Wget Command in Linux [Examples]

The Wget command is a command line utility in Linux that allows users to download files from the internet. It can be used to download files from a range of sources, including HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP servers. The Wget command is commonly used to download files from websites, but it can also be used to download files from other servers and sources.

The Wget command’s primary function is to retrieve files from the internet and save them to a local directory. It is often used to download files that are required for system updates or to download large files such as software packages or multimedia files. The Wget command is particularly useful for downloading files from servers that require authentication, as it can be used to download files using HTTP and FTP username and password credentials.

In this tutorial, we will show you how to use the Wget command through practical examples and detailed explanations of the most common Wget options.

Install Wget on Linux

Currently, the wget package is pre-installed on most Linux distributions.

To check if the Wget package is installed on your system, open your console, type wgetand hit Enter. If you have wget installed, the system will print wget: missing URL; otherwise it will print the wget command not found.

If wget is not installed, you can easily install it using your distribution’s package manager.

Installing wget on Ubuntu and Debian

sudo apt update

sudo apt install wget

Installing wget on CentOS and Fedora

sudo yum install wget

Basic syntax of the Wget command

Before we get into how to use the wget, let’s start by looking at the basic syntax.

In this syntax, [option] represents one or more options or flags that can be used to customize the behavior of the Wget command, and [URL] represents the URL of the file or resource that you want to download.

wget [options] [url]

To use the Wget command, you will need to specify at least one URL as an argument. You can specify multiple URLs by separating them with spaces. For example, to download multiple files, you can use a command like this:

wget https://example.com/path/to/file1.zip https://example.com/path/to/file2.zip

The Wget command supports a wide range of options and flags that can be used to customize its behavior. Some of the most common options and flags that are used with the Wget command include:

• -O: specifies the output file name
• -P: specifies the directory in which to save the downloaded file
• -r: downloads files recursively
• --accept: downloads only files with a specific file extension
• --user: specifies the username for HTTP or FTP authentication
• --password: specifies the password for HTTP or FTP authentication
• --limit-rate: limits the download speed to a specified rate

These are just a few of the many options and flags that are available with the Wget command. You can use the wget --help command to view a complete list of available options and learn more about how to use them.

Examples of Using the Wget Command in Linux

Here are some examples of using the Wget command in Linux:

1. Downloading a file from a URL:

wget https://example.com/path/to/file.zip

2. Downloading a file and saving it with a specific name:

wget https://example.com/path/to/file.zip -O myfile.zip

3. Downloading all files in a directory:

wget -r https://example.com/path/to/directory

4. Downloading files with a specific file extension:

wget --accept=pdf https://example.com/path/to/directory

5. Downloading files using HTTP authentication:

wget --user=username --password=password https://example.com/path/to/file.zip

These are just a few examples of using the Wget command in Linux. You can use a wide range of options and flags to customize the behavior of the Wget command and download files from a variety of sources.

conclusion

With Wget, you can download multiple files, resume partial downloads, mirror websites, and combine Wget options according to your needs.

For more information on Wget, visit the GNU wget man page.