wget URL is the essential command: it downloads the response into the shell’s current directory. Add -O when you need an exact filename, -P when you need a destination directory, -c to continue a partial file, --limit-rate to protect a shared connection, and -b for a job that should keep running after you return to the prompt. For directory trees, combine -r with a deliberate depth and --no-parent; use --mirror only when you really intend an unlimited recursive mirror.
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What wget does on a Linux server
wget is a non-interactive command-line network downloader. It is useful over SSH and in scripts because it starts from a URL, writes files to disk, and does not require an interactive browser session. The GNU manual available for this guide is version 1.25.0, but the binary installed on your server may be older or newer. Run man wget on that host before relying on an option whose behavior matters to an automated job.
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Examples below use ordinary shell syntax and placeholder URLs. Replace them with the URL you are authorized to retrieve and with directories that the account running the command can write to.
Download one file
The default command
wget https://example.com/releases/archive.tar.gzThe file is saved in the shell’s current working directory. To see that directory before starting, run pwd; use ls -lh afterward to confirm the result and its size. If a file with the same name is already present, do not assume that the new transfer will be a continuation. Use the resume procedure below when you have a known partial download.
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Choose an exact filename with -O
wget -O latest-archive.tar.gz https://example.com/releases/archive.tar.gz-O writes the response under the name you provide. It is useful when the server’s URL contains a generated name or when a script needs a stable filename. A full path can be supplied, for example:
wget -O /srv/downloads/latest-archive.tar.gz https://example.com/releases/archive.tar.gzCreate the destination first and ensure the account has permission to write there. Treat -O as a deliberate output choice: it directs the transfer to that one path rather than letting wget derive a filename from the URL.
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wget -P /srv/downloads https://example.com/releases/archive.tar.gz-P sets the target directory while retaining the filename selected from the URL. Without it, the target is the current directory. This form is convenient when several URLs should be placed in the same directory.
A full path passed to -O already specifies both directory and filename, so adding -P is redundant and can make a script harder to read. Choose one explicit output strategy for each command.
| Need | Option | Example | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use the URL-derived name in the current directory | none | wget URL |
Writes to the current working directory. |
| Set the complete output path | -O name |
wget -O /srv/downloads/image.iso URL |
Writes as image.iso at that path. |
| Set only the destination directory | -P dir |
wget -P /srv/downloads URL |
Keeps the URL-derived filename in /srv/downloads. |
Resume an interrupted download safely
Use -c with the existing partial file
cd /srv/downloads
wget -c https://example.com/images/disk-image.isoThe -c (continue) option asks wget to continue a partial download instead of starting from zero. The local partial file must still exist, and it must be in the location where wget is looking. Change to that directory first, or combine the same destination choices used for the original command so that the filename and path match.
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For a fixed filename, repeat the original -O choice:
wget -c -O /srv/downloads/disk-image.iso https://example.com/images/disk-image.isoWhen continuation is not possible
Resuming depends on the server supporting partial downloads. If it does not, wget restarts the transfer and overwrites the existing file completely. That behavior can turn a supposedly efficient retry into another full transfer, which matters for large images and metered links. If a continuation repeatedly begins at byte zero, verify the server’s support for partial requests and plan for a complete redownload rather than repeatedly invoking -c.
- Keep the partial file in the same working location used by the original command.
- Do not rename the partial file unless you also supply the matching output name.
- Check available disk space before retrying a large object; a restart needs room for the complete file.
Make long or fragile transfers more reliable
Retry a finite number of times
wget --tries=5 https://example.com/releases/archive.tar.gz--tries=N sets the retry count. The documented default is 20. A value of 0 or inf requests infinite retries, which can leave an unattended process running indefinitely; use that only when an external job supervisor is responsible for stopping it.
