Skip to content
Get packs

WSL

Runs Linux command-line tools and apps directly on Windows, without a full virtual machine.

GitHub Download 3.0.3
Stars
34.3k
Forks
1.9k
Licence
MIT
Language
C++
Last update
4 days ago
Type
Other

What it is

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) lets you run Linux command-line tools, utilities and applications directly on Windows. The README says this works without the overhead of a traditional virtual machine or a dual-boot setup. This repository holds the Windows-side code, and the README points to the official documentation for setup and background.

  • Install a Linux distribution with the single command wsl --install
  • Run Linux shell tools, scripts and utilities from the Windows command line
  • Build and test Linux-targeted software on a Windows machine
  • Read the official WSL documentation linked from the README for setup guidance

Great for

  • Windows users who want a Linux command line for development or scripting
  • Developers who need Linux-only tools while staying on Windows
  • Students learning Linux on a Windows machine
  • People who want to avoid dual-booting or running a full virtual machine

Not ideal for

  • Users who need a native Linux desktop or no Windows at all, since WSL runs inside Windows
  • People who want to read WSL's internals without some C++ and Windows build experience, since the developer docs are aimed at building from source
  • Anyone who objects to the built-in diagnostic telemetry, which the README says is on by default and can be turned off as described in the repo
Step-by-step guide: how to use WSLInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs

How to get it

  1. 1

    See the README

    You'll need: Windows with the wsl command available

    Install WSL (run in Windows command line)

    wsl --install
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Open the Windows command line (PowerShell or Command Prompt).
    • Run wsl --install and follow the prompts.
    • Restart if Windows asks you to.
    • Open your installed Linux distribution and run a Linux command to confirm it works.
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Read the setup best-practices guide linked from the README at learn.microsoft.com/windows/wsl/setup/environment
    • Review the data and privacy documentation (DATA_AND_PRIVACY.md) and the telemetry setting if you want to limit data sharing
    • Check related repositories for the kernel (WSL2-Linux-Kernel) and Linux GUI app support (WSLg)
    • Use the developer docs (doc/docs/dev-loop.md) if you want to build WSL from source

Downloads

Source code (.zip)master branch · straight from GitHubRelease 3.0.34 files incl. Microsoft.WSL_3.0.3.0_x64_ARM64.msixbundleOfficial website & docswsl.dev/

Strengths

  • The README describes running Linux tools unmodified and directly on Windows
  • Installation is a single documented command: wsl --install
  • Released under the permissive MIT license with an active repository

Trade-offs

  • The README notes that some detailed error output in wslc.exe is not fully localized
  • The app logs basic diagnostic data and may send information to Microsoft, per the README's privacy section
  • This README is truncated and does not list every feature or system requirement, so the picture is partial

Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.