Are you an online user and highly interested in knowing about what are the types of file sharing?
I know it’s going to be an interesting topic to discuss because most people are now replying online and sharing different files online every day.
In this post, I’m gonna cover the top 10 types of file sharing that you can know to identify your file-sharing type for the next task.
Let’s get started!
What Are The Types Of File Sharing?
File sharing is the practice of distributing or providing access to digital media, such as computer programs, multimedia (audio, video), documents, or electronic books.
File sharing involves a number of different technologies and approaches, all of which are based on the concept of sharing computer files, including Cloud storage, P2P, Email attachments, File hosting services, etc.
1. Cloud File Sharing
According to recent times, such file-sharing options are getting more popular than all of the previous file-sharing options.
Nowadays, Cloud storage is a service or server, whereby files are stored on a remote server and can be accessed from any location with an internet connection.
Considering the users’ convenience and easy accessibility, this method is known as one of the most convenient ways to share files, as there is no need to transfer them between devices.
Benefits of Cloud File Sharing:
| Name | Details |
| Increased accessibility | No matter where you are if you have an interest, you’re welcome to access the cloud server and share files with anyone else. |
| Increased collaboration | No matter how many users you have, depending on the cloud server capacity, your whole team can access all of the stored files at the same time. |
| Increased security | Cloud file-sharing has changed the way of protecting files online as the server is more secure and safe from unwanted web attracts. |
| Increased scalability | Depending on your current needs, you can simply up and down the space. |
| Reduced costs | The server is known as a more cost-effective server than a traditional server, especially when you factor in the costs of hardware, software, and maintenance. |
2. Peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing:
Remember Skype? You can easily understand the concept by looking at Skype’s working process.
This is a decentralized approach to file sharing, whereby users connect to each other directly to share files.
Skype is using a dedicated peer-to-peer system to let its users share files and messages.
3. Email Attachments:
This is a simple way to share files, by attaching them to an email and sending them to the intended recipient.
4. USB drives:
USB drives can be used to transfer files between devices, and are often used to share files with others.
5. Social Media:
Social media platforms can be used to share files, such as by posting them on a profile or in a group.
6. File Hosting Services:
These are web-based services that allow users to upload files, which can then be accessed by others. These services often have restrictions on file types and sizes.
7. File Sharing By FTP:
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard network protocol used to transfer files between devices. It can be used to share files publicly or privately.
8. Network file systems:
This is a method of sharing files between devices on a local network. NFS can also be used to share files between different Linux distributions.
NFS is a popular choice for sharing files between Linux and Windows systems. NFS is typically faster than Windows file sharing (SMB/CIFS) and is more flexible.
9. WebDAV:
Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) is a set of protocols that allow for the collaborative editing of files over the internet.
In addition to these, this method is also known as a standards-based method for sharing files over the internet.
It is an extension of the HTTP protocol. WebDAV is a safe and secure way to share files. It is a convenient way to share files with others.
10. Rsync:
Rsync is a fast and versatile file-sharing system that can be used to synchronize files between two or more computers.
It is often used to keep copies of files on a central server up to date with the latest changes made on a user’s computer.
Rsync can also be used to transfer files between computers, making it a handy tool for sharing files between coworkers or family members.
Also Read:
Final Words:
What are the types of file sharing is one of the most common questions asked by online users who want to know about file-sharing methods or options to complete their file-sharing task.
From this article, you may already notice that I have shared the most common types of file-sharing options that are widely used nowadays.
