Linux on Windows The EASY Way - WSL2 & VS Code

Windows Subsystem for Linux is a powerful tool that lets you run Linux in a Windows system. It enables shared folders, seamless integration with your existing environment and all of the conveniences, tools and features that you're used to.

00:00 - Overview of WSL2
01:48 - Installation
03:34 - Logging In & Testing
04:54 - VS Code
06:24 - Outro

[MarcMcMillin]

I"m exited to use this with Terraform! Thanks Jim 🙂

[JonBrookes]

Hey Jim, thanks for covering this essential tool. WSL is simply tops. I use it all the time. Being a user of Linux back to pre Y2k and when it was all on floppies, I used to run on bare metal to get the best Linux exp but since WSL1, I switched to Wintel as a primary driver as it gives the best of both worlds, a true Linux kernel and shell, not a port or something not quite there as in Darwin on mac or Cygwin on windows ( althought the 2 are chalk and chees but they were the alternatives before WSL unless you just installed virutalbox or something like ) and up to date versions of all packages using something I know like apt, yum or whatever is the main Linux package manager. It makes me so happy.

[ws_stelzi]

Don't forget that Ansible runs in WSL2 which hasn't any way to run itself natively on Windows.

[davidgulbransen]

I absolutely would use WSL if I still daily drove Windows. I use a MacBook as my primary device these days, so all I have to do is make sure that I use Homebrew to get the “real” versions of packages like sed, etc (not the BSD versions or just super duper old versions of packages that Apple includes in macOS).

[sMadaras]

What’s happening with a WSL instance after rebooting the Windows? One has to install everything from scratch?

[isrbillmeyer]

Tried it - and... no... don't do it.
Git Bash, Windows, WSL2 all different home directories etc and eventually you will break something. Do it the other way around.

[EarthStarz]

I prefer spending around 10 seconds firing up a Linux VM on Windows when needed.

[NetBandit]

2024 is the year of the Linux desktop. Microsoft seems to barely care about their flagship product; all they care about is spying, advertising, and Azure. Just dump Windows or use it only as a Wintendo.

[DV-mlfm]

No thanks. I prefer a real linux distro and not a linux subsystem inside windows.

[sthysel]

Yea nah. I've got no use for windows, who still uses that rubbish ?