Usage of lftp to work with files on ftp server from Linux

lftp is a command line utility that allows you to exchange data with ftp and http servers. lftp has mirroring functionality that allows you to load or recursively update a directory tree. It also has reverse mirroring functionality (mirror -R), which allows you to recursively update a directory tree on a remote server. Mirroring also allows you to synchronize folders between two remote servers.

Usage syntax:

mirror  
mirror options  
mirror -c  
mirror -R

For example: How to download all files from a remote server?

Establish connection:

lftp ftp.server.com

Enter login and password:

lftp ftp.server.com:~> user [email protected]  
Password:

The expected responce from the server is the following:

lftp [email protected]:~>  
Type ls command to see a list of files:

Use ls to list the contexts of the current catalogue:

lftp ftp.server.com:~> ls

Expected response:

-rw-r-r- 1 80 www 36809419 Jun 24 23:59 file1.ext  
-rw-r-r- 1 80 www 100912271 Jun 25 23:59 file2.ext  
-rw-r-r- 1 80 www 102926055 Jun 26 23:59 file3.ext

Use mirror to download all files to the current folder:

lftp ftp.server.com:~> mirror

You can specify the source directory and the folder where you want to place the downloaded files (destination directory). If the destination directory ends with a / (slash) character, then the name of the source directory will be appended to it.

lftp ftp.server.com:~> mirror source target

or

lftp ftp.server.com:~> mirror logs/ /data/wwwlogs

In this case, all files from the logs folder on the source server will be copied to the /data/wwwlogs folder on the current one.

With the following syntax all files from the logs folder will be copied to the /data/wwwlogs/logs folder

lftp ftp.server.com:~> mirror logs/ /data/wwwlogs/

Resume download

It is recommended to use mirror with the resume download option enabled, in this case you will not have to re-download all files if the connection is lost or the data transfer is interrupted:

lftp ftp.server.com:~> mirror -c source target

or

lftp ftp.server.com:~> mirror -continue

Download only new/updated files

In order to download only new/updated files, use the only-newer key:

lftp ftp.server.com:~> mirror -only-newer

or

lftp ftp.server.com:~> mirror -n

Parallel downloads

You can speed up the mirroring operation by enabling parallel downloads or downloading files into multiple threads:

lftp ftp.server.com:~> mirror -P

Parallel download of 10 files:

lftp ftp.server.com:~> mirror -parallel=10

Publish/upload files to remote

Use the key -R or -reverse

Go to desired folder (in this example it is /home/project/website/version5/):

lftp ftp.server.com:~> lcd /home/project/website/version5/

Expected output is the following:

lcd ok, local cwd=/home/project/website/version5

Upload syntax:

lftp ftp.server.com:~> mirror -R

You can specify local and remote folder:

lftp ftp.server.com~> mirror -R /home/user/projects/website /var/www/html

Oneliner command in bash:

lftp -e 'mirror -parallel=10 -R /home/user/projects/website /var/www/html' -u логин,пароль адрес_сервера

If you receive the following error while working with a remote server

521 Data connection cannot be opened with this PROT setting.

Than do the following and re-try the operation:

set ftp:ssl-force true  
set ftp:ssl-protect-data true