Overview

wget is a command-line utility for downloading files from the web. It supports downloading files using HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP protocols. With wget, you can retrieve individual files, recursively download entire directories, and even mirror complete websites.

Syntax

Basic Usage

To download a file using wget, simply provide the URL of the file you want to download. Here's the basic command format:

For example, to download a file named "example.txt" from a website, run the following command:

Common Options

• -O, --output-document=FILE: Specifies the name of the output file. By default, wget uses the original file name from the URL.

• -P, --directory-prefix=PREFIX: Sets the directory prefix where the downloaded files will be saved.

• -r, --recursive: Enables recursive downloading, allowing you to download entire directories or mirror websites.

• -N, --timestamping: Downloads a file only if it is newer than the local copy or if it does not exist.

• -np, --no-parent: Prevents wget from following links to parent directories when using recursive mode.

• -nc, --no-clobber: Prevents overwriting files if they already exist.

• --limit-rate=RATE: Limits the download speed to a specified rate, such as "1m" for 1 megabyte per second or "50k" for 50 kilobytes per second.

Additional Help