---
name: "bup-ftp"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "bup"
version: "0.34-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/bup-ftp"
---

# bup-ftp(1)

ftp-like client for navigating bup repositories

## NAME

bup-ftp - ftp-like client for navigating bup repositories

## SYNOPSIS

bup ftp

## DESCRIPTION

`bup ftp` is a command-line tool for navigating bup repositories. It has commands similar to the Unix [`ftp`(1)](/ftp/1.md) command. The file hierarchy is the same as that shown by [`bup-fuse`(1)](/bup-fuse/1.md) and [`bup-ls`(1)](/bup-ls/1.md).

Note: if your system has the python-readline library installed, you can use the \<tab\> key to complete filenames while navigating your backup data. This will save you a lot of typing.

## COMMANDS

The following commands are available inside `bup ftp`:

- ls \[-s\] \[-a\] \[*path*\]

  print the contents of a directory. If no path argument is given, the current directory’s contents are listed. If -a is given, also include hidden files (files which start with a `.` character). If -s is given, each file is displayed with its hash from the bup archive to its left.

- cd *dirname*

  change to a different working directory

- pwd

  print the path of the current working directory

- cat *filenames...*

  print the contents of one or more files to stdout

- get *filename* *localname*

  download the contents of *filename* and save it to disk as *localname*. If *localname* is omitted, uses *filename* as the local name.

- mget *filenames...*

  download the contents of the given *filenames* and stores them to disk under the same names. The filenames may contain Unix filename globs (`*`, `?`, etc.)

- help

  print a list of available commands

- quit

  exit the `bup ftp` client

## EXAMPLES

-

  ```
  $ bup ftp
  bup> ls
  mybackup/    yourbackup/
  bup> cd mybackup/
  bup> ls
  2010-02-05-185507@   2010-02-05-185508@    latest@
  bup> cd latest/
  bup> ls
    (...etc...)
  bup> get myfile
  Saving 'myfile'
  bup> quit
  ```

## SEE ALSO

[`bup-fuse`(1)](/bup-fuse/1.md), [`bup-ls`(1)](/bup-ls/1.md), [`bup-save`(1)](/bup-save/1.md), [`bup-restore`(1)](/bup-restore/1.md)

## BUP

Part of the [`bup`(1)](/bup/1.md) suite.

## AUTHORS

Avery Pennarun ⟨apenwarr@gmail.com⟩\\c.