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FTP & File Management: Uploading and Managing Your Website Files

Managing your website files is a fundamental part of web hosting. Whether you need to upload your site for the first time, edit configuration files, or manage media uploads, understanding how to work with files on your server is essential. This guide covers both the browser-based File Manager in your control panel and FTP/SFTP clients for local file management.

File Manager (Browser-Based)

Every Salama Hosting control panel includes a built-in File Manager that lets you manage files directly from your browser. No additional software is needed.

Using File Manager in cPanel

  1. Log in to cPanel.
  2. Navigate to Files → File Manager.
  3. You'll see your hosting directory structure. The main folders include:
Folder Purpose
public_html Your website's root directory — files here are publicly accessible
mail Email account data
logs Server access and error logs
ssl SSL certificate files
tmp Temporary files
.htaccess Apache configuration file (hidden by default)

Common File Manager Tasks

Upload files:

  1. Navigate to the target directory (usually public_html).
  2. Click Upload in the toolbar.
  3. Drag and drop files or click Select File.
  4. Files are uploaded immediately.

Create a new file or folder:

  1. Click + File or + Folder in the toolbar.
  2. Enter the name and click Create.

Edit a file:

  1. Right-click the file and select Edit or Code Editor.
  2. Make your changes in the built-in editor.
  3. Click Save Changes.

Download files:

  1. Select the file(s) you want to download.
  2. Click Download in the toolbar.

Compress/Extract files:

  1. Select files or folders to compress.
  2. Click Compress and choose the format (zip, tar.gz).
  3. To extract, select a compressed file and click Extract.

Show hidden files (.htaccess, .env):

  1. Click Settings (top-right corner).
  2. Check Show Hidden Files (dotfiles).
  3. Click Save.

Using File Manager in Plesk

  1. Log in to Plesk.
  2. Go to Websites & Domains → File Manager.
  3. Navigate, upload, edit, and manage files similarly to cPanel.

Using File Manager in DirectAdmin

  1. Log in to DirectAdmin.
  2. Go to System Info & Files → File Manager.
  3. Navigate to your domain's public directory and manage files.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

FTP allows you to manage files using a dedicated desktop application. It's faster and more reliable than the browser-based File Manager for bulk uploads and large files.

FTP vs SFTP

Feature FTP SFTP
Encryption No (plain text) Yes (SSH encrypted)
Port 21 22
Security Not recommended Recommended
Speed Slightly faster Slightly slower due to encryption

Always use SFTP when available. FTP transmits data (including passwords) in plain text, making it vulnerable to interception.

Your FTP/SFTP Credentials

Your FTP credentials are provided in your hosting welcome email. You can also find or reset them in your control panel:

Setting Value
Host yourdomain.com or your server IP
Username Your cPanel/hosting username
Password Your cPanel/hosting password
Port 21 (FTP) or 22 (SFTP)

Creating Additional FTP Accounts (cPanel)

  1. Log in to cPanel.
  2. Go to Files → FTP Accounts.
  3. Enter a username, password, and directory path.
  4. Set a quota (or unlimited).
  5. Click Create FTP Account.

This is useful for giving developers or designers limited access to specific directories.

FileZilla is a free, open-source FTP client available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Quick Connect

  1. Open FileZilla.
  2. At the top, enter:
    • Host: sftp://yourdomain.com
    • Username: Your hosting username
    • Password: Your hosting password
    • Port: 22 (for SFTP)
  3. Click Quickconnect.
  4. Your server files appear on the right panel; local files on the left.
  5. Drag files between panels to upload or download.

Site Manager (Save Connections)

  1. Go to File → Site Manager → New Site.
  2. Enter:
    • Protocol: SFTP – SSH File Transfer Protocol
    • Host: yourdomain.com
    • Port: 22
    • Logon Type: Normal
    • User: Your hosting username
    • Password: Your hosting password
  3. Click Connect (and optionally OK to save).

Uploading Your Website

  1. In the Local site panel (left), navigate to your website files on your computer.
  2. In the Remote site panel (right), navigate to /public_html.
  3. Select all files in the local panel and drag them to public_html.
  4. FileZilla will begin the transfer. Monitor progress in the bottom panel.

Other FTP Clients

Client Platform Free Notes
FileZilla Windows, Mac, Linux Yes Most popular, full-featured
WinSCP Windows Yes Windows-native, supports SFTP/SCP
Cyberduck Windows, Mac Yes Clean interface, cloud storage support
Transmit Mac Paid Premium Mac client, excellent UI

File Permissions

File permissions control who can read, write, or execute files on your server. Incorrect permissions can cause security vulnerabilities or website errors.

Understanding Permission Numbers

Permissions are expressed as three digits (e.g., 755), where each digit represents:

  • Owner (you) — First digit
  • Group — Second digit
  • Public (everyone) — Third digit

Each digit is a sum of: 4 (read) + 2 (write) + 1 (execute)

Permission Number Meaning
Read + Write + Execute 7 Full access
Read + Write 6 Read and modify
Read + Execute 5 Read and run
Read only 4 View only
No access 0 Blocked
Type Permission Numeric
Directories/folders rwxr-xr-x 755
PHP/HTML files rw-r--r-- 644
Configuration files (wp-config.php) rw-r----- 640
.htaccess rw-r--r-- 644
Uploaded media rw-r--r-- 644

Setting Permissions in cPanel File Manager

  1. Right-click the file or folder.
  2. Select Change Permissions.
  3. Enter the numeric value (e.g., 755) or check the appropriate boxes.
  4. Click Change Permissions.

Setting Permissions via FTP

In FileZilla:

  1. Right-click the file or folder on the server.
  2. Select File permissions... (or File Attributes).
  3. Enter the numeric value.
  4. For folders, check Recurse into subdirectories if needed.
  5. Click OK.

Working with .htaccess

The .htaccess file is a powerful Apache configuration file located in your public_html directory. It controls URL redirects, security rules, caching, and more.

Common .htaccess Uses

Force HTTPS:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

Redirect www to non-www:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www\.(.*)$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%1/$1 [R=301,L]

Block IP address:

<RequireAll>
    Require all granted
    Require not ip 192.168.1.100
</RequireAll>

Custom error pages:

ErrorDocument 404 /custom-404.html
ErrorDocument 500 /custom-500.html

Caution: Incorrect .htaccess changes can make your entire website inaccessible. Always keep a backup of the original file before editing.

Tips for File Management

  1. Always back up before bulk changes. Download a copy of your files before uploading new versions.
  2. Use SFTP, not FTP. Encrypted transfers protect your credentials and data.
  3. Keep public_html clean. Remove old test files, unused themes, and temporary uploads.
  4. Check file sizes. Large files slow down your website. Compress images and optimize media.
  5. Don't modify core CMS files. In WordPress, Joomla, etc., use child themes and plugins instead of editing core files directly.
  6. Set proper permissions. Don't use 777 (full access for everyone) — it's a severe security risk.

Need Help?

If you need assistance with file management or FTP setup: