September 22, 2026 · 4 min read
FTP vs HTTP
The loading dock versus the web.
David KrugManila · @realDavidKrug
FTP is a file protocol. HTTP is how browsers already live. A transfer link is HTTP (really HTTPS): a page, a download, no special program.
The distinction that matters
FTP made sense when the web was not the universal client. That era ended. Keep FTP for machines. Use the web for people.
FTP made sense when the web was not the universal client. That era ended. Keep FTP for machines. Use the web for people.
In one table
| FTP | HTTP | |
|---|---|---|
| Client | A special program | A browser |
| Built for | Machines moving files | People |
| In 2026 | A legacy dock | How a transfer link works |
Written by
David Krug
Twenty-plus years of building cute little websites, and big ones, with an independent footprint. In the Philippines since 2016. Based in Manila, with two children and one amazing partner.
Follow the build · @realDavidKrug
