wget is primarily designed for HTTP/HTTPS and FTP protocols and does not directly support SFTP. If you need to download a file using SFTP from the command line, you should use the sftp or scp commands. However, if you still prefer a command-line tool and want something similar to wget for SFTP, you might consider using curl with the sftp:// protocol.
Here’s an example using curl:
curl -o local_file.txt -u username sftp://remote_server_ip_or_hostname:/remote/path/to/file.txt
Replace username with your remote server username, remote_server_ip_or_hostname with the IP address or hostname of the remote server, and adjust the paths and filenames accordingly.
Note: The -u option is used to specify the username, and you will be prompted to enter the password after running the command. If you’re using key-based authentication, you might not need the password.
Keep in mind that while this approach may work in some cases, it’s not as widely supported or standardized as using sftp or scp. If your use case involves regular SFTP transfers or automation, it’s recommended to use the appropriate tools (sftp or scp) for better reliability and compatibility.
For security reasons, it is generally not recommended to provide passwords directly in the command line, as command-line arguments can be visible in the process list and pose a security risk. However, if you have specific requirements and understand the risks, some tools may allow you to pass passwords as part of the command.
For curl, you can use the -u option followed by username:password:
curl -o local_file.txt -u username:password sftp://remote_server_ip_or_hostname:/remote/path/to/file.txt
Replace username and password with your actual credentials, and adjust the other parts of the command as needed.
Keep in mind that this method exposes the password in the command history and may be visible to other users on the system. If security is a concern, consider alternative methods such as setting up key-based authentication or interactive password prompts.
If you’re working in an environment that requires secure automation, tools like expect or using SSH keys for authentication are more secure options.