Following public discussion, Ubuntu developers have decided to remove wget from the default install of Ubuntu Server 25.10, in favour of wcurl, which offers similar functionality.

The package has been removed from the default seed (which lists the packages that make up a default install, and are included on the ISO). It won’t be available out-of-the-box on new installs, though existing servers that are upgraded will not be affected.

Instead, wget will be moved to the ‘supported’ seed. This groups packages that are officially supported by Canonical but not installed by default. They get security updates for the release’s lifespan and remain available in the main software repository.

Why was this decision made?

A pitched battle of wget vs wcurl isn’t the aim here. It’s part of a wider effort to streamline Ubuntu Server and reduced the number of duplicated tools included in a default install.

“The Ubuntu server seed has not been evaluated in quite some time. The goal is to trim down installs to what is required and useful. There is also an evaluation of “is this still supported?”,” writes John Chittum, Engineering Manager on the Public Cloud team at Canonical.

The goal is to create a default Ubuntu Server installation that meets a wide range of needs while removing unnecessary packages to reduce the install size. Other tools removed this cycle include the terminal multiplexers byobu and screen (leaving just tmux).

Initially, there was consternation in cleaving wget from the seed given its decades-long history as the default, go-to download tool on Linux systems.

But since the latest version of curl includes native ‘fetching’ functionality of its own through wcurl, Chittum sees a stronger case for change now than waiting until Ubuntu 26.10.

“This is made much easier because of wcurl being made available in the version of curl in [Ubuntu 25.10]. It is a drop-in replacement for the simple calls, and has the majority of wget functionality. For more complex cases […] wget is still the correct answer,” Chittum adds.

wcurl is capable; wget stays available

The wcurl wrapper is included within the curl 8.14.x package in Ubuntu 25.10, and translates basic wget commands to curl versions. For those with basic downloading needs, it’s capable enough, and a simple wcurl example.com/your-file command fetches a file, also:

Download multiple URLs ‘in parallel’ (at the same time)

Follow redirects without additional flags

Automatically pick an appropriate filename

Avoid overwriting existing files

Perform automatic retries on failed downloads

Set file timestamps to match server values

Handle special characters in URLs

For common use cases, this change won’t be too impactful as  wcurl is a sufficient drop-in replacement. However, those who rely on scripts or dependencies that expect wget may want to reinstall wget, even if only as a precaution.

Users who wish to continue using wget can run sudo apt install wget and, as the package stays in the main repository, it will get ongoing security updates from Canonical throughout the duration of the Ubuntu 25.10 support cycle.

Ubuntu 25.10 and Ubuntu Server 25.10 are due for release on 9 October, 2025.

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