Wget is open source software that retrieves content from web servers. Its name is derived from World Wide Web and get. It supports HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP protocols, as well as retrieval through HTTP proxies.
Wget can follow links in HTML pages and create local versions of remote web sites, fully recreating the directory structure of the original site. This is known as “recursive downloading.”
Wget has been designed for robustness over slow or unstable network connections.
Features include:
- Resume aborted downloads, using REST and RANGE.
- Use filename wild cards and recursively mirror directories.
- NLS-based message files for many different languages.
- Optionally converts absolute links in downloaded documents to relative, so that downloaded documents may link to each other locally.
- Runs on most UNIX-like operating systems as well as Microsoft Windows.
- Supports HTTP proxies.
- Supports HTTP cookies.
- Supports persistent HTTP connections.
- Unattended / background operation.
- Uses local file timestamps to determine whether documents need to be re-downloaded when mirroring.
Website: www.gnu.org/software/wget
Support: Manual
Developer: Hrvoje Niksic, Gordon Matzigkeit, Junio Hamano, Dan Harkless, and many others
License: GNU GPL v3
Wget is written in C. Learn C with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Alternatives to curl | Return to Pick of the Bunch: Console Applications | Return to Command line HTTP Clients
| Popular series | |
|---|---|
 | The largest compilation of the best free and open source software in the universe. Each article is supplied with a legendary ratings chart helping you to make informed decisions. |
 | Hundreds of in-depth reviews offering our unbiased and expert opinion on software. We offer helpful and impartial information. |
 | The Big List of Active Linux Distros is a large compilation of actively developed Linux distributions. |
 | Replace proprietary software with open source alternatives: Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Autodesk, Oracle, Atlassian, Corel, Cisco, Intuit, SAS, Progress, Salesforce, and Citrix |
 | Awesome Free Linux Games Tools showcases a series of tools that making gaming on Linux a more pleasurable experience. This is a new series. |
 | Machine Learning explores practical applications of machine learning and deep learning from a Linux perspective. We've written reviews of more than 40 self-hosted apps. All are free and open source. |
 | New to Linux? Read our Linux for Starters series. We start right at the basics and teach you everything you need to know to get started with Linux. |
 | Alternatives to popular CLI tools showcases essential tools that are modern replacements for core Linux utilities. |
 | Essential Linux system tools focuses on small, indispensable utilities, useful for system administrators as well as regular users. |
 | Linux utilities to maximise your productivity. Small, indispensable tools, useful for anyone running a Linux machine. |
 | Surveys popular streaming services from a Linux perspective: Amazon Music Unlimited, Myuzi, Spotify, Deezer, Tidal. |
 | Saving Money with Linux looks at how you can reduce your energy bills running Linux. |
 | Home computers became commonplace in the 1980s. Emulate home computers including the Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, ZX81, Amstrad CPC, and ZX Spectrum. |
 | Now and Then examines how promising open source software fared over the years. It can be a bumpy ride. |
 | Linux at Home looks at a range of home activities where Linux can play its part, making the most of our time at home, keeping active and engaged. |
 | Linux Candy reveals the lighter side of Linux. Have some fun and escape from the daily drudgery. |
 | Getting Started with Docker helps you master Docker, a set of platform as a service products that delivers software in packages called containers. |
 | Best Free Android Apps. We showcase free Android apps that are definitely worth downloading. There's a strict eligibility criteria for inclusion in this series. |
 | These best free books accelerate your learning of every programming language. Learn a new language today! |
 | These free tutorials offer the perfect tonic to our free programming books series. |
 | Linux Around The World showcases usergroups that are relevant to Linux enthusiasts. Great ways to meet up with fellow enthusiasts. |
 | Stars and Stripes is an occasional series looking at the impact of Linux in the USA. |