Cyberduck Editor's Review

Cyberduck is an Open Source FTP/FTP-TLS/SFTP client for Mac OS X.

The interface of Cyberduck isn't split in a couple of browsers, like the one from the classic FTP clients. It provides you just a single browser for the FTP server. The client uses a second connection to the FTP server when it's transferring files. The file transfers are placed within a new window. The client supports multiple transfers at once.

The configuration of this client is very easy. You have to pick the protocol from a drop-down list, provide the server's address and listening port, the path to the desired folder from the FTP server's virtual file system, your username, and your password. There are also available some other features like anonymous login, connection mode, encoding type, and the possibility to add your passwords to the keychain.

Cyberduck also provides you the possibility to create bookmarks for your connections in order to avoid retyping the same settings. Browsing the FTP directories is quite fast, faster than other clients such as webSite Manager for example.

The FTP browser provides you various options besides the usual functionality of a FTP client. It gives you the possibility to create and edit files. The editing is made on your Mac. The client automatically downloads the file and opens it with the associated application. Cyberduck works great with text editors like Smultron.

The program also provides you the possibility to synchronize a directory from the FTP host with one from your hard drive, network, or iDisk.

Cyberduck gives you the possibility to open a terminal when you are connected to the FTP host. If you would like to use some text commands, then the application provides you this possibility without the need of opening the Terminal.

Pluses: it is free, it has the support for secure connections, it has a great functionality as a FTP client, it can resume the broken uploads and downloads very well, it can upload/download files in parallel so you won't have to wait in order to start another transfer, it gives you a shell if you need one.

Drawbacks / flaws:

In conclusion: this is one of the best FTP/SFTP/FTP-TLS clients that I've tested on Macintosh. Cyberduck is the kind of tool that gives headaches to the commercial FTP clients producers because it is high quality software at free price.

version reviewed: 2.7.1