Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

Downloading a WordPress Site from Server Using wget

WordPress is an open-source content management system that powers over 39% of the internet. Many website owners use WordPress because of its user-friendly interface and vast plugin library. However, sometimes you may need to download your WordPress site from the server for backup purposes or to migrate to a new hosting provider. While there are several ways to download a WordPress site from the server, using wget is one of the easiest and most efficient methods.

What is wget?

Wget is a command-line tool used for downloading files from the internet. It is available on most Unix-based systems and can be downloaded for Windows as well. Wget can be used to download individual files, recursive websites, and even entire FTP directories.

Steps to Download a WordPress Site using wget

Assuming you have access to your server through SSH, here are the steps to download a WordPress site using wget:

1. Open your SSH client and log in to your server.

2. Navigate to the directory where your WordPress site is located.

3. Type the following command:

   wget --mirror -p --convert-links -P /local/directory http://your-wordpress-site.com

   • --mirror: This option is used to mirror the entire website, including the images, CSS files, and other content.

   • -p: This option is used to download all necessary files for a web page, including images, stylesheets, and JavaScript.

   • --convert-links: This option is used to convert the links in the HTML files so that they point to the downloaded files instead of the online versions.

   • -P: This option is used to specify the directory where the downloaded files should be stored locally.

4. Press enter and wait for wget to complete the download process. Depending on the size of your site, this may take several minutes.

5. Once the download is complete, navigate to the directory where you stored the files and verify that everything has been downloaded correctly.

Conclusion

Downloading your WordPress site from the server using wget is a simple and efficient method for backup or migration. It only requires a few commands, which can be executed quickly if you have access to your server through SSH. If you're not comfortable using the command line, there are several plugins available that can help you backup your site. However, using wget is the most efficient and straightforward method.