FTP using ftplib

While HTTP and REST APIs are the current trend in client-server interactions, it's not unusual for businesses to rely on older, time tested, and sometimes obsolete technology to implement data transfers. ABQ is no exception: in addition to the REST upload, you need to implement support for ABQ corporate's legacy system that relies on FTP.

Basic concepts of FTP

File Transfer Protocol, or FTP, dates back to the early 1970s, predating HTTP by almost 20 years. Nevertheless, it's still commonly used by many organizations to exchange large files over the internet. FTP is considered somewhat obsolete in many circles due in part to the fact that it transmits data and credentials in clear text, though SSL-encrypted variants of FTP are also available.

Like HTTP, FTP clients send requests containing plain text commands similar to HTTP methods, and the FTP server returns a response packet containing header and payload information.

There are, however, many significant differences between...