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Definition: download protocol


The communications protocol used to transmit a file to a user, also known as a file transfer protocol. For example, the Internet uses HTTP and FTP, which ride over TCP/IP. Unix systems use FTP over TCP/IP, as well as UUCP. In the days of analog modems, general-purpose communications programs used a common protocol, such as Xmodem or Ymodem, at both ends of the transmission. See TCP/IP, FTP, HTTP, UUCP, Xmodem and Ymodem.