Developing for Ubuntu on Windows

developing_for_ubuntu_on_windows.md

Outline

• Install Windows Terminal
• Install VS Code
• Install WSL2
• Install Ubuntu
• Install Remote Development extension for VS Code
• Forward ports
• Develop

Forward ports

Get Ubuntu IP, run on WSL

hostname -I

Set port forwarding rules

netsh interface portproxy add v4tov4 listenport=3001 listenaddress=0.0.0.0 connectport=<port> connectaddress=<Ubuntu IP>

You can also use attached PowerShell script

Develop

# launch default WSL at home directory
wsl ~

# go to your project directory
cd workspace/something

# open VS Code from folder
code .

Important notes

• Changing things in Windows hosts file should be sufficient for Ubuntu hosts
• For Docker, use Docker Desktop. Tutorial
• Never use files in Windows filesystem. If you need to access Ubuntu file system from Windows explorer, go to \\wsl$

forwarding_ports_from_wsl.ps1

$remoteport = bash.exe -c "ifconfig eth0 | grep 'inet '"
$found = $remoteport -match '\d{1,3}\.\d{1,3}\.\d{1,3}\.\d{1,3}';

if ($found) {
  $remoteport = $matches[0];
} else {
  Write-Output "The Script Exited, the ip address of WSL 2 cannot be found";
  exit;
}

#[Ports]

#All the ports you want to forward separated by coma
$ports = @(80, 443, 3001, 3005, 3006, 3500, 4001);


#[Static ip]
#You can change the addr to your ip config to listen to a specific address
$addr = '0.0.0.0';
$ports_a = $ports -join ",";


#Remove Firewall Exception Rules
Invoke-Expression "Remove-NetFireWallRule -DisplayName 'WSL 2 Firewall Unlock' ";

#adding Exception Rules for inbound and outbound Rules
Invoke-Expression "New-NetFireWallRule -DisplayName 'WSL 2 Firewall Unlock' -Direction Outbound -LocalPort $ports_a -Action Allow -Protocol TCP";
Invoke-Expression "New-NetFireWallRule -DisplayName 'WSL 2 Firewall Unlock' -Direction Inbound -LocalPort $ports_a -Action Allow -Protocol TCP";

for ($i = 0; $i -lt $ports.length; $i++) {
  $port = $ports[$i];
  Invoke-Expression "netsh interface portproxy delete v4tov4 listenport=$port listenaddress=$addr";
  Invoke-Expression "netsh interface portproxy add v4tov4 listenport=$port listenaddress=$addr connectport=$port connectaddress=$remoteport";
}

Invoke-Expression "netsh interface portproxy show all";