I Coded with WSL2 for a Week

i love steve ballmer

WSL rocks, nothing a full-fledged install wouldn't do for me.

Oh yea, and tons of apps are using WSL2 for their backend server:

Docker
Podman
Openshift
KIND.

damn, you're handsome.

I feel I can say this is the case for a lot of developers that the reason they're still stuck to Windows is because of games they're already into. (Genshin and Osu in my case). For people like us, WSL is an absolute win!
One thing still bothers me is the absolutely slow install speed for VSCode extensions, or any library for the matter. Really hampers my experience.

I tried both, WSL 2 and Linux directly for development and experienced Linux is still far superior when it comes to performance.

Developing on Windows without WSL is the slowest environment in my case.

Embrace. Extend. Extinguish. No thank you.

Debian + Wine/Proton + Theia.

:thumbsup:

I have heard of WSL before but never really used it much as I have an old computer with Linux that I normally do my programming on. However, I bought a new laptop with Windows 11 and I'm curious as to what is possible to do with WSL. Thanks for this video.

I am using WSL since it's included for the first time in Windows 10. I love it. I have done many complex projects to hobby projects it never disappointed me. After sometimes it just feels like it's a she'll in Windows OS it's so well integrated. WSL2 has enabled some UI features of the Ubuntu accessible in Windows that's even better.

This is basically what I've always wanted and I had no idea it was even there. A combination of many Wine-non-compatible games, me trying to learn many other things at once, and just wanting to be able to turn my brain off on my home PC led me to giving up on Linux after switching and getting used to the absolute basics of command line, even though there were many times where I said to myself "no wonder they shit on Windows when you can do this." Now I can get used to all the command line stuff at my own pace while still being a brain dead computer baby. Eventually I'll probably forego most common Windows GUI stuff, but ripping off the bandaid and going full GNU kernal is a lot more painful, even if you use something super friendly like Mint or Pop! like I was.

I get to used to coding on WSL2 by neovim, tmux, etc. That's awesome, don't even want to open my macbook.(playing games on Windows some times)

I like Windows, like Linux. It's all just tech to me. I find your thoughts encouraging. I'm playing with Haskell & the build tools play poorly with Windows. Did consider dual booting but I hate that, I tried VM'ing and then found myself despairing at having to fight screen resolution problems. So far so usual. I am hoping WSL is the solution, it sounds good, it's not the GUI I want after all, I want the programs executing within a linux environment.

WSL is great, and I use it every day but it is not as good as having a linux system. For instance, WSL is very slow sometimes when accessing the windows filesystem. I've had bugs where language features in vscode take ages to load, while on windows is fast. It's a lifesaver but it's far from being perfect.

There sits zero reason to deal with the Microsoft tax...just run your distribution of chose natively, and put Microsoft in the rear view mirror.

Embrace Extend Extinguish
^ WSL is here

I used WSL2 for 2 seconds and deleted Windows

You don't even need to boot the Linux (Ubuntu or whatever) , and can run all Linux commands from CMD or PS. It runs it thru WSL but show or interact in CMD. Bye bye cygwin or Gnubash etc.

well.. for me using WSL just makes me wanna jump directly into arch linux

Skill issue.

I tried WSL2. From the functionality p.o.v. it works and do it good. But the performance sucks. I consumes 50% of CPU just after the start, and slowly dying after the real work with IDE.

WSL makes 32GB of RAM feel like 3 GB RAM

I like the Linux part of Windows.
What I dislike is the Windows part of Windows.

Agree, WSL2 is superb and I love that Docker Desktop supports it too - way lower overheads than running a full VM

Linux sucks!

Why would i install windows to install linux?😂

I need a husband

Microsoft has adopted the classic technique of: If you can't beat then, join them. They want people to still use Windows so they still have all the telemetry and data, while offering nothing

i haven't been able to get my webcam to work in wsl. can anyone help?

Even though i daily drive linux for my development, i use WSL2 for mounting ext4 partition for file access.

I just want to point out that, in powershell, at least, forward slashes work in your commands

The problem is, WSL is just a way to make up Window’s dev shortcomings.
The real issue is Windows itself, lack of privacy, bloated defaults, nagging recommendations and the list goes on.
I want to use Linux as the host and put win in the backseat or ditch it completely.
This is coming from a long time windows user BTW.

I am a guy who is a avid linux user. Nothing can change that ill never switch to Linux. Now games are also cmg to Linux .

slow down dude.

Goddamn your hair grows so fast.

