macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install wget2local Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install wget2MacPorts ports tree · net/wget2/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install wget2 with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, scoop, winget, zypper
Successor of GNU Wget, a file and recursive website downloader. Version 2.2.1 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-20.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add wget2Alpine Linux edge package indexes · wget2 · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libwget3Debian stable package indexes · libwget3 · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install wget2Fedora Rawhide package metadata · wget2 · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#wget2nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/wg/wget2/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Ubuntu aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libwget2t64Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · libwget2t64 · source: archive.ubuntu.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install libwget4openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · libwget4 · source: download.opensuse.org
Windows
Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install main/wget2Scoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/wget2.json · source: api.github.com
Windows Package Managerverified · 92%
winget install --id GNU.Wget2 -eWindows Package Manager source index · GNU.Wget2 · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com
overview
Package summary
Successor of GNU Wget, a file and recursive website downloader
Project links
Commands and aliases
- wget2
history
Project history and usage
GNU Wget2 is the GNU project's modern successor to GNU Wget, keeping the familiar non-interactive downloader role while moving the implementation to a new codebase built around libwget. Upstream describes it as a file and recursive website downloader written from scratch, with libwget providing the reusable web-client functions.
Its package-nerd identity is tied to the long Unix tradition of scripting downloads with Wget, but Wget2 exists to make that role fit newer web infrastructure: HTTP/2, compression, parallel connections, TLS features, Metalink, robots handling, and richer parsing for recursive downloads.
Project history
The public Wget2 repository on GitLab was created in April 2017, after earlier GNU Wget development had accumulated decades of compatibility expectations. A 2017 GNU Hackers Meeting presentation framed Wget2 around the need to support newer web technologies and improve the testability and extensibility of the downloader.
GNU announced Wget2 2.0.0 on 26 September 2021. In that announcement, maintainer Tim Ruehsen described Wget2 as a from-scratch successor that wraps libwget, and explicitly noted that Wget 1.x would continue to be maintained while breaking changes and new functionality went into Wget2 and libwget.
Subsequent releases continued the separate Wget2 line rather than replacing Wget in place. GitLab lists releases including 2.1.0 in 2023 and 2.2.1 at the end of 2025, and the January 2026 GNU announcement again positioned Wget2 as the successor focused on faster modern HTTP operation.
Adoption history
Wget2's adoption has been cautious because Wget 1.x is a deeply embedded command-line tool in scripts, build systems, and distribution tooling. The 2.0.0 announcement called Wget2 a drop-in replacement in many cases except WARC and FTP, but also warned users to test because subtle differences could matter.
The project therefore occupies a parallel-successor role in packaging ecosystems: it is packaged as wget2 rather than silently supplanting wget in many environments, letting users opt into the faster libwget-based implementation while preserving old Wget behavior for compatibility-sensitive scripts.
How it is used
Users reach for Wget2 for the same broad jobs as Wget: downloading individual URLs, recursively mirroring sites, converting links for offline use, fetching URLs from input files, and automating downloads in shell scripts. Its advantages are most visible on modern web servers where HTTP/2, compression, persistent connections, and parallelism can improve throughput.
The README also highlights package-nerd features beyond simple fetching, including Metalink support, IDN handling, robots.txt handling, HSTS, cookie-domain checking via the Public Suffix List, proxy support, and parsers for HTML, CSS, XML, RSS, Atom, and sitemaps used during recursive retrieval.
Why package nerds care
Wget2 matters because it is not merely another downloader; it is the official GNU attempt to evolve one of the classic Unix network commands without breaking the installed base overnight. The split between wget and wget2 gives distributions and users a migration path instead of forcing a compatibility cliff.
The libwget architecture is also significant for packagers and developers because it separates reusable client functionality from the command-line frontend. That makes Wget2 both an end-user command and a test bed for the library direction of the GNU Wget family.
Timeline
- 2017: The official GitLab repository for GNU Wget2 is created.
- 2018: GitLab records the wget2-1.99.1 release.
- 2019: GitLab records the 1.99.2 beta release.
- 2021-09-26: GNU announces Wget2 2.0.0 as the from-scratch successor to GNU Wget.
- 2023: GitLab records Wget2 2.1.0.
- 2026-01-04: GNU announces Wget2 2.2.1, again emphasizing modern HTTP performance.
Related projects
- GNU Wget remains the compatibility baseline and historical predecessor.
- libwget is the library layer around which Wget2 is built.
- curl, aria2, HTTrack, and BusyBox wget are adjacent command-line download tools with different tradeoffs.
