Remote file sharing first came into fruition in January 1978, when Ward Christensen and Randy Suess, who were members of the Chicago Area Computer Hobbyists' Exchange (CACHE), created the Computerized Bulletin Board System (CBBS). To transfer something (such as data or files), from a computer or other digital device to the memory of another device (such as a larger or remote computer) especially via the internet.

In the case of users uploading files over the internet, uploading is often slower than downloading as many internet service providers (ISPs) offer asymmetric connections, which offer more network bandwidth for downloading than uploading.

Uploading directly contrasts with downloading, where data is received over a network. Moving files within a computer system, as opposed to over a network, is called file copying. While uploading can also be defined in the context of sending files between distributed clients, such as with a peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing protocol like BitTorrent, the term file sharing is more often used in this case. Uploading can be used in the context of (potentially many) clients that send files to a central server.

Common methods of uploading include: uploading via web browsers, FTP clients], and terminals ( SCP/ SFTP). Uploading refers to transmitting data from one computer system to another through means of a network.

What is upload and download speed mean