WSL is Microsoft's compatibility layer—now open source—that allows Linux binaries (CLI and GUI) to run natively on Windows without a VM. WSL 1 handles syscall translation; WSL 2 uses a lightweight VM with full Linux kernel, enabling full Linux compatibility, improved I/O, GPU acceleration, and support for distributions like Ubuntu, Debian, Kali, etc.
Features
- Native Linux command-line and GUI support inside Windows
- WSL 2: lightweight VM with full Linux kernel
- GPU acceleration-enabled for ML/graphics workloads
- Supports multiple distros via Microsoft Store/Winget
- Now open-source—community can contribute on GitHub
- Fast I/O and integration with Windows filesystem/network
Categories
VirtualizationLicense
MIT LicenseFollow WSL
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