cURL vs Wget: A Detailed Comparison of Two Powerful Command-Line Download Tools

Introduction

When it comes to downloading files, testing APIs, or fetching data over the internet using the command line, two names dominate the conversation: cURL and Wget. Both are open-source, cross-platform utilities that enable developers, system administrators, and DevOps engineers to interact with URLs and remote servers.

While they share many similarities, cURL and Wget differ significantly in design philosophy, use cases, and functionality. This detailed article explores their differences, capabilities, performance, and best use scenarios — helping you choose the right tool for your task.

What Is cURL?

cURL stands for Client URL and is a command-line tool used for transferring data using a variety of protocols, such as HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SFTP, SCP, LDAP, MQTT, and many more.

It was created by Daniel Stenberg in 1997 and has since become a cornerstone utility for developers working with APIs, web servers, and automation scripts.

Key Features of cURL

• Supports over 25+ protocols.
• Can send GET, POST, PUT, DELETE requests (ideal for REST APIs).
• Allows custom headers and cookies.
• Capable of uploading and downloading files.
• Supports SSL certificates, proxies, and authentication.
• Integrated into many systems and languages (e.g., PHP’s libcurl).

Basic Usage Example

curl -O https://example.com/file.zip

This downloads file.zip from the given URL.

API Example

curl -X POST https://api.example.com/login \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{"username":"user","password":"pass"}'

Here, cURL is used to make an API call with JSON data — something Wget cannot do natively.

Read This also: SCP vs Rsync: Understanding the Key Differences Between Two Popular File Transfer Tools

What Is Wget?

Wget (short for World Wide Web get) was developed by the GNU Project and is primarily designed to download files from the web using HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP protocols.

It is simpler than cURL and highly optimized for recursive downloading, mirroring entire websites, and background data retrieval — making it a favorite among sysadmins and data engineers.

Key Features of Wget

• Built for robust downloading and mirroring.
• Supports recursive downloads (entire websites or directories).
• Can resume interrupted downloads.
• Works well in non-interactive mode (ideal for automation).
• Supports HTTP and FTP proxies.
• Saves files directly without complex syntax.

Basic Usage Example

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

Website Mirroring Example

wget --mirror --convert-links --adjust-extension --page-requisites \
     --no-parent https://example.com/

This command downloads a complete copy of a website for offline browsing — a task cURL cannot perform as efficiently.

Protocol Support Comparison

Verdict:
cURL wins in protocol versatility, while Wget dominates in recursive and batch downloading.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

1. Downloading Files

Both tools can download files, but their syntax differs.

• cURL curl -O https://example.com/file.zip Requires -O to save using the same name.
• Wget wget https://example.com/file.zip Automatically saves with the same name — simpler and more intuitive.

🟢 Winner: Wget (simpler for downloading).

2. Resuming Interrupted Downloads

When a download gets interrupted (e.g., due to network loss), both tools can resume:

• cURL curl -C - -O https://example.com/file.zip
• Wget wget -c https://example.com/file.zip

Wget automatically checks file integrity more efficiently during resumption.

🟢 Winner: Wget

3. Recursive Downloads (Website Mirroring)

Wget’s standout feature is recursive downloading. It can clone entire websites.

• Example: wget --mirror --convert-links https://example.com/

cURL cannot perform recursive downloads natively.

🟢 Winner: Wget

4. Working with APIs

cURL is ideal for RESTful API interactions — supporting all HTTP verbs, custom headers, and tokens.

• Example: curl -H "Authorization: Bearer TOKEN" https://api.github.com/user

Wget only supports simple GET and POST methods and lacks header customization flexibility.

🟢 Winner: cURL

5. Uploading Data

cURL supports file uploads and form submissions, while Wget is download-only.

• Example: curl -F "file=@document.txt" https://example.com/upload

🟢 Winner: cURL

6. Authentication

Both tools support username-password authentication, but cURL provides broader support for OAuth, Bearer tokens, and client certificates.

• Example (Basic Auth): curl -u username:password https://example.com/

🟢 Winner: cURL

7. Output and Logging

Wget logs everything by default and supports quiet modes:

wget -q -O output.html https://example.com

cURL requires explicit output redirection:

curl https://example.com -o output.html

🟢 Winner: Wget (better for logging automation).

Performance and Efficiency

In most modern systems, both tools are fast, but:

• cURL is slightly faster for small, API-based interactions due to lightweight protocol handling.
• Wget performs better for large-scale downloads or recursive mirroring.

Security Considerations

Both tools support SSL/TLS encryption, proxy usage, and certificate validation, but:

• cURL offers more granular SSL control (e.g., choosing specific ciphers or certificate files).
• Wget is easier to configure for secure downloads but less customizable.

🟢 Winner: cURL (more advanced SSL options).

When to Use Which

Integrations and Extensibility

• cURL
  • Integrated into many programming languages (libcurl).
  • Used by developers for backend API testing, CI/CD pipelines, and DevOps.
• Wget
  • Commonly used in shell scripts, cron jobs, and data scraping pipelines.

🟢 Conclusion:
If you’re a developer or network engineer, cURL is your go-to tool.
If you’re a system administrator or data archivist, Wget will save you time and bandwidth.

Pros and Cons Summary

Conclusion

Both cURL and Wget are indispensable tools in the modern developer’s toolkit.
While they overlap in certain areas, each has clear strengths:

• cURL excels in flexibility, APIs, and multi-protocol operations.
• Wget shines in automation, downloading, and offline mirroring.

In essence, choosing between them depends on your workflow:

• For data retrieval and scripting, pick Wget.
• For API interactions and modern development, use cURL.

Having both installed is often the best solution — each complements the other perfectly.

Read This also: Signal Protocol: The Foundation of Modern Secure Messaging