Let’s be clear here: uploading and transferring files in the terminal with curl or otherwise is not a new thing. However, finding a mainstream file sharing service that goes this route is rare. So, how do you use this tool on Linux? Read on in this guide and find out! We go over how to upload files, download them and just about everything else you need to know about Transfer.sh! Note: Transfer.sh works on any system that has bash and curl. This means BSD and OSX (possibly even Windows), too, not just Linux.
Installation
Transfer.sh itself doesn’t require any installation. It interacts entirely online. Instead, all you’ll need to do is install one program – Curl to be exact. Curl is easy to install. Open a terminal window and enter the following: Ubuntu (or Ubuntu-based distro) Fedora Arch Other distros Chances are the curl package on your Linux distribution is called curl. Just open your package manager and search for it, then install it. It should be easy to get going, as it’s a well-known package.
Usage
Here’s how to upload a file to transfer.sh via the command line. Here’s an example command:
If you were to upload, say, “harddrive.sh,” you’d change the command to something like this: Once this command has been entered, transfer.sh will generate a unique download link, a link that you can get via curl and the command line or via a web browser. The link will look sort of like this one here: https://transfer.sh/14yktw/harddrive.sh
To download the file you’ve uploaded, just take the unique URL generated, and enter this command into any terminal. Alternatively, just click on it and download like mentioned above.
This will take the file and store it locally. Of course, transfer.sh works with all types of files, not just the ones used in this example. In fact, you can upload up to 10 GBs of stuff in one go.
Why Transfer.sh?
Too many times, people have been stuck in the command line and need a file quickly. Transfer.sh solves that problem. No more mounting flash drives to get that important .ZIP archive you’ve got tucked away somewhere. It’s not just for emergencies or weird uses though. For those who love the command line, transfer.sh could easily be incorporated into the workflow. Think about how many bash scripts have been written that require files to download. Though the data can only really be stored for fourteen days with transfer.sh’s speed and data capacity, it could easily add to that sort of thing. And even if you’re not in a weird position on Linux where you need a file and you can only use the command line, or writing a bash script that downloads large files, Transfer.sh still makes sense. Why? Simplicity. Not many free file transfer solutions can work as easily as entering a command. This tool, though not perfect, has very unique possibilities, as well as the interesting position of working in both the command line as well as a web browser.
Conclusion
Transferring files is not a new thing; that is for certain. However, tools like Transfer.sh excite me for the future. The reason? Treating the command line as a first class citizen. Contrary to popular belief, the command line is still an important and advanced tool that many Linux power users would rather not do without. That’s why I think this tool is great. Sure, it’s not the greatest tool ever and does have flaws. For example: I’d love to have some sort of membership program where I can have a “cloud” type setup, as well as the ability to store more than 10 GBs at a time. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be in the cards for Transfer.sh at the moment. Still, even without all of the more advanced features I wish it had, it’s still an incredibly useful tool. If you love the Linux command line and are looking for a new way to transfer files back and forth, you’d be crazy not to try this out. Do you think transferring files in the command line is a good idea? Tell us why or why not below!
