Transform Windows: Embrace Linux with WSL

Introduction

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) lets you run a full-fledged Linux environment directly inside Windows without needing a virtual machine (VM) or dual-boot setup. It allows developers to use Linux tools, scripts, and applications seamlessly within Windows.

In this guide, we'll cover:

What WSL is and why you should use it.
How to install WSL on Windows.
How to set up a Linux distribution.
Using WSL for development.
Running GitHub self-hosted runners inside WSL.

What is WSL? Why Should You Use It?

WSL is a compatibility layer in Windows that allows running Linux commands natively. It removes the need for virtual machines and provides near-native performance.

Why Use WSL?

Develop on Linux while using Windows
Access Linux commands (ls, grep, awk, etc.)
Run Bash scripts without switching OS
Use Linux tools like Docker, Git, and Python
Install Linux software via apt or yum
Work with cloud-native tools (Kubernetes, Terraform, AWS CLI)

Installing WSL on Windows

The installation process is simple and requires just one command on Windows 10/11.

Step 1: Enable WSL

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

wsl --install

This command:

Installs WSL
Sets up Ubuntu as the default Linux distribution

Note: If you have an older version of Windows (before Windows 10, Version 2004), follow the manual installation guide.

Step 2: Restart Your Computer

After installation, restart your system for changes to take effect.

Step 3: Verify Installation

After rebooting, check if WSL is installed by running:

wsl --list --verbose

Expected Output:

NAME      STATE           VERSION
Ubuntu    Running         2

If WSL is not running, start it with:

wsl

Choosing and Installing a Linux Distribution

By default, WSL installs Ubuntu, but you can install other distributions like Debian, Kali Linux, OpenSUSE, etc.

View Available Distributions

Run:

wsl --list --online

Expected Output:

NAME            FRIENDLY NAME
Ubuntu         Ubuntu
Debian         Debian GNU/Linux
Kali-Linux     Kali Linux Rolling

Install a Specific Distribution

For example, to install Debian, run:

wsl --install -d Debian

To switch to another distribution later:

wsl -d Debian

Using WSL: Basic Commands

Once installed, open WSL by running:

wsl

This will drop you into a Linux shell (bash). You can now run Linux commands:

Command	Description
`ls`	List files in the current directory
`pwd`	Show current directory path
`cd /path/to/folder`	Navigate to a directory
`cat file.txt`	Display contents of a file
`nano file.txt`	Edit a file
`apt update && apt upgrade`	Update system packages
`exit`	Exit WSL

Tip: You can open a WSL terminal directly by typing "wsl" in the Windows Run (Win + R) dialog.

Setting Up Development Tools in WSL

WSL allows you to install and use Linux-based development tools seamlessly.

Install Git

sudo apt update
sudo apt install git -y
git --version

Install Docker (For running containers in WSL)

WSL 2 allows running Docker natively without a VM.

sudo apt install docker.io -y
sudo service docker start
docker --version

To run Docker as a non-root user:

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker

Install Node.js and NPM

sudo apt install nodejs npm -y
node -v
npm -v

Install Python and Pip

sudo apt install python3 python3-pip -y
python3 --version
pip3 --version

Running a GitHub Self-Hosted Runner in WSL

You can use WSL as a self-hosted runner for GitHub Actions!

Step 1: Create a Self-Hosted Runner on GitHub

Go to your repository
Click Settings → Actions → Runners
Click New Self-Hosted Runner
Select Linux as OS and follow the instructions

Step 2: Install and Configure the Runner in WSL

mkdir actions-runner && cd actions-runner
curl -o actions-runner.tar.gz -L <GitHub Download Link>
tar xzf actions-runner.tar.gz
./config.sh --url <your-repo-url> --token <your-token>

Note: Replace <GitHub Download Link> and <your-token> with values from GitHub.

Step 3: Start the Runner

./run.sh

Now, your GitHub workflows will execute on WSL instead of GitHub-hosted runners. 🚀

Common Issues and Fixes

WSL Not Found Error

If wsl --install doesn’t work, manually enable it:

dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux /all /norestart
dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /all /norestart

Then, restart your computer.

Docker Not Running in WSL