## Definition The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a compatibility layer developed by Microsoft that allows the installation and running of a GNU/Linux environment directly on Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019 without the overhead of a traditional virtual machine or dual-boot setup. ## Details WSL provides a Microsoft kernel interface developed by Microsoft that can run Linux binary executables natively. It includes most of the user-mode DLLs (Dynamic-link library) found in Windows. There are two versions of WSL: - WSL1: It uses a translation layer that converts system calls from Linux into something Windows can understand. - WSL2: It uses an entirely different approach and runs a full-fledged Linux kernel inside a lightweight utility virtual machine. With WSL, users can run various GNU/Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE, and others downloaded from the Microsoft Store. The subsystem allows for running command-line tools, utilities, and applications without needing to switch operating systems. ## Use Cases WSL is used for several purposes including: - Running Linux command-line tools for development and (basic) administration. - Sharing and accessing files on the Windows filesystem from within Linux. - Invoking Windows processes from Linux (e.g., Notepad). - Invoking Linux processes from Windows command-line (e.g., Bash). ## Benefits Some benefits of WSL include: - Coexistence: You can have your Windows operating system and your choice of Linux distributions in one place. - File System Access: You can work on your project files using your favorite Windows tools and also use Linux command-line tools. - Performance: WSL2 has improved performance compared to WSL1 as it provides full system call compatibility. - Networking: In WSL2, you have access to a full-fledged networking stack that includes localhost network support. ## How to - [[How to install the WSL feature on Windows machine]]