14 DAY TRIAL // With Windows 10 version 2004 just around the corner, Microsoft is getting ready to debut the new Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) 2 to users across the world.
And just as expected, the second-generation WSL comes with massive improvements, including the full Linux kernel that is integrated into the platform.
But there’s more coming to Windows 10 users on the Linux front, and more information in this regard was shared today at the Build developer conference.
First of all, it’s the Linux GUI apps that are making their debut into the world of Windows 10.
As many know already, the Windows Subsystem for Linux allowed for Linux apps to run on Windows 10 without a graphical user interface, and while this setback could be resolved with and X server that would take care of everything, it’s not a secret that the overall performance isn’t always the best.
So beginning with a future update, the Windows Subsystem for Linux would allow Linux GUI apps to run just side by side with Windows apps, so again, Microsoft brings together the best of the two worlds for one consistent experience in Windows 10.
Hello, GUI apps!
Needless to say, Microsoft is playing its card right on this one, and given the huge growth that Linux has recorded lately, there’s a chance such an update could slow down the transition from Windows.
“Support for Linux graphical user interface (GUI) apps will enable you to open a WSL instance and run a Linux GUI app directly without the need for a third-party X server. This will help you to run your favorite apps in a Linux environment such as an integrated development environment (IDE),” Microsoft announced today at build.
Additionally, Microsoft also bring GPU support for to WSL 2 for hardware acceleration that would obviously come with a series of benefits, including for machine learning and artificial intelligence development, as the company itself explains.
“Added support for graphics processing unit (GPU) compute workflows allows Linux tools to leverage GPUs to enable hardware acceleration for many development scenarios, such as parallel computation and training machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) models,” the company says.
GPU hardware acceleration
And there’s more coming on the Linux front in Windows 10. The Windows Subsystem for Linux will support a new install command that will make it easier for users to deploy Linux apps and use them on top of Windows 10.
This simplified installation process contributes to the overall refined experience with WSL, and Microsoft says that it’ll be easier for everyone to run a Linux app on Windows 10.
“WSL will soon support a simplified install experience by running the command ‘wsl.exe – install,’ which will make it easier than ever to start using Linux apps on Windows,” Microsoft says.
WSL 2 will be part of the next Windows 10 feature update, codenamed version 2004 and due later this month. However, some of the improvements here, such as the support for Linux GUI apps, wouldn’t be available out of the box, with the company to roll it out at a later time.
The GPU hardware acceleration is expected in the coming months, first as part of the builds released to users enrolled in the Windows Insider program and only then to production devices. The next-next Windows 10 feature update is due in the fall as version 2009, but it’s not yet clear if this is the target for the debut of this feature.
One thing is certain, though. Microsoft is very serious about mixing the world of Windows and Linux, and the WSL platform is just the right tool that the company uses not only to slow down the migration from Windows to Linux, but also to keep some of those committed to Linux on its own operating system.