PureFTPd

PureFTPd is a free, open-source FTP server for Unix-like systems, released under a BSD-style license. It is designed to be secure, fast, and easy to administer, with a focus on sensible defaults and straightforward configuration.

The software implements FTP and its secure variant FTPS (FTP over TLS) and supports both anonymous and authenticated access. It offers flexible authentication options, including virtual users and multiple backends, such as its own PureDB database and support for external backends. Per-user quotas, bandwidth limits, and isolation through chrooted jail environments are supported, helping administrators control access and resource usage. The server also provides standard features for file transfer, such as passive mode support and IPv6 compatibility.

PureFTPd emphasizes security and stability. It enables administrators to disable anonymous access or tailor restrictions for different user types, and it includes configurable logging and auditing options. The server is designed to be easy to deploy, with a variety of options accessible through a configuration file or command-line parameters, allowing both quick setups and fine-grained tuning.

Platform availability and ecosystem: PureFTPd is packaged for many Unix-like systems and is commonly found in mainstream distributions’ repositories. It can be used for personal hosting as well as in shared hosting environments, frequently integrated with control panels and hosting frameworks to manage FTP access for users and websites.

See also: other FTP servers such as vsftpd and ProFTPD.