FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a widely used network protocol for transferring files between computers. It is commonly used to upload and download files to and from a remote server. While most FTP clients allow users to download individual files, there are times when you may need to download an entire folder from a remote server. In this tutorial, we will guide you through the process of recursively downloading a folder via FTP on Linux.
Step 1: Install FTP Client
To begin, you will need to have an FTP client installed on your Linux system. There are many FTP clients available, but in this tutorial, we will be using the popular command-line FTP client, FileZilla. If you do not have it installed, you can easily install it using the following command:
sudo apt-get install filezilla
Step 2: Connect to FTP Server
Next, you will need to connect to the FTP server where the folder you want to download is located. Open FileZilla and click on “File” from the menu bar, then select “Site Manager”. In the Site Manager window, click on “New Site” and enter the hostname or IP address of the FTP server in the “Host” field. Select “FTP” as the protocol and “Normal” as the login type. Enter your FTP username and password in the respective fields and click on “Connect”.
Step 3: Navigate to the Folder
Once connected, you will see the remote server’s file structure on the right side of the FileZilla interface. Navigate to the folder you want to download recursively by double-clicking on the folders until you reach the desired folder.
Step 4: Enable Recursive Download
To download the entire folder and its contents, right-click on the folder and select “Download”. A pop-up window will appear, asking if you want to download the folder recursively. Click on “Yes” to enable recursive download.
Step 5: Monitor Download Progress
The folder and its contents will now begin downloading to your local system. You can monitor the download progress in the “Queue” tab at the bottom of the FileZilla interface. Once the download is complete, the folder and its contents will be available on your local system.
Step 6: Disconnect from FTP Server
After the download is complete, you can disconnect from the FTP server by clicking on “File” from the menu bar and selecting “Disconnect”.
Congratulations, you have successfully downloaded a folder recursively via FTP on Linux using FileZilla. This method can be used to download any folder or directory structure from a remote server, making it a useful tool for managing and transferring files between systems.