Retries do not change the destination or turn a non-resumable server into a resumable one. For a large transfer, combine a sensible retry count with -c when a partial file is retained:
wget -c --tries=5 -P /srv/downloads https://example.com/releases/archive.tar.gzLimit bandwidth on shared links
wget --limit-rate=200k https://example.com/releases/archive.tar.gz--limit-rate caps the transfer rate. The documented suffixes include k and m; the value represents bytes per second, so 200k requests approximately 200 kilobytes per second. Use a cap when the server also carries interactive workloads, when several users share the uplink, or when a download should not consume the entire connection.
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The cap is per wget process. Starting several capped processes can still consume the link collectively, so account for all concurrent jobs when choosing a limit.
Run wget in the background
wget -b https://example.com/releases/archive.tar.gz-b moves wget into the background immediately after startup, returning control of the shell while the transfer continues. Use it for a download that should outlive the command prompt, but arrange a way to inspect the process and its output on your system. Because the exact default log filename was not established here, check the command’s output and the installed manual rather than assuming a particular log path.
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wget -b --tries=5 --limit-rate=500k -P ~/downloads https://example.com/file.isoThis command starts in the background, allows five attempts, caps the transfer at 500 KB/s, and places the URL-derived filename in ~/downloads. The options are independent: remove -b when you need to watch progress interactively, or remove the rate cap when bandwidth is not a concern.
Download a directory tree
Start recursion with -r
wget -r https://example.com/gallery/-r enables recursive retrieval. Wget follows links under the starting location and saves the resulting hierarchy. The default maximum recursion depth is 5. Set an explicit depth with -l when you know how far the tree should extend:
wget -r -l 2 https://example.com/gallery/Use -l 0 or -l inf to remove the depth limit. Unlimited recursion is powerful but potentially expensive: a broad site can contain a very large number of links, and deep crawling can burden both your server and the remote web server.
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Prevent traversal above the starting directory
wget -r -l 2 --no-parent https://example.com/gallery/--no-parent prevents wget from climbing to directories above the URL you supplied. It is the normal safety boundary for downloading a public directory-like path. Keep the trailing slash when the server’s URL structure uses it to identify the starting directory, and set a depth that matches the content you actually need.
Keep only selected file types
wget -r -l 2 --no-parent --accept=jpg,png,gif https://example.com/gallery/--accept allows matching file extensions; --reject excludes matching types. The example keeps common image files while still traversing links within the permitted depth and starting tree:
wget -r -l 2 --no-parent --reject=zip,tar.gz https://example.com/gallery/Filters are filename-based. Test the pattern on a small depth before launching a large crawl, and inspect the resulting directory so that an extension rule has not excluded a format you needed.
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Mirror a website for local use
What --mirror changes
wget --mirror https://example.com/docs/--mirror is an alias for -r -N -l inf --no-remove-listing. In other words, it enables recursion with unlimited depth, timestamp-based updating, and retention of directory listings. It is not a modest “download this folder” switch; it requests an unlimited recursive operation and should be treated as a potentially large job.
Fetch page requisites and rewrite links
wget --mirror -p -k https://example.com/docs/Add -p to fetch page requisites such as resources needed by downloaded pages, and -k to convert links for local viewing. The result is intended for an offline copy, but it can still be incomplete when a site builds content dynamically or keeps resources outside the allowed tree. Keep the scope narrow and review the output before treating it as a faithful site backup.
Safer mirror planning
- Begin with a specific starting path rather than a site-wide homepage.
- Add
--no-parentwhen the mirror must stay below that path. - Use
--limit-rateon shared infrastructure and choose a finite depth when unlimited recursion is unnecessary. - Expect a recursive operation to consume substantially more disk space and time than a single-file download.
