Linux Comes to Windows

Microsoft has announced that WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux, also known as Bash on Windows, is now out of beta. With Windows 10 Fall Creator update, every Windows user will be able to use the feature. However, WSL is not enabled by default. User have to enable it from the Settings turn Windows features on or off feature.

Microsoft will offer supported Linux distributions from the Windows Store, so there is no need to install them manually. Some of the supported distros include openSUSE, SUSE Linux Enterprise, and Ubuntu. Fedora is expected to arrive soon. Microsoft will offer official support for these distributions in partnership with the respective distribution.

Customers can now run multiple Linux distributions, which means they can use commands, utilities, and tools specific to different distributions.

Although WSL is still in the works, it now supports USB mounts that gives developers access to USB devices from Linux.

Microsoft is also bringing WSL to Windows Server and Azure Cloud. “Using WSL, Windows Server administrators, devops engineers, developers, etc., will be able to run their favorite Linux tools, apps, and scripts, alongside their favorite Windows admin tools. This will make it easier than ever before to automate, control, manage, and deploy an ever broader portfolio of technologies & tools atop Windows Server,” wrote Microsoft Program Manager Rich Turner in a company blog.

WSL is intended for developers who need native Linux tools to run and manage their Linux systems on Azure and other clouds; officially, it’s not intended for desktop users.