A useful starting point
The quick answer
- Begin with a shallow crawl and a short list of important pages.
- Include page requisites and convert saved links for local reading.
- Inspect the output and log before expanding to a mirror.
Start with a limited trial
Replace the example address with your target. This sample follows links to a depth of one and pauses between requests. Recursive depth controls the link graph; it is separate from a fixed page-count limit.
wget --recursive --level=1 --page-requisites \
--convert-links --adjust-extension --no-parent \
--wait=1 https://example.com/The examples follow GNU Wget’s documented options. Review the command and destination before running it. Availability and installation steps depend on your operating system.
Expand to a mirror when the trial fits
The mirror option enables recursive retrieval with timestamping. Use a dedicated folder for each reference capture so the result stays understandable. A mirror started at the domain root can cover a substantial collection; choose its scope deliberately.
wget --mirror --convert-links --adjust-extension \
--page-requisites --no-parent --wait=1 \
https://example.com/Read the command before you run it
| Option | Purpose |
|---|---|
| --page-requisites | Retrieve files needed to display a page |
| --convert-links | Adapt links after downloading |
| --adjust-extension | Use suitable extensions for supported responses |
| --no-parent | Keep recursive traversal below the starting path |
| --wait=1 | Wait between retrievals |
| --level=1 | Limit the recursive trial’s depth |
Review external assets and live content
A site may serve images and fonts from separate hosts. If a trial misses them, inspect the referenced hosts and Wget’s domain options before expanding the scope. Choose an explicit set of hosts you intend to retrieve.
Saved HTML and client scripts still depend on the data they contain. Content generated by an application after loading may need a different export route. Use the JavaScript guide to identify the behavior your reading copy needs.
Finish with an offline review
Open the retrieved start page, follow several local links and inspect a document. Read the command output or saved log for retrieval errors. Keep the command with the capture date and target address so the process is repeatable.
For a browser workflow, Zipasite packages public pages into a ZIP and provides download notes. Use its page limit for a small sample, then follow the same opening checklist.
Sources and further reading
Official documentation consulted for this guide.