wget

Overview

The wget command is a network utility to retrieve files from the web using HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP protocols. It supports recursive download, file transfer resumption, and bandwidth limiting.

Syntax

wget [options] [URL...]

Common Options

Option	Description
-O file	Output to file
-P prefix	Directory prefix
-c	Continue download
-r	Recursive retrieval
-l depth	Maximum depth
-np	No parent
-nd	No directories
-A list	Accept list
-R list	Reject list
-q	Quiet mode
-v	Verbose mode
--limit-rate	Bandwidth limit

Key Use Cases

1. File download
2. Website mirroring
3. Recursive download
4. FTP retrieval
5. Automated downloads

Examples with Explanations

Example 1: Basic Download

wget https://example.com/file

Download single file

Example 2: Continue Download

wget -c https://example.com/large-file

Resume interrupted download

Example 3: Mirror Website

wget -m https://example.com

Mirror entire site

Common Usage Patterns

1. Save as file:

   wget -O output.file URL

2. Recursive with depth:

   wget -r -l2 URL

3. Accept types:

   wget -A pdf,jpg URL

Security Considerations

1. SSL verification
2. Authentication
3. Server load
4. Bandwidth usage
5. Robot rules

Related Commands

• curl - Data transfer
• http - HTTP client
• fetch - File retrieval
• aria2 - Download utility
• axel - Download accelerator

Additional Resources

• Wget Manual
• Usage Guide
• System Administration

Best Practices

1. Use continue
2. Set timeouts
3. Limit bandwidth
4. Check robots.txt
5. Verify downloads

Download Options

1. Single file
2. Multiple files
3. Recursive
4. Mirror
5. Timestamping

Troubleshooting

1. SSL errors
2. DNS issues
3. Server errors
4. Permission denied
5. Space issues

Output Formats

1. Progress bar
2. Dot progress
3. Quiet output
4. Debug info
5. Log file