Proton is a tool for use with the Steam client which allows games which are exclusive to Windows to run on Linux kernel operating system. It uses Wine to facilitate this.
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Proton vs Windows Subsystem for Linux Comments
- Proton is Free and Open Source
Windows Subsystem for Linux AlternativesCompatibility Layer Tools and other similar apps like Windows Subsystem for Linux
Windows Subsystem for Linux is described as 'The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a new Windows 10 feature that enables you to run native Linux command-line tools directly on Windows' and is a compatibility layer tool in the os & utilities category. There are more than 25 alternatives to Windows Subsystem for Linux for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Mac, Windows, Flathub and Wine apps. The best Windows Subsystem for Linux alternative is Proton, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Windows Subsystem for Linux are PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac, Bottles, Cygwin and CrossOver.
Alternatives list
45 PlayOnLinux - PlayOnMac alternativesPlayOnLinux is a graphical frontend for the Wine software compatibility layer which allows Linux and Mac users to install Windows-based video games, Microsoft Office (2000 to 2010), Microsoft Internet Explorer, as well as many other applications.
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28 Cygwin alternativesCygwin is a Unix-like environment and command-line interface for Microsoft Windows. Cygwin provides native integration of Windows-based applications, data, and other system resources with applications, software tools, and data of the Unix-like environment.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Platforms
- Windows
Cygwin vs Windows Subsystem for Linux Comments
axcqhsbsadoukcioztWhat was available before WSL was bundled into Windows. I avoid WSL and prefer Cygwin because Microsoft always does: embrace, extend, extinguish
- Cygwin is Free and Open Source
46 CrossOver alternativesCross-platform utility enables seamless installation and execution of Windows applications on macOS, Linux, and Chrome OS. No Windows license required—facilitates easy app management with a few clicks, eliminates the need for virtual machines and reboots, delivering efficient compatibility layer operation.
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MinGW ("Minimalistic GNU for Windows") is a port of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) and GNU Binutils. It provides a complete Open Source programming toolset which is suitable for the development of native MS-Windows (x86) applications, which do not depend on any...
34 Anbox alternativesAnbox puts Android into a container and every Android application will be integrated with your operating system. Any Android version is suitable for this approach and try to keep up with the latest version from the Android Open Source Project.
48 Mythic alternativesAn open-source Epic Games Launcher alternative and normal game launcher for macOS written in Swift. We started this project to create a GUI frontend for Legendary and to play Windows games using game porting toolkit by Apple.
BitNami Stacks make it incredibly easy to deploy your favorite open source software. BitNami Stacks include an open source application and all of the other software necessary to run it, such as Apache, MySQL, PHP or Ruby.
Cost / License
- Free
- Open Source
Application types
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Online
26 MSYS2 alternativesMSYS2 is an independent rewrite of MSYS, based on modern Cygwin (POSIX compatibility layer) and MinGW-w64 with the aim of better interoperability with native Windows software.
MSYS2 vs Windows Subsystem for Linux Comments
Familiar package manager from ArchLinux and up-to-date packages
- MSYS2 is Free and Open Source
- MSYS2 is a Terminal Emulator
32 Whisky alternativesWhisky provides a clean and easy to use graphical wrapper for Wine built in native SwiftUI. You can make and manage bottles, install and run Windows apps and games, and unlock the full potential of your Mac with no technical knowledge required.
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14 OrbStack alternativesOrbStack is an alternative to Docker Desktop for macOS, designed to offer improved performance for Docker and virtual machines on Linux running on Mac computers. It addresses performance issues that have been experienced in the past, particularly on models with Apple Silicon.
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Proton is a compatibilty layer to run Windows softwares (especially Steam games )on Linux, WSL is for running Linux programs on Windows.