Secure file transfer between Linux and Linux servers
SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) is a secure way to transfer files between your Linux machine and a Linux server. This article explains how to use thesftp command in the Linux terminal to copy files securely.
Step 1: Ensure SSH is enabled on your Linux server
Make sure the SSH service is installed and running on your Linux server. Use the following command:Step 2: Use the sftp command to transfer files
Connect to the server
To start an SFTP session, use the following command:-
Replace
usernamewith your Linux server username. -
Replace
hostname_or_ipwith your server’s IP address or domain name.
Transfer files using SFTP commands
Once connected, you can use the following commands to transfer files: Run these commands at thesftp> prompt after connecting:
Replace the example paths with existing directories you can access. Transfers can overwrite an existing destination file with the same name.
For a custom SSH port, connect from your local terminal with
sftp -P 2222 username@hostname_or_ip. The port option is uppercase -P. See the OpenSSH SFTP manual.