Double your Windows computer's capabilities by Installing Windows Subsystem Linux (WSL)

Modern work rewards people who move fast, automate relentlessly, and understand systems under the hood. Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) turns an ordinary Windows computer into a serious technical workstation without dual-booting, without expensive hardware, and without friction.

Configuring WSL is one of those quiet upgrades that compounds. Tasks finish faster. Learning accelerates. You stop fighting your operating system and start using it as leverage. This guide walks through installing and configuring WSL so your Windows machine becomes a powerful Linux environment you can rely on every day.

What We’re Installing and What It’s For

Windows Subsystem for Linux allows Linux distributions to run directly on Windows with near-native performance. It provides a real Linux kernel, full package management, and native access to Linux tools such as bash, SSH, Git, Docker, Python, and Ansible.

This setup is ideal for developers, IT professionals, home lab builders, students, and anyone who wants Linux power without abandoning Windows productivity tools. One machine. Two worlds. No compromise.

Deployment Platform

This tutorial is written specifically for deploying WSL2 on a modern Windows system. It applies to:

• Windows 11 (recommended)
• Windows 10 version 22H2 or newer

WSL runs locally on your Windows computer and does not require a separate server or hypervisor installation.

Equipment and Requirements

• A Windows desktop or laptop
• 64-bit CPU with virtualization support
• At least 8 GB RAM recommended
• Administrative access to Windows
• Internet connectivity for package installation

No additional hardware is required. This works equally well on a work laptop, personal PC, or home lab workstation.

Enable Required Windows Features

Open PowerShell as Administrator and enable WSL and virtualization support:

wsl --install

This command enables required Windows features, installs the Linux kernel, and sets WSL2 as the default version.

Restart the system when prompted.

Install a Linux Distribution

After reboot, install a Linux distribution from the Microsoft Store. Ubuntu LTS is the most widely supported option.

Launch the distribution and complete initial setup:

• Create a Linux username
• Set a secure password

This account is independent of your Windows user and operates like a standard Linux system.

Update and Harden the Linux Environment

Once inside the Linux shell, update the system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Install common tools:

sudo apt install -y build-essential curl git unzip htop

You now have a fully functional Linux environment running side-by-side with Windows.

File System Access Between Windows and Linux

WSL automatically mounts Windows drives inside Linux:

/mnt/c

This allows seamless file sharing between Windows applications and Linux tools. Projects can be edited in Windows editors and executed inside Linux without copying files.

Linux files are also accessible from Windows using:

\\wsl$\Ubuntu

Networking: Local and Internet Access

Local Network Access

WSL uses a virtual network interface. Services running inside Linux can be accessed from Windows using localhost:

http://localhost:3000

This is ideal for development servers, APIs, dashboards, and local services.

Access from Other Devices

To expose WSL services to your home network, forward ports from Windows to WSL:

netsh interface portproxy add v4tov4 listenport=8080 listenaddress=0.0.0.0 connectport=8080 connectaddress=WSL_IP

Allow the port through Windows Firewall:

New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "WSL Port 8080" -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 8080 -Action Allow

Internet Access and DNS Considerations

For internet access, a domain name can be pointed to your Windows machine’s public IP. Port forwarding on the router should forward external ports to the Windows host.

• External 80 → Windows 80
• External 443 → Windows 443

Windows then proxies traffic into WSL. Using a reverse proxy such as Nginx inside WSL allows HTTPS, routing, and service isolation.

Installing Docker Inside WSL

WSL is ideal for container-based workflows. Install Docker inside Linux:

sudo apt install -y docker.io docker-compose
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER

This enables modern development, automation, and self-hosted applications directly on a Windows machine.

Security and Best Practices

• Keep WSL updated regularly
• Use SSH keys instead of passwords
• Restrict exposed ports
• Use HTTPS for any internet-facing service
• Back up important Linux directories

Why This Setup Changes How You Work

WSL quietly removes friction. You stop switching machines. You stop waiting on slow virtual machines. You stop avoiding Linux because it feels inconvenient.

This configuration turns a Windows PC into a serious workstation — one that supports learning, building, and earning without limits. It is the kind of setup that makes everything else easier.

Bonus: List of Top 5 Linux tools you can now use to navigate windows and 10 Productivity FOSS (Free and Open Source Software) You should Start Running at Home.

grep "error" /var/log/syslog
grep -R "Listen 80" /etc
command | grep keyword

sed 's/old/new/g' file.txt
sed -i 's/foo/bar/g' *.conf

awk '{print $1, $3}' file.txt
awk -F: '{print $1}' /etc/passwd

find /var/log -name "*.log"
find . -type f -mtime -1

find . -name "*.tmp" | xargs rm
cat users.txt | xargs -n 1 echo