Open Question: FTP Client – Which one is best?

I want to be able to edit files in the program without downloading them. Can anyone suggest a free FTP client?

I use CuteFTP on both Windows and Mac (paid product); some folks like the free FileZilla which is also very popular: https://filezilla-project.org/

I believe FileZilla lets you edit remote files on the server, if you’re wanting to do that with FTP client.

More often folks will edit the files locally to have version backups in case you mess something up … if you edit the files on the server, and screw up, you then need to upload the backup file from the zip anyway. Better to edit the cloned copy of file like functions.php or style.css locally, upload, test site, if works you’re A-Okay. If broken, then you can reupload the original un-edited version over the new version … or if doing versions (make edit, save, backup, make another edit, save, make backup, etc.) you could go back a step to what worked.

• This reply was modified 12 years by simchris.

If you’re on a mac I recommend Forklift
http://www.binarynights.com/forklift/
very intuitive and lots of capabilities

Fetch works for me but not checked many others – it’s free.

Can recommend FileZilla (Windows). Been using it for years and works like a charm.