WSL2, or Windows Subsystem for Linux 2, allows you to run a full Linux kernel directly on Windows. This powerful feature unlocks a wide range of possibilities, making it possible to run a full-fledged Linux environment on your Windows machine without the need for a dual-boot or virtual machine setup.
Before you can use WSL2, you'll need to install it and configure your system:
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Enable WSL (from PowerShell as Admin) | dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux /all /norestart |
| Enable Virtual Machine Platform (from PowerShell as Admin) | dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /all /norestart |
| Set WSL2 as default version (from PowerShell as Admin) | wsl --set-default-version 2 |
| Install a Linux distribution | Visit the Microsoft Store and choose a Linux distribution |
Note: The above commands should be run in PowerShell with administrator privileges. After running these commands, you will need to restart your machine.
Session management involves starting up and shutting down your WSL2 instance. Here are some of the common commands:
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Start default WSL2 distro | wsl |
| Start specific WSL2 distro | wsl -d distroname |
| Shutdown all WSL2 instances | wsl --shutdown |
| List distros (shows running) | wsl --list --verbose or wsl -l -v |
| Set default distro | wsl --setdefault distroname |
WSL2 allows you to run Windows commands from WSL2 and vice versa. This interoperability greatly enhances productivity:
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Run Windows command from WSL2 | cmd.exe /c command |
| Run PowerShell command from WSL2 | powershell.exe -Command command |
| Run WSL2 command from Windows | wsl command |
| Access Windows files from WSL2 | /mnt/c/path... |
| Access WSL2 files from Windows | \\wsl$\distroname\path... |
Aliases can help simplify complex commands. Add these to your .bashrc or .zshrc file:
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Restart WSL2 | alias wslrestart='wsl --shutdown && wsl' |
| Update Linux | alias update='sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y' |
WSL2 allows for multiple Linux distributions to be installed simultaneously. Here's how to manage them:
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| List installed distributions | wsl --list --verbose |
| Set default distribution | wsl --set-default distroname |
| Unregister (remove) a distribution | wsl --unregister distroname |
| Convert a distribution to WSL1 or WSL2 | wsl --set-version distroname 1 or wsl --set-version distroname 2 |
Networking in WSL2 is somewhat different from traditional Windows networking. Here are some common networking commands:
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Show network configuration | ifconfig or ip addr |
| Access a Windows service from WSL2 | Use the IP address from ipconfig in Windows, not localhost |
| Access a WSL2 service from Windows | Use localhost |
WSL2 allows you to seamlessly integrate your Windows and Linux environments, enhancing your productivity and expanding your toolset. This cheat sheet covers the basics to get you started, but there's much more to explore and discover!