Invoke-WebRequest -OutLeaf #20010

Summary of the new feature / enhancement

I would like an ability to download a file with Invoke-WebRequest without explicitly providing its name, same as with curl -O. The filename should be deduced from the uri, equivalent to -Uri $Uri -OutFile (Split-Path $Uri). If the uri contains query parameters, they are either discarded (test.txt?param=value results in test.txt), or an error should be given.

Motivating example can be seen in Invoke-WebRequest example #8, the filename is typed twice for every file - once in Uri and once in OutFile.

Additionally, I think that -OutLeaf without -PassThru should return the full resolved path to the downloaded file, so that it can be stored or piped into Start-Process or Invoke-Command for immediate execution (useful for e.g. installers).

Similar proposals were made in:

• Allow downloading multiple files with Invoke-WebRequest #17554 - Closed due high complexity
• allow to download file to specified folder with Invoke-WebRequest #17553 - Closed due overzealous @msftbot

I agree with the latter, that -OutDirectory could be an alternative API, so that you can get Invoke-WebRequest -OutLeaf with Invoke-WebRequest -OutDirectory ., while also allowing to download files with implicit filename to a different directory.

Opens:

• Should the filename be url-decoded? I.e. should Invoke-WebRequest example.com/file%20with%space.txt -OutLeaf result in file%20with%20space.txt or file with space.txt? I would say latter, curl says former.

Proposed technical implementation details (optional)

No response