If you're a web developer on Windows, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is essential. This tutorial walks you through understanding what WSL is, why you should use it, and how to install and configure it for development.
Note: This guide is for Windows only. If you're on macOS, you already have a Unix-based terminal, so you can skip this tutorial and move on to the next one in the series.
Do I really need WSL?
Short answer: Yes, if you're doing web development on Windows.
Most web development tools, packages, and tutorials assume a Unix-based environment (Linux or macOS). While you can develop on Windows using PowerShell or cmd.exe, you'll constantly run into compatibility issues with package managers, build tools, and open-source projects that assume a Unix shell. WSL lets you run Linux directly on Windows without the overhead of a virtual machine.
What exactly is WSL?
Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a compatibility layer that allows you to run a genuine Linux environment directly on Windows. It runs a real Linux kernel in a lightweight virtual machine while remaining tightly integrated with Windows—you get the speed and compatibility of Linux with the convenience of Windows.
What's a Linux distribution (distro)?
A Linux distribution is a packaged version of the Linux kernel bundled with specific tools, package managers, and system utilities. Common distributions include Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and Alpine. For development, Ubuntu is the most beginner-friendly and widely supported choice.
Why WSL instead of dual-booting Linux?
Dual-booting lets you choose your OS at startup, but you can't use Windows and Linux simultaneously without rebooting. WSL gives you both environments running at the same time with seamless file access between them. You get the best of both worlds.
Why WSL instead of a virtual machine (VM)?
VMs use more system resources (CPU, RAM, storage) than WSL. WSL is lightweight, boots faster, and integrates better with Windows. If you're resource-constrained or want a quick development environment, WSL is superior.
Do I lose anything by using WSL?
WSL gives you a Linux shell and command-line tools, but it doesn't run a full graphical Linux desktop by default. You'll still use Windows for your GUI applications (VS Code, browsers, etc.) and access Linux through the terminal. This is exactly what most developers want.
💻 Install Windows Terminal (Recommended)
Windows Terminal is Microsoft's modern terminal application. Instead of using the default Windows PowerShell or cmd.exe, Windows Terminal provides a cleaner, more customizable experience with multiple tabs, themes, and seamless WSL integration.
What's a Terminal? As explained in FAQ: Operating Systems, Terminals & Shells, a terminal is the application that runs a shell (the command-line interpreter). Windows Terminal is the container app, while Bash/Zsh/PowerShell are the shells inside it. See that FAQ for deeper explanation.
Install from Microsoft Store:
- Open the Microsoft Store (search "Microsoft Store" in the Windows Start menu)
- Search for "Windows Terminal"
- Click "Install"
That's it! Once installed, Windows Terminal is ready to use. You'll use it to run the WSL installation command in the next section. After WSL is installed, Windows Terminal will automatically recognize Ubuntu as an available shell profile.
💻 Install WSL
These instructions are for Windows 10 (Build 19041+) or Windows 11.
Step 1: Check Your Windows Version
Press Win + R, type winver, and press Enter. You need:
- Windows 10: Version 21H2 or later (Build 19041 or higher)
- Windows 11: Any version
If you need to update, go to Settings → System → About → Windows Update.
Step 2: Enable WSL
Open Windows Terminal as Administrator:
- Right-click the Windows Terminal icon (in Start menu or taskbar)
- Select "Run as Administrator"
- You may see a prompt asking "Do you want to allow this app to make changes?" — click "Yes"
Once Windows Terminal opens with admin privileges, you'll see a command prompt. Regardless of which shell it displays (PowerShell, cmd.exe, or another), the wsl --install command works in any of them. Simply paste or type:
wsl --install
This single command will:
- Enable WSL and the Virtual Machine Platform feature
- Download and install Ubuntu (the default distro)
- Automatically configure the latest version for you
Note: If you see an error about virtualization, you may need to enable it in your BIOS. Restart your computer, enter BIOS (usually by pressing F2, F10, DEL, or ESC during startup — varies by manufacturer), and look for "Virtualization" or "Intel VT-x" / "AMD-V" and enable it.
