How to Install and Use wget Command in Linux

wget is a powerful command-line tool used to download files, websites, and data over HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP. It’s available on almost every Linux distribution and is essential for system administrators, developers, and automation scripts.

Step 1: Install wget on Ubuntu / Debian

Update your system and install:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y wget

Verify installation:

wget --version

Step 2: Install wget on CentOS / Rocky / AlmaLinux

sudo dnf install -y wget

Check version:

wget --version

Step 3: Install wget on Arch Linux

sudo pacman -S wget

Using wget in Linux

Below are the most practical and commonly used wget commands you’ll use daily.

Step 4: Download a File from a URL

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

This saves file.zip in your current directory.

Step 5: Download and Save with a Custom Name

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

Step 6: Resume a Stopped Download

If your connection breaks:

wget -c https://example.com/bigfile.iso

The -c flag resumes the partial download.

Step 7: Download an Entire Website (Mirror Mode)

wget -m https://example.com

This clones the entire site locally.

Step 8: Download Multiple Files from a List

Create links.txt:

https://site.com/file1.zip
https://site.com/file2.zip

Download all:

wget -i links.txt

Step 9: Limit Download Speed

Useful for not overloading your bandwidth:

wget --limit-rate=500k https://example.com/largefile.zip

Step 10: Download in Background

wget -b https://example.com/bigfile.iso

View progress:

tail -f wget-log

Step 11: Set Number of Retry Attempts

wget --tries=5 https://example.com/file.zip

Optional Step: Use wget with Proxy 

wget -e use_proxy=yes -e http_proxy=http://proxy-ip:proxy-port https://example.com/file.zip

If you’re automating downloads inside scripts, combine flags like -c, -q, and --show-progress for cleaner output and reliable retries.