Windows Subsystem for Linux 2, or WSL 2, places a genuine Linux kernel inside a lightweight virtual machine running within Windows. The result is a way to use Linux applications and perform Linux-based tasks from Windows without dual-booting or replacing the operating system.
That convenience can make WSL look like an effort to make conventional Linux unnecessary for Windows users. In practice, it can produce that result for some people by providing Linux’s useful components without requiring them to adopt the entire operating system. But replacing desktop Linux was not the system’s original purpose.
Microsoft’s 2016 announcement made WSL’s primary audience clear: developers. The project addressed the needs of Windows-based developers who required open-source tools available only on Linux. Adding Ubuntu to Windows and integrating Linux capabilities gave those developers a more practical reason to keep Windows as their main platform.
The first version of WSL was not a serious replacement for a Linux desktop. Its disk input and output performance was poor, it offered neither a graphical desktop environment nor graphical applications, and it was not included in Windows by default.
WSL was designed for people who needed Linux software but could not necessarily choose Linux as their operating system. Many of those users work for organizations built around Windows and other Microsoft services. A developer or free and open-source software contributor may need to deploy code to a Linux server or repository, for example, and WSL allows that work to happen on one computer while the user remains on Windows.
A company-issued ThinkPad running Windows illustrates the situation. If workplace policy or an IT department prevents the employee from dual-booting or replacing the operating system, WSL provides access to the Linux tools and software the employee needs while remaining within the Microsoft-controlled environment the organization has adopted.
The changes in WSL 2 make more sense when viewed as part of that broader development workflow. In a 2019 announcement, Microsoft described a major revision that addressed many of the original version’s shortcomings, particularly slow drive performance. That limitation could substantially increase compilation times, a serious problem for developers.
WSL 2 introduced a fundamental architectural change by using a real Linux kernel. That change also made it possible to use applications such as Docker. Microsoft’s VS Code integrates closely with WSL, and the official WSL documentation describes the arrangement this way: "The Visual Studio Code WSL extension lets you use the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) as your full-time development environment right from VS Code. You can develop in a Linux-based environment, use Linux-specific toolchains and utilities, and run and debug your Linux-based applications all from the comfort of Windows."
For a developer already using VS Code on Windows, the appeal of WSL is therefore straightforward. Combining Linux and Windows graphical applications on a single desktop can also deliver a substantial productivity benefit, although that arrangement is still different from running a complete Linux desktop.
Microsoft also has practical reasons to make Linux work well on Windows. It is easy to imagine the company and Linux as natural opponents, but Linux is present in Microsoft’s own environment, including at least some of the servers in its data centers. Windows also contains open-source components. Steve Ballmer, who once famously called Linux a "cancer," later came to "loves it," according to a 2016 report by ZDNET.
Microsoft’s relationship with Linux and organizations such as Canonical does not need to be explained only through goodwill. WSL can reduce the number of developers who leave Windows for a complete Linux installation. It can also help businesses that pay Microsoft millions of dollars each month remain within the Windows ecosystem while using Linux capabilities.
Microsoft expanded that integration in September 2026 by announcing that WSL containers would become widely available. The company said: "WSL is central to our commitment to making Windows the best place to build, run and manage Linux workloads. As AI, cloud-native development, containers, and open-source ecosystems continue to converge on Linux, more developers are choosing to perform these workloads directly on Windows devices. We’re continuing our journey towards this goal with a new feature in WSL: WSL containers . . ."
The container announcement moves WSL toward an even more seamless combination of Windows and Linux. It enables native Windows applications to interact with Linux in ways that would previously have been difficult to imagine, while still extending Microsoft’s role in the tools and workflows developers use.
WSL and WSL 2 remain notable software-engineering projects regardless of whether someone prefers Windows or Linux. Jordan Gloor, described as a committed Linux enthusiast, considers WSL good but not sufficient to bring him back to Windows. Another colleague, David Deloney, has explained why WSL suits him, despite also being characterized as a dedicated Linux user.
For anyone with a Windows computer, trying WSL is relatively easy. The experience may lead some users to see it as the best of both worlds for a particular kind of workflow. At the same time, its purpose and business value for Microsoft do not require it to threaten Linux itself.
