Wget Command Generator

Generated wget Command

Downloading from {{ hostDisplay }} via {{ schemeDisplay }}

{{ flagCount }} flags {{ flagStyleDisplay }} {{ shortFlagComboDisplay }} {{ outputSummary }} {{ retrySummaryDisplay }} Resume enabled {{ recursiveSummary }} Limit {{ limitSummary }}

{{ e }}

{{ w }}

Preset:

Shell:

Multi-line:

URL:

Output file:

Download directory:

User-Agent:

Custom agent:

Referer:

Extra headers:

Header name:

Custom header:

Header value:

Header	Value	Actions
{{ header.name }}	{{ header.value \|\| '—' }}

No extra headers added yet.

Import existing wget command:

Command imported successfully.

Field	Value	Copy
Shell	{{ shellLabel }}
Flag style	{{ flagStyleDisplay }}
Short flag combo	{{ shortFlagComboDisplay }}
URL	{{ finalUrl }}
Output file	{{ metrics.output_file \|\| 'Remote filename' }}
Directory	{{ metrics.download_dir \|\| 'Current directory' }}
User-Agent	{{ metrics.user_agent \|\| 'wget default' }}
Referer	{{ metrics.referer \|\| '—' }}
Headers	{{ headers.length }}
Resume	{{ resumeSummary ? 'Enabled' : 'Disabled' }}
Recursive	{{ recursiveSummary \|\| 'Off' }}
Authentication	{{ metrics.auth_summary \|\| 'None' }}
Retries	{{ retrySummaryDisplay \|\| 'wget default' }}
Wait	{{ metrics.wait_display \|\| 'Not set' }}
Limit rate	{{ limitSummary \|\| 'Unlimited' }}
Flags	{{ flagList.join(' ') \|\| 'None' }}

Enter a valid URL to generate a wget command.

Tags: Devops , HTTP , Shell

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Wget command lines are concise instructions for fetching files from the web or a file server. They capture how to connect, what to request, and how to save the result so repeated runs behave the same way.

People use them to move large archives, mirror pages for offline reading, or script dependable transfers that resume after interruptions. You supply the target address and any headers or credentials you must send, then read the generated line and run it in your preferred shell.

The process is simple and practical. Choose whether you want a single line or a multi line block for readability, decide if you want to resume partial data or mirror linked pages, and set retry and timeout limits when reliability matters.

For example, archiving a documentation site for offline reading can use a recursive run that converts links, avoids parent folders, and keeps a reasonable depth so the copy stays focused.

Handle secrets with care. Putting a password directly in a command may leave traces in history and logs, so consider prompting at runtime when possible.

Consistency improves results. Use the same user agent for comparable runs, add a small wait between files when needed, and keep the starting address stable so differences are easier to explain.

Technical Details:

The underlying concept is the construction of a complete download command from inputs that describe a target address, optional headers, authentication, traversal behavior, pacing, and output placement. A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) specifies the resource, request headers shape server behavior, and credentials authorize access when required.

The generator transforms those inputs into ordered tokens, selects short or long flag variants, optionally combines eligible short flags, quotes values for the chosen shell, and assembles a single line or a structured multi line block. The result is deterministic for the same inputs and yields a colorized preview plus a machine readable summary.

Result interpretation is straightforward. Resume settings control whether partial data continues, recursive settings decide if linked pages are followed, pacing limits reduce load on remote services, and retry and timeout values describe how hard the command should try before it stops. Depth limits apply only when recursion is active, while mirror mode implies recursion with timestamping and link conversion.

Algorithmic pipeline

Validate the address and restrict the scheme to HTTP, HTTPS, or FTP.
Normalize inputs, coerce booleans and numbers, and clear invalid fields.
Collect flags, choosing long or short forms for each option.
Combine eligible short flags when configured and safe to do so.
Append values for flags that take parameters in the right order.
Render quoting per shell for words, paths, and plain values.
Apply multi line formatting for shells that support continuations.
Compute derived summaries for resume, recursion, rate, and retries.
Raise errors for impossible states and add warnings for ignored inputs.
Emit the final command and a structured JSON description of inputs.

Validation and bounds enforced by the generator
Field	Type	Min	Max	Step/Pattern	Error or Warning	Placeholder
URL	string	—	—	HTTP, HTTPS, or FTP only	Enter a valid address; invalid scheme is rejected.	https://example.com/files/archive.tar.gz
Output file	string	—	—	Any filename	None	backup-latest.tar.gz
Download directory	string	—	—	Tilde aware path	None	~/Downloads/backups
User agent (custom)	string	—	—	Non empty when chosen	Enter a custom User-Agent or pick a preset. Warning	MyDownloader/1.0 (+https://example.com)
Referer	string	—	—	Optional	None	https://app.example.com/dashboard
Headers	lines	—	—	`name: value` per line	Missing colon or name produces a warning.	Authorization: Bearer …
Wait seconds	number	0	—	Integer	Random wait requires a non zero wait. Warning	2
Random wait	boolean	—	—	Requires wait > 0	Ignored when wait is zero. Warning	—
Retry attempts	number	0	—	Integer	Negative values are rejected.	5
Retry wait	number	0	—	Integer	Ignored unless retries > 0. Negative is rejected.	10
Timeout	number	0	—	Integer	Negative values are rejected.	30
Limit rate	string	—	—	^\d+(?:\.\d+)?(?:[kKmMgG][bB]?\|[kKmMgG]?\|[kKmMgG]iB)?$	Expect values like 500k or 2m; mismatches warn.	1m
Recursive depth	number	0	—	Integer	Ignored without recursion; mirror ignores custom depth. Warning	2
Authentication	enum	—	—	none \| basic \| ftp	Username required when enabled; empty password prompts. Warning	—
Shell	enum	—	—	bash \| powershell \| cmd	CMD always renders single line output.	—

