News How to Use Wget to Download Files at Windows' Command Line

[Admin]

Wget is a powerful tool for downloading files and entire websites that you can install and use on Windows. Here’s how to use it.

How to Use Wget to Download Files at Windows' Command Line : Read more

 

[bit_user]

I always install Cygwin/X on any Windows PC I need to use. Then, just install wget through that way.

https://x.cygwin.com/docs/ug/setup.html

I find the default terminal very ugly and not UNIX-like in how it does copy/paste, so I use XLaunch to start the X11 server and then run everything from xterm. Just select to "copy" and middle-button pastes.

 

[brandonjclark]

I always install Cygwin/X on any Windows PC I need to use. Then, just install wget through that way.

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https://x.cygwin.com/docs/ug/setup.html

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I find the default terminal very ugly and not UNIX-like in how it does copy/paste, so I use XLaunch to start the X11 server and then run everything from xterm. Just select to "copy" and middle-button pastes.

That all sounds REALLY complicated when WSL2 does a pretty great job.

You can even integrate it with VSCode so you can code directly into the WSL2 instance! Try it out!

https://imgur.com/a/kWh3jak

 

[bit_user]

That all sounds REALLY complicated when WSL2 does a pretty great job.

Cygwin? Given that it's most of the userspace environment + components as you get on a typical Linux distro, it's really quite an easy and painless experience. I probably wouldn't install it just for wget, but that wasn't the point. The point is that I install it and get wget for "free".

Probably the biggest benefit is that I can ssh w/ X tunneling and remotely run GUI programs on my Linux boxes.

I have yet to try WSL2. There's no need, really. Unless I need to do something serious, it's hard for me to see how it would suit my needs any better than Cygwin/X.

You can even integrate it with VSCode so you can code directly into the WSL2 instance! Try it out!

But, I don't use VSCode. I already developed just fine, on Linux, without it. And I really don't like screen-filling IDEs. I open each file it its own editor window and run commands or the debugger from a separate xterm.

 

[brandonjclark]

Cygwin? Given that it's most of the userspace environment + components as you get on a typical Linux distro, it's really quite an easy and painless experience. I probably wouldn't install it just for wget, but that wasn't the point. The point is that I install it and get wget for "free".

Probably the biggest benefit is that I can ssh w/ X tunneling and remotely run GUI programs on my Linux boxes.

I have yet to try WSL2. There's no need, really. Unless I need to do something serious, it's hard for me to see how it would suit my needs any better than Cygwin/X.


But, I don't use VSCode. I already developed just fine, on Linux, without it. And I really don't like screen-filling IDEs. I open each file it its own editor window and run commands or the debugger from a separate xterm.

That's fair. Modern source control requirements aside (git integration), vscode really has a ton of creature comforts like a built-in terminal, plugins up the wazoo with support for just about anything, and is EXTREMELY customizable.

 

[paradyne]

On Windows 11 at least, maybe 10? Open command line / powershell.

winget install wget

Restart shell. Job done.

 

[bit_user]

Modern source control requirements aside (git integration), vscode really has a ton of creature comforts like a built-in terminal, plugins up the wazoo with support for just about anything, and is EXTREMELY customizable.

I know people who use it and like it. No shade intended, but it doesn't suit my workstyle very well.

As for git, I'm not the world's most sophisticated user, but I do alright with the commandline tool + the github web interface.