Microsoft previews WSL containers, enabling native Linux container development in Windows

Microsoft has released the WSL container feature for public preview, allowing developers to build and manage Linux containers directly within Windows using the Windows Subsystem for Linux. This update introduces a new container CLI and an API, providing full workflow integration for creating, running, and managing Linux containers using native Windows tools.

WSL containers remove the need for external solutions, offering built-in, enterprise-focused support for Linux container workloads. Following this integration, organizations now have new management controls to govern access to WSL distros and containers, as well as restrict which container registries can be used to pull images.

In addition, Microsoft's MDE (Microsoft Defender for Endpoint) plugin for WSL now covers Linux container events, enabling unified monitoring whether workloads run as standard WSL distros or as containers. The WSL container capability is already available to users of the latest WSL pre-release, further facilitating feedback and early access for developers.

Building on these improvements, Visual Studio Code has also added WSL support in its latest re-release, enhancing development workflows for those working across Windows and Linux environments.