WSL 2.0 will be released in Windows Insider builds later this year. Users will still be able to choose a linux distro via the Windows Store, or through side-loading a custom distribution package.
The use of a Linux kernel as a Windows component will bring I/O performance to the filesystem, better Linux compatibility, and the ability to run Docker containers natively on Windows, negating the need to use a VM.Ĭompared to the previous version, WSL 2.0 does not provide packages of userspace binaries. SEE: Implementing DevOps: A guide for IT pros (free PDF) (TechRepublic) This is the first time that Microsoft has shipped a Linux kernel as a Windows component.
WSL 2.0 uses a custom Microsoft-built Linux kernel, initially based on version 4.19–the same kernel used in Azure. Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) 2.0 is a significant re-architecture of the WSL feature first introduced in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update (Version 1607). What is Windows Subsystem for Linux 2.0, and how does it affect developers? Windows Terminal also introduces a new open-source font, which will be available in a separate repository. Windows Terminal is open source and is available on GitHub, as a preview. SEE: Tips for building a successful career as a software engineer (free PDF) (TechRepublic)Īccording to the release announcement, it also includes “a GPU accelerated DirectWrite/DirectX-based text rendering engine,” making it possible to render “display text characters, glyphs, and symbols present within fonts on your PC, including CJK ideograms, emoji, powerline symbols, icons, programming ligatures, etc.” Windows Terminal adds support for multiple tabs, combining the different types of command shells noted above–you can have a PowerShell instance in one tab, a CMD instance in another, and a Linux shell (typically bash, depending on the distribution and default settings) in another. Windows Terminal combines the legacy Windows Command Prompt (CMD) introduced with Windows NT with Windows PowerShell, the modern command-line shell and scripting environment introduced in Windows 7, and the command-line interface in guest Linux environments running in WSL, as well as external devices like a Raspberry Pi via SSH. How to find and install the new Windows 11 22H2 update What is Windows Terminal, and how does it affect developers? Must-read developer coverage Foremost among these include version 2.0 of the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), making the Linux kernel a component of Windows 10 for the first time, and Windows Terminal–a new terminal application which combines the classic Windows Command Prompt, PowerShell, and WSL. Windows, as a product, is taking a backseat to Linux at the Microsoft Build developer conference, with Microsoft announcing new utilities to make life easier for developers using Windows workstations to write code targeted for Linux servers.