WSL

Introduction

The official name is Windows Subsystem for Linux. Or WSL for short.

WSL provides the ability to run native Linux utilities in Windows .

This became possible on August 2, 2016. When Microsoft and Canonical Collaborate It is possible to use the original image of the OS Ubuntu 14.04 for directly running on top of the WSL multiple tools and utilities from that OS without any virtualization.

From May 6, 2019, WSL 2, which runs on Hyper, is available. V.

In this article, you will learn how to install WSL. On how to use teams Bash read the article «Basics of Bash»

If you just need to run a few bash commands from Windows, the easiest option is not WSL. installation Git Bash

Available options

As of today, 2026Year available for WSL installation:

• Ubuntu
• Debian
• OpenSuse
• Kali

and others.

Installation

First thing you need. Enable developer mode in Windows.

When it is engaged, you can go directly to activate WSL.

Installation from PowerShell

wsl --install -d Ubuntu

Installing: Ubuntu Ubuntu has been installed. Launching Ubuntu...

Then the window with Ubuntu

Installing, this may take a few minutes... Please create a default UNIX user account. The username does not need to match your Windows username. For more information visit: https://aka.ms/wslusers Enter new UNIX username: andrei New password: Retype new password: passwd: password updated successfully Installation successful! Windows Subsystem for Linux is now available in the Microsoft Store! You can upgrade by running 'wsl.exe --update' or by visiting https://aka.ms/wslstorepage Installing WSL from the Microsoft Store will give you the latest WSL updates, faster. For more information please visit https://aka.ms/wslstoreinfo To run a command as administrator (user "root"), use "sudo ". See "man sudo_root" for details. Welcome to Ubuntu 22.04.2 LTS (GNU/Linux 5.10.102.1-microsoft-standard-WSL2 x86_64) * Documentation: https://help.ubuntu.com * Management: https://landscape.canonical.com * Support: https://ubuntu.com/advantage This message is shown once a day. To disable it please create the /home/andrei/.hushlogin file.

Starting the installation from the control panel

Press the key. WIN write control and go into Control panel
(Control Panel)

Programmes and Components
(Programs and Features)

Enabling or disabling Windows components
(Turn Windows features on or off)

OK

Windows for Linux (beta version)
(Windows Subsystem for Linux (Beta))

Wait.

Restart now.

After restarting, press the key combination WIN + R inject cmd.

In the appeared command line we write bash

We're sluggish. y

Wait.

Introduce. y If you need Russian language

Introduce a new user name

Enter the password.

Enjoying the result: now to launch Bash You just have to put this in. command-line

Access the flash drive from Bash in Windows

ls /dev

Mistakes.

C:\Users\Andrei>bash

Windows Subsystem for Linux has no installed distributions. Distributions can be installed by visiting the Microsoft Store: https://aka.ms/wslstore C:\Users\Andrei>

Installation from aka. ms

We need to go to the site. aka.ms/wslstore

In the first versions of the box was Ubuntu, so now for a change choose another option.

Debian

In the next step, we'll choose No, thanks

We need to wait for the loading.

Enter the username

Enter your password and try not to forget it.

Installation of WSL2

You need to download WSL2 from the site. docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl2-kernel

Next

Finish

# This file was automatically generated by WSL. To stop automatic generation of this file, add the following entry to /etc/wsl.conf: # [network] # generateResolvConf = false nameserver 192.168.0.1 nameserver fec0:0:0:ffff::1 nameserver fec0:0:0:ffff::2

Alias

Different aliases can be set to speed up work.

From a WSL perspective, disk C: is inside /mnt

alias andrei="cd /mnt/c/Users/Andrei"

Check the version.

To check the WSL version open PowerShell and execute

wsl --list --verbose

NAME STATE VERSION * Debian Stopped 2 docker-desktop Stopped 2 docker-desktop-data Stopped 2 Ubuntu-22.04 Running 2

Navigating directories from Windows

If you enter the address bar of the Windows Explorer

\\wsl$

Directories with all installed subsystems will be visible as regular Windows folders.

Article author: Andrei Olegovich