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Upload & Download

Transfer files between your local system and cloud storage.

Downloading Files

Single File Download

  1. Navigate to the file in the File Browser
  2. Click the Download button next to the file
  3. The file downloads directly to your browser's download location

Download via CLI

For larger files or batch downloads, use the CLI:

# Download a single file
flow files download -p PROJECT_ID path/to/file.txt ./local/

# Download a directory
flow files download -p PROJECT_ID path/to/folder/ ./local/ --recursive

Uploading Files

Upload Permissions

Upload requires credentials with write access (Storage Object Admin for GCS).

Browser Upload

  1. Navigate to the target folder
  2. Click Upload button
  3. Select files from your system
  4. Wait for upload to complete

Upload via CLI

For larger files or batch uploads:

# Upload a single file
flow files upload -p PROJECT_ID ./local/file.txt path/to/

# Upload a directory
flow files upload -p PROJECT_ID ./local/folder/ path/to/ --recursive

Signed URLs

For large files, Flow generates signed URLs that allow direct transfer without routing through the platform.

Benefits

  • Faster transfers (direct to/from cloud storage)
  • Supports resume for large files
  • Time-limited access (secure)

CLI with Signed URLs

# Generate a download URL (valid for 1 hour)
flow files url -p PROJECT_ID path/to/file.txt --expires 3600

Best Practices

  1. Use CLI for large files - Browser uploads have size limits
  2. Organize in folders - Keep data structured by project/experiment
  3. Check permissions - Ensure credentials have appropriate access level

Next Steps