I/O summary
Input	Accepted Families	Output	Encoding/Precision	Rounding
Address, options, headers, authentication	Text fields and switches	Command string	Shell specific quoting and escaping	Not applicable
Derived metrics	—	JSON payload	Strings and numbers; passwords masked	Not applicable
Field summary	—	CSV table or DOCX document	Text cells	Not applicable

Networking & storage behavior

All processing is client only; no data is sent to a server.
Clipboard actions and file downloads occur locally with user permission.
Password fields can be omitted so the downloader prompts at runtime.

Security considerations

Avoid placing long lived secrets in command text; prefer prompts.
Review headers for unintended leakage of tokens or cookies.
Quoting differs by shell; run generated lines in the intended shell.

Assumptions & limitations

Supported schemes are HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP.
Depth is ignored unless recursion or mirror is selected.
Mirror mode ignores any custom depth value.
Random wait is ignored when wait is zero.
Retry wait is ignored when retries are zero.
CMD output is always a single line.
Tilde paths expand to home for quoting purposes.
Only specific short flags are combined; multi letter tokens stay separate.

Edge cases & error sources

Missing or unsupported scheme in the address.
Unbalanced quotes while importing a command line.
Header lines without a colon or name.
Negative values for retries, retry wait, or timeout.
Non matching limit rate pattern such as 10kbps text.
Depth set without recursion or mirror selected.
Username missing when authentication is enabled.
Combined short flags that include unsafe letters.
Unexpected spaces in paths that are not quoted.
Shell differences in environment variable expansion.

Step‑by‑Step Guide:

Wget command construction for reliable transfers and readable output.

Enter the URL of the resource.
Choose your shell and whether you prefer a multi line output.
Set resume, recursion, and depth according to your goal.
Add headers and a referer only when the origin expects them.
Pick a user agent for comparable runs across sessions.
Configure retries, retry wait, timeout, and optional rate limits.
Enable authentication only when necessary and avoid plaintext passwords.
Review the colorized command, then copy or save it.

Example: Mirror a documentation site with converted links, avoid parent folders, and use a depth of 2 for a focused offline copy.

You now have a reproducible line that matches your intent.

FAQ:

Is my data stored?

No. Processing happens on your device and files are created locally. Nothing is transmitted or retained on a server.

Which protocols are supported?

The generator accepts HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP addresses. Other schemes are rejected during validation.

Why is random wait ignored?

A non zero wait between files must be set first. Without it, the random wait option does nothing and a warning appears.

What does depth zero mean?

A depth of zero leaves the option unset. Depth is considered only when recursion or mirror is enabled.

Can I use multi line output in CMD?

No. Windows CMD lines are always rendered as a single line. Multi line formatting is available for other shells.

How do I mirror a site?

Enable mirror for a full copy with link conversion and timestamping, or enable recursion with depth, no parent, and link conversion for finer control.

Why is retry wait ignored?

Retry wait applies only when retry attempts are greater than zero. Otherwise it is ignored and a warning explains the condition.

How accurate is quoting?

Quoting matches the chosen shell, including tilde handling and path rules. Environment differences can still change behavior on individual systems.

How do I import a command?

Paste the line. The importer tokenizes quoted segments, handles combined short flags, detects headers, and rehydrates fields for editing.

What about cost or licensing?

No licensing terms are stated in the package. Use at your discretion within your organization’s policies.

Troubleshooting:

“Enter a download URL” appears: provide a full address with scheme.
“Protocol must be HTTP, HTTPS, or FTP”: change the scheme.
Random wait not applied: set a non zero wait first.
Depth ignored: enable recursion or mirror.
Retry wait ignored: set retry attempts above zero.
Username required: enter a username when authentication is enabled.
Headers not parsed: ensure each line has a colon and a name.
Limit rate warning: use values like 500k or 2m.
Imported line fails: check for unbalanced quotes.
CMD shows one line: multi line is not available in CMD.

Blocking: Invalid or unsupported address scheme. Fix by switching to HTTP, HTTPS, or FTP and re‑generating the command.

Advanced Tips:

Tip Use short flags with combination for compact scripts when readability is not critical.
Tip Prefer a steady user agent to make repeated runs comparable.
Tip Add a small wait and random wait to reduce load on hosts.
Tip Use accept and reject patterns to focus recursive runs on relevant files.
Tip Leave the password empty to prompt interactively when security is a concern.
Tip Keep no parent enabled during mirroring to avoid climbing directories.

Glossary:

URL: Uniform Resource Locator that identifies the resource to fetch.
User agent: Header string that identifies the client making the request.
Referer: Header indicating the page that initiated the request.
Recursive depth: Maximum link levels to follow during a recursive run.
Mirror mode: Preset that enables recursion with timestamping and link conversion.
No parent: Prevents traversal into directories above the starting path.
Timestamping: Skips files that are not newer than the local copies.
No clobber: Avoids overwriting existing files with the same name.
Wait retry: Seconds to wait between failed attempts before trying again.
Limit rate: Throttle for transfer speed such as 500k or 2m.