Sources
- https://audio-video.gnu.org/video/ghm2017/2017-08--ruhsen-shah--wget--ghm.pdf
- https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2
- https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2/-/blob/master/README.md
- https://gnuwget.gitlab.io/wget2/reference/
- https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu/2021-09/msg00011.html
- https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/info-gnu/2026-01/msg00000.html
security posture
No protected-tool coverage found yet
No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for wget2. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 11 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 6 build dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
local files
Configuration and credential file locations
These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.
Configuration files
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
~/.wget2rc~/.config/wget2/wget2rc~/.config/wget/wget2rc
Credential files
Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.
- Unix
~/.netrc~/.wget2rc~/.config/wget2/wget2rc~/.config/wget/wget2rc
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
wget2 | cli | global executable |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-07-08
manager version2.2.1
manager updated2026-05-20
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:wget2 |
|---|---|
| Version | 2.2.1 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/wget2 |
| Homepage | https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2 |
| Repository | https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2 |
| Upstream docs | https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2/-/blob/master/README.md |
| License | GPL-3.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/gnu/wget/wget2-2.2.1.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-05-20T17:37:37Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | brotli, gettext, gnutls, gpgme, libidn2, libnghttp2, libpsl, lzlib, pcre2, xz, zstd |
| Build dependencies | doxygen, gnu-sed, graphviz, pandoc, pkgconf, texinfo |
| Uses from macOS | bzip2 |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | wget2 |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 2 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Debian apt95%
libwget3 2.2.0+ds-1+deb13u1
Download library for files and recursive websites
https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2
sudo apt install libwget3- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: wget2
- 14 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
Debian apt95%
wget2 2.2.0+ds-1+deb13u1
file and recursive website downloader
https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2
sudo apt install wget2- Section: web
- Architecture: amd64
- 5 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
Debian apt95%
wget2-dev 2.2.0+ds-1+deb13u1
development file for libwget
https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2
sudo apt install wget2-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: wget2
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
Nix95%
wget2
nix profile install nixpkgs#wget2- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
Ubuntu apt95%
libwget2t64 2.1.0-2.1build2
Download library for files and recursive websites
https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2
sudo apt install libwget2t64- Section: universe/libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: wget2
- 10 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
Ubuntu apt95%
wget2 2.1.0-2.1build2
file and recursive website downloader
https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2
sudo apt install wget2- Section: universe/web
- Architecture: amd64
- 4 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
Ubuntu apt95%
wget2-dev 2.1.0-2.1build2
development file for libwget2t64
https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2
sudo apt install wget2-dev- Section: universe/libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: wget2
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
apk95%
wget2 2.2.1-r1
Network utility to retrieve files from the Web
https://www.gnu.org/software/wget/wget.html
sudo apk add wget2- License: GPL-3.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wget2
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
apk95%
wget2-dbg 2.2.1-r1
Network utility to retrieve files from the Web (debug symbols)
https://www.gnu.org/software/wget/wget.html
sudo apk add wget2-dbg- License: GPL-3.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wget2
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
apk95%
wget2-dev 2.2.1-r1
Network utility to retrieve files from the Web (development files)
https://www.gnu.org/software/wget/wget.html
sudo apk add wget2-dev- License: GPL-3.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wget2
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
apk95%
wget2-doc 2.2.1-r1
Network utility to retrieve files from the Web (documentation)
https://www.gnu.org/software/wget/wget.html
sudo apk add wget2-doc- License: GPL-3.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wget2
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
apk95%
wget2-libs 2.2.1-r1
Network utility to retrieve files from the Web (libraries)
https://www.gnu.org/software/wget/wget.html
sudo apk add wget2-libs- License: GPL-3.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wget2
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
dnf95%
wget2 2.2.1-2.fc44
An advanced file and recursive website downloader
https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2
sudo dnf install wget2- License: GPL-3.0-or-later AND LGPL-3.0-or-later AND GFDL-1.3-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wget2
- 6 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
dnf95%
wget2-devel 2.2.1-2.fc44
Libraries and header files needed for using wget2 libraries
https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2
sudo dnf install wget2-devel- License: GPL-3.0-or-later AND LGPL-3.0-or-later AND GFDL-1.3-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: wget2
- 3 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
dnf95%
wget2-libs 2.2.1-2.fc44
Runtime libraries for GNU Wget2
https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2
sudo dnf install wget2-libs- License: GPL-3.0-or-later AND LGPL-3.0-or-later AND GFDL-1.3-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: wget2
- 12 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
dnf95%
wget2-wget 2.2.1-2.fc44
wget2 shim to provide wget
https://gitlab.com/gnuwget/wget2
sudo dnf install wget2-wget- License: GPL-3.0-or-later AND LGPL-3.0-or-later AND GFDL-1.3-or-later
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: wget2
- 1 dependencies
- 3 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Wget2
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment