In a move that underscores Canonical’s ongoing efforts to streamline its server distribution, Ubuntu Server 25.10 has officially removed the venerable wget utility from its default installation, replacing it with wcurl, a lightweight wrapper around the curl command-line tool. This decision, detailed in a recent report from OMG! Ubuntu, reflects a broader push toward minimalism in server environments where efficiency and reduced footprint are paramount. For decades, wget has been a staple for downloading files over HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP, but its overlap with curl’s capabilities has long prompted discussions about redundancy.

The shift isn’t about eliminating wget entirely—it’s still available for installation via apt repositories—but rather optimizing the out-of-the-box experience for server administrators. As explained in the OMG! Ubuntu article, wcurl serves as a “drop-in replacement” for most common wget use cases, such as simple file downloads, by leveraging curl’s robust engine while mimicking wget’s syntax. This integration comes courtesy of recent updates to the curl package in Ubuntu 25.10, which now includes wcurl natively.

Examining the Rationale Behind the Swap: A Quest for Simplicity in Server Tooling

Canonical’s engineers, as cited in community forums and echoed by It’s FOSS, argue that maintaining both wget and curl in the default seed adds unnecessary bloat. Wget, while powerful for recursive downloads and mirroring websites, often sees use in scripts for basic tasks that curl handles equally well—or better, given curl’s support for more protocols and modern features like HTTP/3. By favoring wcurl, Ubuntu reduces the default package count, potentially speeding up installations and minimizing security surfaces in cloud and containerized deployments.

This isn’t the first time Ubuntu has pruned its defaults; similar changes have targeted tools like screen in favor of tmux. Industry insiders note that such decisions align with trends in enterprise Linux, where distributions like Red Hat Enterprise Linux have long emphasized modular tooling. According to AlternativeTo, wcurl’s adoption simplifies core utilities without sacrificing functionality, as users needing wget’s advanced mirroring can install it manually.

Implications for Developers and Sysadmins: Adaptation Without Disruption

For server operators, the change means scripts relying on wget will need minor tweaks—often just swapping ‘wget’ for ‘wcurl’—but complex workflows might still demand the original tool. OMG! Ubuntu highlights that this is documented in the 25.10 release notes, ensuring transparency. Community feedback, as seen in Ubuntu’s discourse threads, has been mixed: some praise the leaner approach, while others worry about breaking legacy automation in large-scale environments.

Broader adoption could influence other distributions, potentially standardizing curl-based tools across ecosystems. Analysts suggest this bolsters curl’s dominance, maintained by an active open-source community, over wget, which has seen slower development. As Ubuntu 25.10 approaches its October release, this tweak exemplifies Canonical’s balancing act between tradition and innovation in server software.

Looking Ahead: Evolution of Command-Line Essentials in Linux Ecosystems

Ultimately, the wget-to-wcurl transition signals a maturing philosophy in Linux distributions, prioritizing composable tools that integrate seamlessly. Publications like Ubunlog have noted similar sentiments, emphasizing that while wget remains supported, the default pivot encourages users to explore curl’s full potential. For industry professionals managing fleets of servers, this could mean rethinking best practices, but it also opens doors to more efficient, future-proof setups in an era of rapid digital transformation.