Articles about Windows Subsystem for Linux

Well, it finally happened, folks. Microsoft has open-sourced the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), giving developers full access to its code on GitHub! Yes, after nearly a decade of closed development and repeated requests from the community, the company has handed over the keys -- inviting coders to inspect, improve, and contribute to the very core of how Linux runs on Windows.

This isn’t some half-baked gesture, either. Microsoft has released the core WSL package (the components that power WSL 2) under an open source license. This includes command-line tools like wsl.exe, background services, init processes, networking daemons, and the Plan9-based file sharing system. You can now build WSL from source, fork it, or pitch in directly on GitHub.

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Well, it has finally happened. Fedora Linux is now officially available as a Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) distribution! That’s right, folks, following prior testing, you can now run Fedora 42 natively inside Windows using WSL. As someone who considers Fedora to be my favorite Linux distribution, this is a pretty exciting development.

Installing it is simple enough. Just open up a terminal and type wsl --install FedoraLinux-42 to get started. After that, launch it with wsl -d FedoraLinux-42 and set your username. No password is required by default, and you’ll automatically be part of the wheel group, meaning you can use sudo right out of the gate.

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The integration of Fedora into Microsoft’s Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is on the brink of completion, and the Fedora crew is rallying the community for assistance. A testing event is pegged for Monday, February 17, 2025, offering enthusiasts an opportunity to experiment with Fedora under WSL prior to its formal release. If you’re equipped with either Windows 10 or 11 and have some free time, here’s your moment to make a contribution.

This Fedora testing event is essentially a community-organized quest for bugs. It welcomes all -- whether you’re a die-hard Fedora supporter or simply intrigued by the idea of Linux within Windows. Requirements include an x86 or AArch64 setup with virtualization capabilities, a readiness to adhere to guidelines, and the capacity to handle downloading large test images.

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If you are a Linux fan that is forced to use Microsoft Windows for some reason, you know how valuable Windows Subsystem for Linux is. If you aren’t familiar, WSL allows you to run a Linux environment from within Windows -- no virtual machine needed. It’s pretty wonderful.

Well, folks, today, Ubuntu on WSL gets a very useful upgrade that both developers and enterprises should really love. You see, thanks to Microsoft’s new tar-based distribution format, Ubuntu can now be installed and managed without relying on the Microsoft Store. That’s right, y’all -- no more struggling with Store-related headaches.

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At this year's Microsoft BUILD conference, huge updates to Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) were revealed. These updates focus on improving memory, storage, and networking capabilities, introducing a new WSL Settings GUI application, enhancing security with WSL Zero Trust, integrating WSL management into Dev Home, and offering new features for developers.

Microsoft is transitioning several experimental features to default settings in the latest pre-release version of WSL. Key updates include automatically releasing stored memory in WSL back to Windows with the default autoMemoryReclaim=dropCache setting and enhancing networking capabilities with default dnsTunneling=true on Windows 11 machines. There are also experimental features such as enabling automatic disk space reclaim with the command wsl --manage <distro> --set-sparse <true/false> and trying the new mirrored networking mode with IPv6 support via wslconfig.

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While Windows Subsystem for Linux is widely recognized as being one of Microsoft most impressive achievements in recent times, WSL is not without its flaws.

Now in its second iteration, WSL makes it possible to install Linux distros within Windows 11 but it has a major obstacle that is stopping it gaining mass appeal -- it remains a text-based tool. But this could be about to change. Microsoft is exploring the possibility of introducing a new GUI to simplify the installation and management of distros.

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If you are a Windows 11 user who fell in love with Windows Subsystem for Android, Microsoft has just delivered some bad news. The company is ending support for WSA.

Unlike Windows Subsystem for Linux, Windows Subsystem for Android failed to generate the mass appeal Microsoft was probably hoping for. This is likely partly because of the fact that while WSA makes it possible to run Android apps and games in Windows 11, it is limited to apps available via the Amazon App Store. The clock is now ticking for Windows Subsystem for Android

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The annual Ubuntu Summit is where people who love Linux and open-source software gather to see what’s new. This year, it’s happening in the lovely city of Riga, Latvia, from November 3-5, 2023. And guess what? Microsoft, the big name we often connect with paid software, is joining in. This new partnership hints at more teamwork between big tech companies and open-source communities.

Microsoft being part of the Ubuntu Summit 2023 shows that it's warming up to open-source software. Those attending the summit, in person or online, will get to hear from Microsoft experts. They’ll talk about cool stuff like using Linux on Windows, creating apps with .NET 8 on Ubuntu, and how Microsoft’s Azure can work smoothly with Ubuntu's snapshot service.

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Microsoft has made two big announcements about Windows Subsystem for Linux. Not only is the Microsoft Store app the default version, it is also losing the Preview label as it is now generally available for Windows 10 and Windows 11.

The change means that Microsoft is switching away from offering WSL as an optional component of Windows itself. The company says that it has brought the app to the Microsoft Store for Windows 10 users following community requests, pointing out that this means that "Windows 10 can now run Linux GUI apps".

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Microsoft has been increasing its focus on Linux for some years now, including introducing the ability to run a GNU/Linux environment inside Windows 10 and Windows 11 via the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). This includes most command-line tools, utilities, and applications.

12 days ago, Microsoft released version 0.70.8 of the tool, which fixed plenty of issues and added some extra features. Now, the company announces it is removing the Preview label and making WSL in the Microsoft Store "generally available".

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Microsoft continues to show a surprising level of love for Linux, and nowhere is this clearer than in the Windows Subsystem for Linux. With the latest version of the software, the company has worked with Canonical to bring systemd support to WSL for Windows 11.

What does this mean in practice? It means that as of Windows Subsystem for Linux 0.67.6 there is support for Ubuntu's snap installation method. But there is much more to the arrival of system support than this.

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Microsoft has fully embraced Linux with the release of Windows Subsystem for Linux, opening up exciting possibilities for fans of Linux-based distros. The company has also shown support for Android, with the Windows Subsystem for Android making it possible to run mobile apps and games in Windows 11.

Now the company has made a significant update to Windows Subsystem for Android, making huge improvements to its networking capabilities.

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The arrival of Windows Subsystem for Linux in Windows 10 and Windows 11 opened up a world of new opportunities for users of Linux-based distros. Until now, Ubuntu fans have been limited to installing Long Term Supported (LTS) releases, but this is changing.

Recognizing that there are plenty of people who like to be on the cutting edge, Canonical has announced that preview builds of Ubuntu will now also be made available to download and install from the Microsoft Store.

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There are a number of Linux distros for WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) available to download from the Microsoft Store. Big names on offer include Ubuntu, Debian, Kali, SUSE and openSUSE. Now one more has arrived -- Oracle Linux.

Sneaking into the store with little fanfare on Monday, January 31, the official arrival of Oracle Linux 8.5 will be welcomed by any developers wanting to run Linux software in a Windows environment.

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Microsoft has released a new collection of open-source tools for analyzing system performance. Building on the tools that the company has already produced for Windows, Microsoft-Performance-Tools for Linux-Android is a set of trace processing tooling that makes it possible to closely monitor app and operating system code.

Microsoft-Performance-Tools for Linux-Android is built on .NET Core as well as the new microsoft-performance-toolkit-sdk, and it can be used across multiple platforms. It also integrates with Windows Performance Analyzer for easy GUI-based trace analysis.

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