Option reference
| Option | Purpose | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
-O name |
Write to a specified filename or path. | A full path already selects the directory; pairing it with -P is redundant. |
-P dir |
Write URL-derived filenames in a specified directory. | The default destination is the current directory. |
-c |
Continue an existing partial file. | Requires the partial file to remain in the expected location; unsupported servers cause a full restart and overwrite. |
--limit-rate=200k |
Cap transfer speed in bytes per second. | k and m suffixes are available; the cap applies to that wget process. |
-b |
Run in the background after startup. | Use the installed manual and command output to identify logging details on your host. |
--tries=N |
Set retry attempts. | Default is 20; 0 or inf means infinite retries. |
-r |
Enable recursive retrieval. | Default maximum depth is 5. |
-l depth |
Set recursion depth. | 0 or inf removes the depth limit. |
--no-parent |
Stay below the starting directory. | Use it when crawling a directory-like URL. |
--accept / --reject |
Filter filenames during recursion. | Patterns should be tested against the site’s actual filenames. |
--mirror |
Enable recursive, unlimited, timestamp-aware mirroring. | Equivalent to -r -N -l inf --no-remove-listing; use deliberately. |
-p |
Fetch page requisites. | Usually paired with a mirror intended for local page viewing. |
-k |
Convert links for local viewing. | Useful with --mirror -p. |
Common failure modes and fixes
The file is not where you expected
Wget writes to the current directory unless you use -P or a full path with -O. Run pwd, then inspect that directory with ls -lh. For repeatable scripts, use an absolute destination such as -P /srv/downloads rather than relying on whoever launched the shell.
-c starts over
Confirm that the partial file still exists under the same name and in the same location. If those conditions are met, the remote server may not support partial downloads; wget then performs a complete transfer and overwrites the file. Do not keep retrying under the assumption that the transfer will become resumable.
The recursive job downloads too much
Reduce the scope with -l, add --no-parent, and apply --accept or --reject. A default depth of 5 may still be broader than intended, while --mirror deliberately removes the depth limit. Stop an oversized job, remove any unwanted partial tree, and restart with explicit boundaries.
The transfer affects other users
Add --limit-rate and consider running the job with -b only after confirming its destination and retry behavior interactively. A background process is less visible, not less demanding; monitor the host’s network and disk usage through your normal administration tools.
The command keeps retrying
Inspect --tries. The default is 20, while 0 and inf are intentionally endless. Replace an infinite setting with a finite count when an unattended job must eventually fail and alert another system.
A repeatable workflow for server downloads
- Check the installed behavior. Run
man wgetand confirm the version and options on the target server; the GNU manual referenced here describes Wget 1.25.0, but installations differ. - Choose a writable destination. Decide whether the script needs a fixed filename (
-O) or a common directory (-P). Avoid combining both unless you have a specific reason. - Start interactively. Run the basic command without
-bso you can see the initial response and verify the path. - Add resilience deliberately. Use
-cfor a retained partial file, a finite--triesvalue for retries, and--limit-ratewhen the connection is shared. - Background only after validation. Add
-bonce the command works in the foreground and you know how you will inspect its progress and output. - Constrain recursion. For trees, specify
-r, an explicit-l, and--no-parent; add filename filters only when they match the content you need. - Verify the result. List the destination, check file sizes, and confirm that the number and structure of downloaded files match the job’s purpose before consuming or publishing them.
Choosing the right command
| Situation | Command pattern | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One file, normal connection | wget URL |
Uses the current directory and URL-derived filename. |
| One file, fixed name | wget -O name URL |
Produces a predictable path for scripts. |
| Several files in one directory | wget -P dir URL |
Separates destination management from URL filenames. |
| Interrupted large file | wget -c URL |
Continues the retained partial file when the server supports it. |
| Shared or metered link | wget --limit-rate=200k URL |
Caps this process’s bandwidth use. |
| Long unattended transfer | wget -b --tries=5 URL |
Background execution with a finite retry policy. |
| Specific directory tree | wget -r -l 2 --no-parent URL |
Recurses only to a stated depth below the starting path. |
| Offline-oriented mirror | wget --mirror -p -k URL |
Uses unlimited recursion, requisites, and local-link conversion; requires careful scope and resource planning. |
Bottom line
Start with the smallest command that matches the job. Use -O or -P to control placement, -c only when a partial file and server support make continuation meaningful, and combine finite retries, a rate cap, and background mode for long-running transfers. Treat recursive options—especially --mirror—as bounded crawling tasks: set the path and depth first, protect shared bandwidth, and verify what landed on disk.
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