Goddamn your hair grows so fast.

love it, i'll try wsl now

WSL is great but do not use it on windows file system. It is painfully slow

I got a third of the way thru the video and he was still ranting about Microsoft so I binned it. Lame. Get to the damn point already.

Steve Balmer was cringe

I love it. I need linux for running services. Linux is perfect for servers, VMs because without UI its small fast and completely stable. So developing services for linux is a no brainer, windows just is not competing in this space. But Windows is the perfect desktop with all the issues and compatibility solved.
All my development ides are on windows, my apps paid and free are on windows, and windows never had an issue with hardware compatibility. Which makes using linux as a desktop a painful experience.
With WSL its just perfect combination of the two. No longer I need to struggle with any compatibility of hardware or availability of software, nor do I need to switch because I am developing services to be deployed on linux. Its just brilliantly perfect. I used to use virtualbox, but this is seamless and preconfigured to just work.

Am forced to use Windows now, so this is great to hear!

Can you access EXT4 file system from your WSL2?

Now if we can just do this in reverse... Using a Linux OS, where it only runs a few windows programs for steam, and games... then I'd be fully ready to switch over completely

Or don't use Windows.

Microsoft's recent involvement with Linux does not make them the biggest contributor to the Linux kernel! It's important to distinguish between GitHub contributors and Linux kernel contributors. You completely showed the wrong images and graphs, they were not about Linux Contributors, but about GITHUB contributors. And while Microsoft has indeed been contributing to the Linux kernel, it's not accurate to claim they are the biggest contributor. The Linux kernel has a rich history of contributions from various individuals and organizations, and it's disingenuous to overlook that.

The video's superficial comparison of WSL is another disappointment. It conveniently ignores the limitations and drawbacks of using WSL. WSL is not a full Linux distribution and may not support all Linux applications or features. It's crucial to understand that WSL is merely an emulation layer, and relying on it for all your Linux needs is like settling for a watered-down version of the real thing.

And let's not forget the inaccurate portrayal of Linux users. The video perpetuates the tired stereotype that Linux users are motivated solely by their dislike for Microsoft. This couldn't be further from the truth. Linux users are driven by the technical advantages and benefits of using Linux as their primary operating system. We appreciate the freedom, security, and customization options that Linux offers, unlike those who settle for the limitations of Windows.

Furthermore, the video lacks critical analysis. It fails to address potential security risks or the impact on system performance when using WSL. It presents WSL as a perfect solution without acknowledging any downsides. This one-sided perspective does a disservice to viewers who deserve a more balanced and informed opinion.

The video's overemphasis on Windows compatibility is also disappointing. Instead of highlighting the benefits of using native Linux applications and tools, it focuses on running Windows applications within WSL. This narrow-minded approach fails to recognize the vast ecosystem of open-source software available on Linux, which far surpasses what Windows has to offer.
And let's not forget the Linux community. The video completely neglects to mention the collaborative nature of open-source development and the wealth of resources available to Linux users. The Linux community is a supportive and knowledgeable group that actively contributes to the growth and improvement of their operating system. It's a shame that the video fails to acknowledge the importance of community support.

Lastly, the video doesn't explore alternative options for running Linux on Windows, such as virtual machines or dual-boot setups. It presents WSL as the only viable solution, which is simply not true. There are multiple ways to experience the power of Linux on a Windows machine, and it's essential to consider all the possibilities before settling for a subpar solution like WSL.
It's plain frustrating to see videos like this that downplay the greatness of Linux and mislead viewers. Linux is a powerful, customizable, and secure operating system that deserves more recognition. Don't be swayed by the shallow arguments and lack of technical depth in videos like these. Embrace Linux and experience the true potential of open-source software.


Live free, own your operating system, don't be owned by it.

can you setup a dedicated IP address to the WSL ?

I Love WSL, use it daily and it's awesome!

where to get that t-shirt 👀

It's funny that Torvalds would say that Microsoft suck from "an OS perspective" given that no GNU/Linux OS to date is anywhere near as good as any Windows OS.
Yes, he had a point over the morality of Microsoft. But from the the perspective of simply wanting to use a computer to do all the things a computer can do, Windows pisses all over any GNUnix system!

There is some many good points using WSL2. But in performance, i saw my machine learning codes, running on GPU, faster ( A LOT) on windows only than on WSL2.

Wsl is so good. I tried dual booting. Had terrible experience, 1 min + boot times and what not. It was mistake by me but a huge turn off. Then I tried wsl. Boom opens up in 2 sec. Next js server builds in milliseconds but whereas in windows it takes 20-30 seconds. It's amazing