WSL: Tips
Welcome to the WSL Tips page!
Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a great tool for developers who want to work with Linux applications on their Windows computer. WSL allows you to run a full Linux environment on your Windows machine, which can be useful for developing and testing applications, or for running Linux-specific tools and scripts.
On this page, we’ll share some tips and best practices for using WSL more effectively. These tips are based on our own experience with WSL and on Microsoft documentation.
WSL Tips
General tips for Using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)
- Keep your WSL distribution up to date using the
wsl --updateorwsl -ucommand in a PowerShell terminal. - Use the latest version of WSL (currently WSL 2) for faster startup times, Docker support, and better integration with the Windows operating system.
- Use a package manager (e.g.
apt-get,yum) to easily install, update, and remove software on your Linux system. - Use a local development server (e.g.
nginx,Apache) to test your web applications locally before deploying them to a production environment. - Use the
wsl -dcommand to start a WSL distribution in daemon mode. This can be useful for running scripts or background tasks in the WSL environment.
WSL Basic Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
wsl | Launches the default WSL distribution. |
wsl -l | Lists all the installed WSL distributions. |
wsl -l -v | Lists all the installed WSL distributions and their versions. |
wsl -s <distro_name> | Sets the specified distribution as the default WSL distro. |
wsl --set-default <distro_name> | Sets the specified distribution as the default WSL distro. |
wsl --set-version <distro_name> <version> | Changes the WSL version of the specified distribution. |
wsl --unregister <distro_name> | Uninstalls the specified WSL distribution. |
wsl --export <distro_name> <file> | Exports the specified WSL distribution to a tar file. |
wsl --import <distro_name> <install_location> <file> | Imports a tar file into a new WSL distribution. |
wsl --terminate <distro_name> | Terminates the specified WSL distribution. |
wsl --update | Updates the specified WSL distribution to the latest version. |
wsl -u <distro_name> | Upgrades the specified WSL distribution to the latest version. |
wsl --install | Installs a new WSL distribution from the Microsoft Store. |