Software Features
ProFTPD offers the following features, with many more planned):
- Single main configuration file, with directives and directive groups which are intuitive to any administrator who has ever used the Apache web server.
- Per directory ".ftpaccess" configuration similar to Apache's ".htaccess".
- Easy to configure multiple virtual FTP servers and anonymous FTP services.
- Designed to run either as a stand-alone server or from inetd/xinetd, depending on system load.
- Anonymous FTP root directories do not require any specific directory structure, system binaries or other system files.
- No SITE EXEC command. In modern Internet environments, such commands are a security nightmare.
- Source code is available (and must always be available) for administrators and developers to audit.
- Hidden directories and files, based on Unix-style permissions or user/group ownership.
- Runs as a configurable non-privileged user in stand-alone mode in order to decrease chances of attacks which might exploit its "root" abilities. Note: This feature is dependent on the capabilities of the host Unix system.
- Logging and utmp/wtmp support. Logging is compatible with the wu-ftpd standard, with extended logging available.
- Shadow password suite support, including support for expired accounts.
- Modular design, allowing server to be extended easily with modules. Modules have been written for SQL databases, LDAP servers, SSL/TLS encryption, RADIUS support, etc.
- IPv6 support.
Platforms
ProFTPD is known to compile and run on the following platforms. If you know of any that are not in this list, please contact the core team.
| AIX | BSD/OS | Cygwin* |
| Digital Unix | DG/UX | HP/UX |
| IRIX* | Linux* | Mac OS X*+ |
| SCO | FreeBSD* | NetBSD |
| OpenBSD | Solaris* | SunOS |
| Linux for IBM S/390, zSeries |
(*) The ProFTPD core team has access to test on this platform. If you wish to donate hardware or network access, please contact the core team.
(+) While ProFTPD should compile "out of the box" under Mac OS X, Fink includes ProFTPD in its distribution for OS X.