Windows Subsystem for Linux
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.
Features
Properties
- Lightweight
Features
- Command line interface
- Linux on Windows
- Compatibility Layer
- Virtualization
Tags
- Linux
- command-line-tool
- unix
Windows Subsystem for Linux News & Activities
Recent News
- POX published news article about Windows Subsystem for Linux
Microsoft open sources Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and releases code on GitHubMicrosoft has officially open sourced Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), a feature that allows user...
- Maoholguin published news article about Windows Subsystem for Linux
Fedora 42 now officially supported on Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)Fedora Linux has become an officially supported distribution on Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), ...
Recent activities
- leahyra liked Windows Subsystem for Linux
thingfish added Windows Subsystem for Linux as alternative to MinC
POX added Windows Subsystem for Linux as alternative to WineCharm
Windows Subsystem for Linux information
Developed by
Microsoft Licensing
Open Source (MIT) and Free product.Written in
Alternatives
35 alternatives listedSupported Languages
- English
AlternativeTo Categories
OS & Utilities, Network & AdminGitHub repository
- 30,671 Stars
- 1,568 Forks
- 979 Open Issues
- Updated
Featured in Lists
Master List of all Apps and Software I use for both work and personal life.
A list with 61 apps by deersplinter without a description.
These are my daily tools for staying sharp, secure, and on top of the chaos. Without them, system failure is imminent.
What is Windows Subsystem for Linux?
Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a feature of Windows that allows developers to run a Linux environment without the need for a separate virtual machine or dual booting. There are two versions of WSL: WSL 1 and WSL 2. WSL 1 was first released on August 2, 2016, and acts as a compatibility layer for running Linux binary executables (in ELF format) by implementing Linux system calls on the Windows kernel. It is available on Windows 10, Windows 10 LTSB/LTSC, Windows 11, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server 2022.
In May 2019, WSL 2 was announced, introducing important changes such as a real Linux kernel, through a subset of Hyper-V features. WSL 2 differs from WSL 1 in that WSL 2 runs inside a managed virtual machine that implements the full Linux kernel. As a result, WSL 2 is compatible with more Linux binaries than WSL 1, as not all syscalls were implemented in WSL 1. Since June 2019, WSL 2 is available to Windows 10 customers through the Windows Insider program, including the Home edition. WSL is not available to all Windows 10 users by default. It can be installed either by joining the Windows Insider program or manual install.
