cURL vs Wget : Which is Better?

cURL icon

cURL

cURL is a computer software project providing a library and command-line tool for transferring data using various protocols. The cURL project produces two products, libcurl and cURL. Developed by Daniel Stenberg

License: Open Source

Apps available for Mac OS X Windows Linux Haiku

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Wget icon

Wget

Wget is a free utility for non-interactive download of files from the Web. Developed by GNU Project

License: Open Source

Apps available for Mac OS X Windows Linux BSD

cURL VS Wget

Wget is primarily designed for downloading files from the web, making it ideal for simple and recursive downloads. In contrast, cURL is more versatile, supporting a wider range of protocols and complex data transfers, making it suitable for API interactions and more sophisticated operations.

cURL

Pros:

  • Versatile command-line tool for transferring data
  • Supports a wide range of protocols including SCP, SFTP
  • Excellent for making API requests
  • Can handle complex authentication mechanisms
  • Supports cookies and sessions management

Cons:

  • Can be complex for beginners
  • Not as straightforward for simple file downloads
  • Can be overkill for basic tasks

Wget

Pros:

  • Simple command-line tool for downloading files
  • Supports recursive downloads
  • Can resume interrupted downloads
  • Supports various protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, FTP
  • Can handle proxy settings easily

Cons:

  • Limited support for complex data transfers
  • Does not support as many protocols as cURL
  • Less flexible in handling APIs

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