Quick Start Example

Synchronous Version

This code demonstrates the simplest possible way to connect to an FTP server and perform FTP operations. See below for the same example using async/await operators.

// create an FTP client and specify the host, username and password
// (delete the credentials to use the "anonymous" account)
var client = new FtpClient("123.123.123.123", "david", "pass123");

// connect to the server and automatically detect working FTP settings
client.AutoConnect();

// get a list of files and directories in the "/htdocs" folder
foreach (FtpListItem item in client.GetListing("/htdocs")) {

	// if this is a file
	if (item.Type == FtpObjectType.File) {

		// get the file size
		long size = client.GetFileSize(item.FullName);

		// calculate a hash for the file on the server side (default algorithm)
		FtpHash hash = client.GetChecksum(item.FullName);
	}

	// get modified date/time of the file or folder
	DateTime time = client.GetModifiedTime(item.FullName);

}

// upload a file
client.UploadFile(@"C:\MyVideo.mp4", "/htdocs/MyVideo.mp4");

// move the uploaded file
client.MoveFile("/htdocs/MyVideo.mp4", "/htdocs/MyVideo_2.mp4");

// download the file again
client.DownloadFile(@"C:\MyVideo_2.mp4", "/htdocs/MyVideo_2.mp4");

// compare the downloaded file with the server
if (client.CompareFile(@"C:\MyVideo_2.mp4", "/htdocs/MyVideo_2.mp4") == FtpCompareResult.Equal) { }

// delete the file
client.DeleteFile("/htdocs/MyVideo_2.mp4");

// upload a folder and all its files
client.UploadDirectory(@"C:\website\videos\", @"/public_html/videos", FtpFolderSyncMode.Update);

// upload a folder and all its files, and delete extra files on the server
client.UploadDirectory(@"C:\website\assets\", @"/public_html/assets", FtpFolderSyncMode.Mirror);

// download a folder and all its files
client.DownloadDirectory(@"C:\website\logs\", @"/public_html/logs", FtpFolderSyncMode.Update);

// download a folder and all its files, and delete extra files on disk
client.DownloadDirectory(@"C:\website\dailybackup\", @"/public_html/", FtpFolderSyncMode.Mirror);

// delete a folder recursively
client.DeleteDirectory("/htdocs/extras/");

// check if a file exists
if (client.FileExists("/htdocs/big2.txt")) { }

// check if a folder exists
if (client.DirectoryExists("/htdocs/extras/")) { }

// upload a file and retry 3 times before giving up
client.Config.RetryAttempts = 3;
client.UploadFile(@"C:\MyVideo.mp4", "/htdocs/big.txt", FtpRemoteExists.Overwrite, false, FtpVerify.Retry);

// disconnect! good bye!
client.Disconnect();

Async Version

This code demonstrates how to connect to an FTP server and perform FTP operations using async/await syntax in .NET 4.5 and later.

// create an FTP client and specify the host, username and password
// (delete the credentials to use the "anonymous" account)
var client = new AsyncFtpClient("123.123.123.123", "david", "pass123");

// connect to the server and automatically detect working FTP settings
await client.AutoConnect();

// get a list of files and directories in the "/htdocs" folder
foreach (FtpListItem item in await client.GetListing("/htdocs")) {

	// if this is a file
	if (item.Type == FtpObjectType.File) {

		// get the file size
		long size = await client.GetFileSize(item.FullName);

		// calculate a hash for the file on the server side (default algorithm)
		FtpHash hash = await client.GetChecksum(item.FullName);
	}

	// get modified date/time of the file or folder
	DateTime time = await client.GetModifiedTime(item.FullName);
}

// upload a file
await client.UploadFile(@"C:\MyVideo.mp4", "/htdocs/MyVideo.mp4");

// move the uploaded file
await client.MoveFile("/htdocs/MyVideo.mp4", "/htdocs/MyVideo_2.mp4");

// download the file again
await client.DownloadFile(@"C:\MyVideo_2.mp4", "/htdocs/MyVideo_2.mp4");

// compare the downloaded file with the server
if (await client.CompareFile(@"C:\MyVideo_2.mp4", "/htdocs/MyVideo_2.mp4") == FtpCompareResult.Equal) { }

// delete the file
await client.DeleteFile("/htdocs/MyVideo_2.mp4");

// upload a folder and all its files
await client.UploadDirectory(@"C:\website\videos\", @"/public_html/videos", FtpFolderSyncMode.Update);

// upload a folder and all its files, and delete extra files on the server
await client.UploadDirectory(@"C:\website\assets\", @"/public_html/assets", FtpFolderSyncMode.Mirror);

// download a folder and all its files
await client.DownloadDirectory(@"C:\website\logs\", @"/public_html/logs", FtpFolderSyncMode.Update);

// download a folder and all its files, and delete extra files on disk
await client.DownloadDirectory(@"C:\website\dailybackup\", @"/public_html/", FtpFolderSyncMode.Mirror);

// delete a folder recursively
await client.DeleteDirectory("/htdocs/extras/");

// check if a file exists
if (await client.FileExists("/htdocs/big2.txt")) { }

// check if a folder exists
if (await client.DirectoryExists("/htdocs/extras/")) { }

// upload a file and retry 3 times before giving up
client.Config.RetryAttempts = 3;
await client.UploadFile(@"C:\MyVideo.mp4", "/htdocs/big.txt", FtpRemoteExists.Overwrite, false, FtpVerify.Retry);

// disconnect! good bye!
await client.Disconnect();

Repo Links

This code can also be found here within the FluentFTP repo:

• Quick Start in C#
• Quick Start in VB.NET

More Examples

Now that you've seen the basic usage, check out the other examples in C# or VB:

• C# Examples
• VB.NET Examples