It was Build 2016 When Microsoft first announced the release of Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) on Windows.
In case you are not familiar, WSL allows developers to execute native, unmodified Linux command-line tools and apps directly, alongside other Windows apps and tools.
In the past few years, more and more users have taken advantage of WSL on their machines resulting in 3.5 million monthly active devices today.
At Build 2020, Microsoft shared what users can expect from WSL in the coming months and how they have made it better than ever before.
Here is a short summary of the announcements made at Build 2020.
Available this month
- Support for Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL 2) distros is coming this month in the Windows 10 May 2020 Update.
- Docker Desktop released a new version using WSL 2 as their backend.
Current roadmap: What’s coming to WSL
- You’ll soon be able to install WSL with a single command. Just open a Windows Terminal and enter
wsl.exe –install
- WSL 2 will be the new default when installing for the first time.
- WSL will support GPU Compute workflows.
- Adding Linux GUI app support to WSL.
You can head over to this page for a detailed overview of all the features.