The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is used for transferring files over the internet. It allows users to upload or download files from servers securely and efficiently. FTP operates on a client-server model, where the client initiates the request and the server responds. Variants like SFTP (Secure FTP) add layers of security by encrypting data during transfer, making it a preferred choice for handling sensitive files. Businesses widely utilize FTP for sharing large files, backups, and maintaining website content.