The same is true for uninstalling plugins. That process won’t happen if you manually transfer the image via FTP. Uploading media should always be done via the admin interface, because WordPress is doing a lot of things under the hood.īasically, when you upload an image, WordPress checks for the registered image sizes and creates copies of all thoses images, among other things.

Or maybe you’re a power user/developer, you already know how to access your server via command line SSH, and do all these things via CLI, so you can skip the rest of this article and go back to your day 😉 When NOT to use FTP for your WordPress site And for all those cases, you need to use a FTP client. These are just a few examples of situations in which you absolutely need to access your files. Or maybe you need to overwrite your installation with a fresh version of WordPress, or place a Google verification file to the root of your installation.Īlso, modifying your wp-config.php file simply cannot be done via your standard admin interface, should you need to update your database credentials or temporarily activate debug mode. Maybe a premium plugin you use requires you to upload a new version manually via FTP. You can easily force the deactivation of a plugin by renaming its folder (prefixing it with an underscore for example). Easy.īut for some tasks you have to have access to your files.įor instance, installing a mu-plugin can only be done by transferring the file directly into your wp-content/mu-plugins folder. Installing a plugin, a theme, or updating them only takes a few clicks. The WordPress administration is a fantastic tool for sure, and there are a lot of things you can do just by clicking a few links or buttons. Magic! Why would I need FTP when I can upload media, themes and plugins via the WordPress admin? You can even directly open them in your text editor for a quick edit ! Open your file, make your changes, click “save” and it’s directly uploaded to your server. You can upload files from your computer to your host or download files from your remote WordPress installation to your computer. A FTP Client is a piece of software that allows you to connect to a remote server to transfer files. What is FTP?įTP simply means File Transfer Protocol. To learn how to create a WordPress website, read our detailed guide. When NOT to use FTP for your WordPress site.

Why would I need FTP when I can upload media, themes and plugins via the WordPress admin?.

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