HTTPS vs SFTP

Developers should learn and use HTTPS to build secure web applications that protect user data and comply with privacy regulations like GDPR meets developers should learn and use sftp when they need to securely transfer files between systems, such as deploying code to production servers, backing up data, or managing remote file systems in cloud environments. Here's our take.

HTTPS

Nice Pick

Developers should learn and use HTTPS to build secure web applications that protect user data and comply with privacy regulations like GDPR

Pros

• It is critical for e-commerce sites, banking platforms, and any service handling sensitive information to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks and data breaches
• Related to: tls, ssl

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

SFTP

Developers should learn and use SFTP when they need to securely transfer files between systems, such as deploying code to production servers, backing up data, or managing remote file systems in cloud environments

Pros

• It is essential for scenarios requiring encrypted file transfers over untrusted networks, like handling sensitive configuration files, logs, or user data, and is commonly integrated into CI/CD pipelines, automated scripts, and server administration tasks
• Related to: ssh, file-transfer

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. HTTPS is a concept while SFTP is a protocol. We picked HTTPS based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

HTTPS wins

Based on overall popularity. HTTPS is more widely used, but SFTP excels in its own space.