WSL is a great way to learn Linux from the comfort of your Windows PC

WSL Source: Windows Central

If you're reading this you're probably very happy with Windows. Later on all, Windows 11 has but arrived with all its newness, and even if yous tin can't really update to information technology, Windows x isn't going away.

Then why am I talking about learning Linux? Well for one, information technology's never too tardily or a bad idea to learn something new. You might not use Linux right now and y'all're probably thinking information technology'd be a waste considering you're happy with Windows. Simply Linux isn't just another desktop operating arrangement you lot don't intendance about. It has plenty of applications out in the large wide world.

Best of all, it's easy to get some basics down from the comfort of your Windows ten or Windows xi PC thank you to the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). The seamless integration of Linux and Windows makes WSL a perfect tool to begin to learn Linux without ever leaving the comfort of what you already use.

What is WSL?

WSL Source: Windows Central

WSL is essentially a virtual machine running on Windows. Y'all never exit Windows to run information technology, you can use Windows concluding apps to admission it, and nowadays you can even access its file system from within the stock Windows File Explorer app.

Put only, you lot can almost consider WSL like any other app yous run on your Windows PC. You tin can open information technology up, do what yous need to within it, then shut it downwardly. It tin run alongside other Windows apps, and it tin integrate with Windows apps similar VSCode, too.

The latest version, WSL2, runs a full, proper Linux kernel, and then it'southward fast, and for the well-nigh part, it'due south like interacting with a native Linux desktop OS. With Windows eleven, you can even run Linux GUI apps using WSL. It'south actually powerful, easy to set up, and, should anything actually interruption, easy enough to completely get rid of without doing any lasting damage.

Installing WSL is a breeze and on Windows 11 tin can exist washed with a single command. Information technology'southward also now available in the Microsoft Shop alongside the various officially supported distributions that run inside WSL.

Great identify to get comfortable with Linux basics

WSL Source: Windows Cardinal

Considering information technology runs like an app on tiptop of Windows, yous don't demand to build virtual machines, dedicate portions of your organization resources, nor put up with a potentially wearisome and laggy experience. To use a popular phrase, it just works.

If you utilise Windows Terminal getting into your Linux distros is equally easy equally opening a new tab, but you tin besides interact with or enter WSL using PowerShell. Fifty-fifty though WSL now supports GUI apps, information technology's a proficient fashion to get comfortable using a terminal since in that location'southward no included desktop environment. It isn't exactly the aforementioned as running a full Linux install on your PC, just for beginners, it's close enough.

There are enough of memes near Linux users and terminals, but it doesn't be but to score nerd points. Once y'all're comfortable it's actually a fast and convenient way to do a number of basic tasks, even mundane things like making folders and moving files effectually.

WSL Source: Windows Central

Linux distros installed with WSL volition take their own file system, but thanks to Microsoft'due south extremely clever engineers yous can interact with those in the File Explorer every bit well. Y'all can as well access your Windows filesystem from within Linux. The ii live together in perfect harmony.

A few bones commands y'all'll demand to get started include:

                          sudo apt update  sudo apt upgrade  sudo apt install

These iii commands volition look after updating, upgrading, and installing, the absolute basics of getting anything done in Linux. I'1000 using Ubuntu on WSL, only these commands will likewise piece of work on some of the other distros such as Debian.

So much documentation, help is ever on hand

WSL Source: Windows Central

WSL is a huge project supported by both official and unofficial documentation. If you lot're interested, the best place to start is Microsoft'south own docs pages, which contain some basic tutorials on using WSL forth with other tools such as git.

This might exist the best place to start but I'thousand a firm believer that there's no right and wrong fashion to acquire how to use Linux. It was something I decided to start during the commencement great lockdown of 2022 and between WSL, Chrome OS, and a spare laptop, along with your search engine of selection, YouTube, and GitHub, there are so many resources available.

Learning Linux can be a bit of a rabbit pigsty. Once you start falling down it in that location'south no telling when you'll stop. There are a lot of questions you lot'll ask, only there's almost always a fairly easy-to-find solution. And thanks to WSL, you can live within the warm, cozy confines of your Windows PC while you lot do information technology.

And don't forget, the upcoming Steam Deck volition run Linux. Even if you're non planning to tinker also much with it, at some bespeak y'all're probably going to find yourself in need of some nuts or some last confidence. No meliorate time to beginning.

WSL Preview for Windows 11

Download the latest version of WSL onto your Windows 11 PC now from the Microsoft Shop for easy updates in the time to come.

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An internet connection will soon be required when setting up Windows 11 Pro

UH OH

An internet connection will soon exist required when setting up Windows 11 Pro

Microsoft has announced that later this year, users will exist required to connect to the internet and sign-in with a Microsoft Account during the out of box setup experience on Windows 11 Pro. Microsoft has already been enforcing this requirement on Windows 11 Dwelling since launch concluding October, and Windows 11 Pro is now expected to follow suit soon.