Windows subsystem for Linux

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Windows subsystem for Linux

Screenshot of 'Bash on Ubuntu on Windows'.png
Bash within conhost.exeon Windows 10
Basic data

developer Microsoft
Publishing year 2016
operating system Windows 10
category Compatibility Layer
License Q63130800 , GNU General Public License
blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/wsl/

The Windows subsystem for Linux or the English title Windows Subsystem for Linux , shortly WSL is a compatibility layer for running Linux - executables in the ELF format in Windows 10 . Microsoft and Canonical entered into a partnership for the purpose of being able to download and install an Ubuntu image (originally 14.04 “Trusty Tahr”) in Windows 10 . In contrast to Windows Services for UNIX (SFU) , the applications contained in this image can be run natively under Windows with WSL .

WSL 1 contains a Linux-compatible kernel interface which was developed by Microsoft, but which itself does not contain any code from the Linux kernel . Executable files provided by Ubuntu run on it in user mode .

The successor WSL 2 relies instead on a virtualization approach using Hyper-V . In addition to better performance, this also offers full compatibility of system calls, since a complete Linux kernel is used here. However, this has the usual disadvantages of a Type 1 hypervisor. On the one hand, the fact that the host operating system itself then runs virtualized (increased latency times could, for example, impair real-time applications). On the other hand, there can be problems subsequently operating other virtualization products in parallel.

WSL 1

The WSL-1 subsystem does not execute all Linux programs, particularly those that require a graphical user interface (GUI) or use kernel functions that have not been implemented by the WSL kernel interface are affected . GUI programs can, however, use an external X server such as VcXsrv or Xming . WSL uses fewer resources than a complete virtual machine and is likely to be the most straightforward way of running Linux software on a Windows system. Linux and Windows applications can, for example, manipulate the same files one after the other in a script.

The subsystem has its origin in the unapproved "Project Astoria", which should enable Android applications on Windows 10 Mobile. WSL was released with Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14316.

Windows Subsystem for Linux is only available on 64-bit versions of Windows 10 and can be enabled in Windows 10 Anniversary Update and newer versions.

In a speed comparison with Windows 10 and native versions of Ubuntu, Suse, Debian and Intel Clear Linux, the WSL variants were only slightly behind the best. This has been significantly improved for the future Windows 10-2004 dev 20008 in all modes in relation to the original Linux versions.

WSL 2

The new, completely revised subsystem presented in mid-2019 with Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 18917 offers significant advantages over WSL 1. In addition to the added support for Linux Docker images, WSL 2 now uses a lightweight utility VM called a virtual machine that uses a single Linux kernel, under which the individual Linux instances are set up in user mode. The kernel itself is updated regularly as part of the Windows 10 update. With the new VM, WSL is not only faster, the technology also starts the Linux kernel much faster, it also saves RAM because only a single kernel is loaded, regardless of how many virtualized Linux systems are currently running, and is automatically deactivated again. as soon as it is no longer needed.

WSL 2 is available on Windows 10 from version 1903.

Similar software

  • Microsoft Windows Services for UNIX was WSL's predecessor project, which has since been discontinued.
  • Cygwin is an open source POSIX emulation for Windows.
  • MSYS2 modifies Cygwin to bring Unix code natively to Windows. Compared to WSL, this has the advantage that you don't have to switch between two operating systems.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Windows Subsystem for Linux: Documentation. Microsoft, July 11, 2016, archived from the original on April 28, 2020 ; accessed on August 28, 2020 .
  2. ^ Mike Harsh: Run Bash on Ubuntu on Windows . In: Building Apps for Windows . Microsoft . March 30, 2016.
  3. ↑ Klint Finley: Why Microsoft Making Linux Apps Run on Windows Isn't Crazy . In: Wired . Condé Nast. March 30, 2016.
  4. ↑ Dustin Kirkland: Ubuntu on Windows - The Ubuntu Userspace for Windows Developers . In: Ubuntu Insights . Canonical . March 30, 2016.
  5. ↑ Jack Hammons: Bash on Ubuntu on Windows . In: Microsoft Developer Network . Microsoft . April 9, 2016.
  6. ↑ craigloewen-msft: Comparison between WSL 2 and WSL 1. Retrieved on August 21, 2020 (German).
  7. ↑ Client Hyper-V in Windows 8: only for test environments, not for end users | WindowsPro. Accessed August 21, 2020 .
  8. ↑ Microsoft: WSL 2 cannot run alongside VMware or Virtualbox - Golem.de. Retrieved on August 21, 2020 (German).
  9. ^ A b Peter Bright: Why Microsoft needed to make Windows run Linux software . In: Ars Technica . Condé Nast. April 6, 2016.
  10. ^ Daniel Aleksandersen: Running Linux desktop apps on the Windows Subsystem for Linux . In: Slight Future . April 7, 2016.
  11. ↑ a b Frequently Asked Questions for WSL . Microsoft .
  12. ↑ Gabe Aul: Announcing Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 14316 . In: Windows Experience Blog . Microsoft . April 6, 2016.
  13. ↑ phoronix.com: Windows 10 vs. Windows WSL vs. Linux - Ubuntu / openSUSE / Debian / Clear Linux
  14. ↑ https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=wsl-windows-eo2019&num=1
  15. ^ Tilman Wittenhorst: Windows Subsystem for Linux: Microsoft updates the kernel via Windows Update. In: Heise online . March 15, 2020 . Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  16. ↑ Holger Schwichtenberg: Build 2019: Windows receives a real Linux kernel. In: Heise online . May 8, 2019 . Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  17. ↑ Thorsten Leemhuis, Peter Siering: Tried: Windows Subsystem for Linux Version 2. In: Heise online . June 14, 2019 . Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  18. ↑ Olivia von Westernhagen: Microsoft retrofits WSL 2 support for Windows 10 versions 1903 and 1909. In: Heise online . August 27, 2020 . Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  19. ↑ https://medium.com/@borekb/zsh-via-msys2-on-windows-3964a943b1ce