SFTP Commands Reference - Proper Way to Transfer Files

sftp [-46AaCfNpqrv] [-B buffer_size] [-b batchfile] [-c cipher]
     [-D sftp_server_path] [-F ssh_config] [-i identity_file]
     [-J destination] [-l limit] [-o ssh_option] [-P port]
     [-R num_requests] [-S program] [-s subsystem | sftp_server]
     destination

# Standard connection
sftp username@hostname

# Different port (because admin changed default)
sftp -P 2222 username@hostname

# With SSH key (proper way)
sftp -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa username@hostname

# Force IPv4 (when IPv6 is broken again)
sftp -4 username@hostname

# Force IPv6 (for hipsters)
sftp -6 username@hostname

# Bigger buffer = faster transfer (usually)
sftp -B 32768 username@hostname

# Limit bandwidth so network admin doesn't yell at you
sftp -l 1000 username@hostname

# Run commands from file (for automation)
sftp -b commands.txt username@hostname

# Example batch file (commands.txt):
# cd /remote/path
# get file.txt
# put local.txt
# bye

# Enable compression (good for slow networks)
sftp -C username@hostname

# Choose cipher (if you know what you doing)
sftp -c aes256-ctr username@hostname

# Verbose output (when things go wrong)
sftp -v username@hostname

# Quiet mode (no progress bar noise)
sftp -q username@hostname

# Keep file timestamps (important for backups)
sftp -p username@hostname

# Custom SSH config
sftp -F /path/to/ssh_config username@hostname

# Jump through bastion host
sftp -J jumphost username@destination

# More parallel requests = faster (sometimes)
sftp -R 64 username@hostname

# List remote files
ls
ls -la

# List local files
lls
lls -la

# Where am I on remote?
pwd

# Where am I locally?
lpwd

# Change remote directory
cd /remote/path

# Change local directory
lcd /local/path

# Download file from server
get remote_file.txt
get remote_file.txt local_file.txt

# Download keeping permissions
get -p remote_file.txt

# Download entire directory
get -r remote_directory/

# Upload file to server
put local_file.txt
put local_file.txt remote_file.txt

# Upload keeping permissions
put -p local_file.txt

# Upload entire directory
put -r local_directory/

# Create directory on server
mkdir remote_directory

# Create local directory
lmkdir local_directory

# Delete remote file
rm remote_file.txt

# Delete remote directory (must be empty)
rmdir remote_directory

# Rename/move files on server
rename old_name.txt new_name.txt

# Fix permissions (very important!)
chmod 644 remote_file.txt
chmod 755 script.sh

# Change ownership
chown user remote_file.txt
chown user:group remote_file.txt

# Change group
chgrp group remote_file.txt

# Check disk space (before uploading big files)
df
df -h

# File information
stat remote_file.txt

# Local file information
lstat local_file.txt

# SFTP version
version

# Run command on remote server
!command

# Run command locally
lcommand

# Show help (when you forget)
help
?

# Exit session
exit
quit
bye

# Download all text files (wildcards work)
sftp> mget *.txt
sftp> mget backup_*.tar.gz

# Upload multiple files
sftp> mput *.log
sftp> mput report_*.pdf

#!/bin/bash
# sftp-upload.sh - Simple upload automation

REMOTE_HOST="example.com"
REMOTE_USER="username"
REMOTE_DIR="/uploads"
LOCAL_FILE="/path/to/file.txt"

sftp -b - ${REMOTE_USER}@${REMOTE_HOST} << EOF
cd ${REMOTE_DIR}
put ${LOCAL_FILE}
bye
EOF

#!/bin/bash
# backup-to-remote.sh - Real backup script

BACKUP_DIR="/var/backups"
REMOTE_HOST="backup.example.com"
REMOTE_USER="backup"
REMOTE_DIR="/backups"
DATE=$(date +%Y%m%d)
BACKUP_FILE="backup_${DATE}.tar.gz"

# Make backup first
tar -czf ${BACKUP_DIR}/${BACKUP_FILE} /path/to/data

# Send to remote server
sftp -i ~/.ssh/backup_key ${REMOTE_USER}@${REMOTE_HOST} << EOF
cd ${REMOTE_DIR}
put ${BACKUP_DIR}/${BACKUP_FILE}
ls -la
bye
EOF

echo "Backup completed: ${BACKUP_FILE}"

#!/bin/bash
# download-latest.sh - Get new reports automatically

REMOTE_HOST="fileserver.example.com"
REMOTE_USER="files"
REMOTE_DIR="/shared/reports"
LOCAL_DIR="/home/user/downloads"

sftp ${REMOTE_USER}@${REMOTE_HOST} << EOF
cd ${REMOTE_DIR}
lcd ${LOCAL_DIR}
mget report_$(date +%Y%m)*.pdf
bye
EOF

# Download everything, keep structure
sftp user@host << EOF
cd /remote/path
lcd /local/path
get -r *
bye
EOF

# Generate modern SSH key
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "sftp-access"

# Install key on server (proper way)
ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub username@hostname

# Connect with key
sftp -i ~/.ssh/id_ed25519 username@hostname

# Create group for SFTP prisoners
sudo groupadd sftponly

# Add user to jail
sudo usermod -aG sftponly username

# SSH config modification
Match Group sftponly
    ChrootDirectory /home/%u
    ForceCommand internal-sftp
    AllowTcpForwarding no
    X11Forwarding no

# Use modern cipher
sftp -c [email protected] username@hostname

# Specify multiple ciphers
sftp -o Ciphers=[email protected],aes256-ctr username@hostname

# See what's happening
sftp -v username@hostname

# See everything happening
sftp -vv username@hostname

# Fix SSH key permissions (common problem)
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa
chmod 644 ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub
chmod 700 ~/.ssh

# Test SSH first
ssh -v username@hostname

# Check if server has space
sftp> df -h

# Check file permissions
sftp> ls -la filename

# Try smaller buffer (network problems)
sftp -B 8192 username@hostname

# Bigger buffer for big files
sftp -B 262144 username@hostname

# Compress data (helps on slow links)
sftp -C username@hostname

# More concurrent operations
sftp -R 128 username@hostname

# All optimizations together
sftp -C -B 262144 -R 128 username@hostname

# Resume download
sftp> reget large_file.iso

# Resume upload
sftp> reput large_file.iso

# SCP for quick one-shot transfers
scp file.txt username@hostname:/path/

# SFTP for interactive work
sftp username@hostname

# rsync is better for synchronization
rsync -avz -e ssh /local/path/ username@hostname:/remote/path/