🌐 Linux/Unix: Web Tools – wget, curl, lynx Explained with Practical Examples

🧲 Introduction – Why Learn Web Tools in Linux?

Linux provides powerful CLI tools to access, download, and interact with web resources directly from the terminal. Whether you’re fetching files, making HTTP requests, or browsing the web in a terminal, tools like wget, curl, and lynx are essential for developers, sysadmins, and automation scripts.

🎯 In this guide, you’ll learn:

• How to download files using wget
• How to make web requests and APIs with curl
• How to browse the web from the terminal using lynx
• Real-world examples and outputs for each tool

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📥 1. wget – Non-Interactive File Downloader

✅ What is wget?

wget is a command-line utility to download files from the web using HTTP, HTTPS, or FTP protocols.

🛠️ Syntax:

wget [options] URL

🔹 Common Options:

Option	Description
-c	Resume partially downloaded file
-O	Save with a custom filename
-r	Recursive download
--limit-rate	Limit download speed

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🧪 Example 1: Download a file

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

🧪 Example 2: Resume a broken download

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

🧪 Example 3: Save with a custom name

wget -O latest.html https://example.com

📤 Output:

Saving to: ‘latest.html’
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK

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📡 2. curl – Transfer Data from or to a Server

✅ What is curl?

curl is a command-line tool to send requests and receive responses from URLs. It supports HTTP, FTP, SFTP, and more.

🛠️ Syntax:

curl [options] [URL]

🔹 Common Options:

Option	Description
-o	Save to file
-I	Fetch headers only
-d	Send data in POST requests
-X	Specify HTTP method (GET, POST, etc)
-H	Add custom header

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🧪 Example 1: Download a webpage

curl https://example.com

🧪 Example 2: Save output to file

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

🧪 Example 3: Send POST data to an API

curl -X POST -d "name=Vaibhav&age=25" https://httpbin.org/post

📤 Output (JSON):

{
  "form": {
    "age": "25",
    "name": "Vaibhav"
  }
}

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🌍 3. lynx – Terminal-Based Web Browser

✅ What is lynx?

lynx is a text-based web browser that lets you navigate websites right from the terminal.

🛠️ Syntax:

lynx [options] [URL]

📦 Install it using:

sudo apt install lynx

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🧪 Example 1: Open a website in the terminal

lynx https://example.com

📤 Output: A keyboard-navigable text UI of the webpage.

🧠 Navigation Keys:

• ↑ / ↓: Move through links
• →: Follow a link
• q: Quit
• g: Enter a new URL

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⚙️ Web Tools Comparison Table

Tool	Main Use	Supports	GUI Needed	Best For
wget	File downloads	HTTP/FTP	❌	Automated bulk or scheduled pulls
curl	API calls & data transfers	HTTP/FTP/SMTP	❌	Web APIs, headers, scripting
lynx	Text-based web browsing	HTTP/HTTPS	❌	Browsing in terminal or SSH-only

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📌 Summary – Recap & Next Steps

These web tools make Linux a powerful platform for interacting with the internet—whether you’re downloading, debugging APIs, or browsing sites in restricted environments.

🔍 Key Takeaways:

• Use wget for robust downloading and automation.
• Use curl for web requests, APIs, and data posting.
• Use lynx to browse websites in a terminal-only environment.

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❓ FAQs

❓ What’s the difference between wget and curl?
✅ wget is best for downloading entire files or sites. curl is more flexible for sending/receiving custom HTTP requests.

❓ Can wget handle recursive downloads?
✅ Yes, use wget -r URL for entire websites (respect robots.txt).

❓ How can I view only HTTP headers with curl?
✅ Use:

curl -I https://example.com

❓ Is lynx useful without a GUI?
✅ Absolutely. It lets you browse web content in SSH or headless environments.

❓ Can I download an entire site with wget?
✅ Yes:

wget -r -np -k https://example.com

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