Microsoft says the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) can now be installed on Windows 10, version 2004 or later using a single terminal command. “In the advanced Windows Insider Preview builds, one can install everything you required to execute WSL just by executing wsl.exe –install,” Windows Developer Platform Program Manager Craig Loewen stated.
“We are very excited to announce that this performance is now formerly backported to Windows 10 version 2004 and higher, which will make installing WSL on those build much easier!”
To take access this new feature, you have to update your computer to Windows 10 2004 or later version via Windows Update or install the KB5004296 preview aggregate update, which also arrives with fixes for fixes Windows 10 gamin issues.
How to Install and Use WSL?
While Previously you had to jump through several loops such as installing multiple packages and toggling on some OS settings, now you only have to launch a Command Prompt window as administrator and run the wsl.exe – install command.
This directly enable WSL and installs Ubuntu as the default distro and the recent WSL Linux Kernel version on the device.
After the installation process is completed and the computer is rebooted, the advanced setup Ubuntu distribution will automatically start logging in. Once WSL is installed, you can also utilize wsl –update to update the Linux kernel and wsl –update rollback to switch to older kernel versions.
One can also use wsl –status to get an overview of your WSL configuration, including the default distro type, default distro type, default distro, and the recently installed Linux kernel version.
What is Short WSL History?
WSL was released in 2018 and it is structure as a compatibility layer that makes it possible for Windows 10 users to run Linux binaries in ELF format natively on their computers, in a PowerShell or Windows 10 command prompt.
Since the start of the release, Microsoft has also started WSL 2, which enhances file system functionality, supports full system call compatibility, and uses virtualization tech to execute a full Linux kernel inside a lightweight virtual machine (VM).
Although users have been asking Microsoft to also add support for the Wayland protocol in WSL to permit GUI Linux application to work introduce Linux GUI support last year at BUILD 2020.
The advanced feature, also known as WSLg short for Windows Subsystem for Linux GUI, was first released in April and start rolling out to all the Insiders in May with the rollout of Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 21364 to the Dev Channel.
As prior explained, WSLg permits you to use Linux GUI applications in Windows as you would use them on a Linux desktop.
Microsoft also gives a step-by-step guide on how to install and start Linux GUI apps on your computer, these Linux applications can be started from the Start menu or a Command Prompt Windows.
