Ubuntu WSL¶
Benefit from the unrivalled developer experience of Ubuntu without leaving Windows.
Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) lets developers run a GNU/Linux environment on Windows. The Ubuntu distribution for WSL is tightly integrated with the Windows OS, supporting remote development from popular IDEs, cross-OS file management and seamless local testing of web applications. Ubuntu WSL provides a high-quality command line interface that is also suitable for launching Linux-native graphical applications.
Ubuntu WSL can be used to build projects in a performant Linux environment without the overhead of traditional virtual machine or dual-boot setups. Organisations that manage a Microsoft infrastructure can empower developers who prefer a Linux-based workflow. With Ubuntu Pro for WSL, large fleets of Ubuntu WSL machines can also be administered with ease and security.
Ubuntu WSL is for the programmer who wants a fully-featured Linux development environment but must use a Windows device, the system administrator who requires a secure way of supporting Linux on hundreds of Windows machines, and the cross-platform app developer who needs to create projects that work on Linux, Windows and the browser.
In this documentation¶
Start here with hands-on tutorials for new users to learn Ubuntu WSL
Follow step-by-step instructions for performing common tasks with Ubuntu WSL, including making your own contributions to the project
Read technical descriptions of important factual information relating to Ubuntu WSL
Read explanatory notes on important concepts
Project and community¶
Ubuntu WSL and Ubuntu Pro for WSL are members of the Ubuntu family. These are open-source projects that warmly welcome community contributions, suggestions, fixes and constructive feedback. Check out our contribution page for guidelines on how best to bring your ideas, bug reports and more.
Important
We do not directly maintain WSL, which is a Microsoft product. If you have identified a problem or bug in WSL then submit an Issue in Microsoft’s WSL project repository.