With exception to naming a web browser as my favorite tool, WinSCP, I think, wears the crown. WinSCP is a SFTP, FTP and SCP client for Windows. It’s also free. I found it last year when my primary hosting company stopped supporting basic FTP. I needed SFTP software, and my old FTP software couldn’t do it.

Immediately Liked

After entering information for one of my accounts I tried it out to see what it could do. I liked it immediately. It logged in quick, refreshed changes automatically, and gave me the option to save my place locally. Saving my spot locally when logging in was a feature I loved on my last ftp software package, and I was afraid I was going to miss out on that feature.

It has side by side view of course, the option to show the directory tree above (something I use), and a synchronization button to make sure web and local have the latest versions.

Super Easy to Use

This software is easy to use, intuitive, and really better than I expected. Any time I found myself confused, I later found it was only because of their forward thinking in making things easier than you planned. There are little things I loved as well. One example is when I edit my site. I expect to find files displaying line numbers when editing, but what I didn’t expect was to find the “Go to line” button which I love. Instead of scrolling down to line 183, I just type 183. Bamm I’m there.

It has cool things like being able to right click on a file, and getting a little more than rename or copy. How about execute, tar, touch, grep, print, set permissions, to name a few. The editor has many options as well, and of course includes replace all for those coding repair jobs we have to do time to time.

I could blab on about how much I love, but here are some features listed by the creators of the software to make sure I am not missing something important to you.

Features:

• Graphical user interface
• Translated into several languages
• Integration with Windows (drag&drop, URL, shortcut icons)
• U3 support
• All common operations with files
• Support for SFTP and SCP protocols over SSH-1 and SSH-2 and plain old FTP protocol
• Batch file scripting and command-line interface
• Directory synchronization in several semi or fully automatic ways
• Integrated text editor
• Support for SSH password, keyboard-interactive, public key and Kerberos (GSS) authentication
• Integrates with Pageant (PuTTY authentication agent) for full support of public key authentication with SSH
• Explorer and Commander interfaces
• Optionally stores session information
• Optionally supports portable operation using a configuration file in place of registry entries, suitable for operation from removable media

Download WinSCP

Without a doubt WinSCP is something I use everyday, and if you have a website, or just need a FTP application this is the software for you. It’s close to 24 million downloads so it is safe to say there are a few others that like this application as well. Check it out, here are the urls you will need.

Download Page: http://winscp.net/eng/download.php

Site Home Page: WinSCP

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