Microsoft makes it easier than ever to install the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), which allows Windows users to run various Linux distributions on their systems, by publishing the utility as an app in the Microsoft Store.
Previously, WSL was frustrating to install because it required users to turn on the feature itself, turn on the VM platform it is based on, install a Linux kernel update package, and then switch to download a Linux distribution from the Microsoft Store. However, this process has been simplified in later versions of Windows 10, as well as in the recently launched Windows 11.
These versions of Windows allow users to install WSL using a single PowerShell command. There is now an app-ified version of WSL available through the Microsoft Store that can be installed with just one click. This might prove useful for people who still find command line tools intimidating, but Microsoft says this new installation method has benefits for more advanced users as well.
“There are two big reasons to be excited about this change: you can access WSL features faster,†Microsoft says, “and you don’t have to worry about changing your version of Windows when you get the latest updates. WSL update â€.
The company claims that this change “decouples WSL from your Windows version” by extracting the required binaries from the Windows image into a separate application image. This means that WSL users will be able to install updates to the utility without updating the operating system itself, according to Microsoft, which should make it easier for them to access new features.
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Microsoft says its long-term goal is to switch all WSL users to the Microsoft Store version. For now, both versions of the tool can be installed on a single machine, and the company says it will “be data-driven and use your feedback from this preview to help inform us of our future. decisions with WSL in the Windows Image in future versions. “
The preview for this new version of WSL is available now through the Microsoft Store. The company is also seeking feedback on the preview via GitHub, and more information should be available through the WSL documentation as soon as possible.
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