each command is executed independently, without any knowledge of the commands that came prior. A stateless protocol is a communications protocol in which no session information is retained by the receiver, typically a server.
FTP is a standard network protocol used for the transfer of sensitive files between a client and a server on a computer network. It can be used to exchange and manipulate files over a TCP/Internet Protocol (IP) based network, like the Internet.
FTP is built on a client-server architecture and establishes two separate TCP connections:
FTP also requires an authenticated username and password for access.
A big comparison made often is that, unlike FTP, HTTP can easily maintain multiple sessions simultaneously because it’s stateless. FTP has a stateful control connection, therefore the FTP server will maintain state information like a user’s current directory for a session. This can constrain the total number of sessions FTP can maintain simultaneously. FTP also requires client authentication in order to transfer information successfully, whereas with HTTP, client authentication is not mandatory.
HTTP also essentially fixes many of the issues incurred by FTP. For example, FTP has very little overhead and no metadata, while HTTP provides this. Another thing to consider is that FTP can use non-standard ports, which can make getting through firewalls difficult, especially if you’re using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). HTTP is a well-known port and is simpler for firewalls to manage.
Although FTP may help keep data safer due to the mandatory client authentication, a perk over HTTP, it’s not necessarily the most secure option and can leave your file transfers at risk. For secure transmission that protects the username and password, and encrypts the content, FTP is often secured with SSL/Transport Layer Security (TLS), also known as FTPS. Or, it’s replaced with Secure Shell (SSH) File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).
Although HTTP isn’t encrypted, Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) exists for this reason. HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP where communication(s) between the browser and the website are encrypted by TLS or SSL, its predecessor.
Ultimately, FTP is more efficient at transferring large files, whereas HTTP is better for transferring smaller files such as web pages. Although both utilize TCP as the protocol of choice, HTTP uses a persistent connection, thus making the performance of the TCP better with HTTP than with FTP.
Managed File Transfer (MFT) is a secure solution that encompasses all aspects of inbound and outbound data transfers while using industry-standard protocols (like SFTP and FTPS) and encryption technologies (like Open PGP).
A managed file transfer solution, like GoAnywhere MFT can be used by organizations of all sizes for file transfer needs ranging from a few dozen a week to thousands a day. It replaces the need for time-consuming manual processes and allows the ability to automate, simplify, and streamline all aspects of file transfers.
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