uploaded

Uploaded is the past tense and past participle of upload, a term used in computing to describe transferring data from a local device to a remote system, server, or cloud service. An uploaded file is stored on the destination and may be shared, processed, or archived there. The term is commonly used across web services, email, file storage, and content-management systems.

Etymology and scope: The word upload developed in late 20th-century computing as jargon for data movement toward a central host, in contrast to download, which describes movement away from the host. Today, upload and its participles are standard terms in networking, cloud, and consumer devices.

Methods and performance: Uploads use various transfer mechanisms, including HTTP POST in web forms, FTP/SFTP, WebDAV, and API-based methods. In peer-to-peer networks, clients upload to distribute data to other users. Upload speed is determined by upstream bandwidth, service limits, and network conditions, and is often slower for individual consumers than download speed.

Impact and considerations: Uploaded data can include documents, media, or software. Privacy and security concerns include encryption in transit (TLS), encryption at rest, access control, and potential copyright or moderation issues. User interfaces typically report progress and completion of uploads, and some services impose quotas or retention policies on uploaded content.