SFTP
SSH File Transfer Protocol: an encrypted way to upload, download and edit files on a server, for example worlds, plugins, mods and configs.
SFTP stands for SSH File Transfer Protocol. It is a way to access the files on a remote server from your own computer: browse folders, upload plugins or mods, download backups and edit configuration files. The connection and your login are encrypted.
SFTP versus FTP
Plain FTP sends everything, including your password, unencrypted. SFTP runs over SSH and encrypts both. Despite the similar name, they are different protocols, so choose SFTP in your client and use the host, port, username and password your host gives you.
Common clients
Any SFTP client works. Widely used ones include FileZilla, WinSCP (Windows) and Cyberduck (Windows and macOS). Many code editors can also open files over SFTP directly.
Why it matters for server owners
Most server tasks beyond changing a setting involve files:
- Installing plugins, mods or a modpack’s server files, see CurseForge vs Modrinth.
- Uploading an existing world or downloading one to play offline.
- Editing server.properties and plugin configs in a proper editor.
- Keeping your own copy of backups.
Avoiding damage
- Stop the server before replacing or uploading world folders. A running server keeps writing to region files and can overwrite or corrupt your upload.
- Upload large folders as a single archive when your tools allow it; thousands of small files transfer slowly.
- Keep file names and folder structure exactly as the server expects, for example
mods/orplugins/in the server root. - Save config files as plain UTF-8 text. Word processors break them.
Practical tip
Before editing any file, download a copy. If the server refuses to start after your change, you can put the original back in seconds instead of guessing what broke. For commands on a running server, use the console or RCON, not file edits.