Step 3: Restart Your Computer
WSL requires a system restart. Do this now.
Step 4: Complete Ubuntu Setup
After restarting, Ubuntu may launch automatically, or you may need to launch it manually:
If Ubuntu launches automatically: You'll see a terminal window prompt you to create a username and password. Skip to the next section.
If Ubuntu doesn't launch automatically: Open Windows Terminal, click the dropdown arrow in the toolbar, and select "Ubuntu" to launch the setup.
Either way, you'll see a setup prompt:
Installing, this may take a few minutes...
Please create a default UNIX user account. The username does not need to match your Windows user name.
For more information visit: https://aka.ms/wsluserstore
Enter new UNIX username: [type your username]
New password: [type a password]
Retype new password: [confirm password]
Choose a simple username (e.g., dev or your first name). Remember this password — you'll need it for administrative tasks in WSL.
Step 5: Verify Installation
In the Ubuntu terminal that's now open, verify everything works:
wsl --version
You should see output showing WSL version 2.x.
Also verify your Linux distribution:
lsb_release -a
You should see Ubuntu information.
Sources / additional material:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/about
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/setup/environment
Step 6: Configure Windows Terminal for Ubuntu
Now that WSL and Ubuntu are installed, you can use Windows Terminal to access your Linux environment. Open Windows Terminal and you'll see a dropdown arrow in the top toolbar — click it and select "Ubuntu" to launch your WSL bash shell.
Set Ubuntu as Default (Optional): If you want Ubuntu to open automatically when you launch Windows Terminal, go to Settings (Ctrl+,), find "Startup" in the left sidebar, and set "Default profile" to "Ubuntu".
Configure WSL for Development
Update Your Linux Packages
WSL comes with Ubuntu, but the package lists may be outdated. Run:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y
The sudo command runs commands with administrator privileges. You'll be prompted for your password (the one you created in Step 4).
Install Essential Build Tools
Most web development depends on a C/C++ compiler. Install it:
sudo apt install build-essential -y
This installs gcc, g++, make, and other tools needed to compile native packages.
(Optional) Install Git
If you don't have Git installed on your Windows machine, install it in WSL:
sudo apt install git -y
Note: You can use either the Windows version or WSL version of Git. I recommend installing it in both places so you have flexibility.
(Optional) Install Node.js (via nvm)
Many web tutorials use Node.js. The easiest way to manage Node versions is with nvm (Node Version Manager):
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.0/install.sh | bash
Then reload your shell:
source ~/.bashrc
Install Node.js:
nvm install node
Verify:
node --version
npm --version
Access Your Files
WSL and Windows share a file system, but you need to know the paths:
From WSL, Access Windows Files
Your Windows C: drive is mounted at /mnt/c/ in WSL:
cd /mnt/c/Users/YourUsername/Documents
From Windows, Access WSL Files
Your WSL home directory is located at:
\\wsl$\Ubuntu\home\username\
Open File Explorer and type this path in the address bar. You can also open it with explorer.exe ~ from the WSL terminal.
Best Practice
Keep your development projects in WSL's home directory (~/projects/ or similar), not in Windows. This avoids file permission issues and improves performance.
Troubleshooting
WSL Doesn't Start / "Command Not Found"
Make sure you ran wsl --install in PowerShell as Administrator, not cmd.exe or a regular PowerShell window.
"Virtualization is not enabled"
You need to enable virtualization in your BIOS. Restart your computer, enter BIOS (varies by manufacturer), and look for "Virtualization" or "VT-x" / "AMD-V".
WSL Is Slow
This might mean you're accessing files across the Windows/WSL boundary. Keep your projects in WSL's home directory, not /mnt/c/.
Forgot Your WSL Password
In PowerShell, reset it with:
wsl --user root
passwd username
Then exit and log back in as your regular user.
Sources / additional material:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/about
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/setup/environment
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/troubleshoot/common-issues
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/setup/windows-terminal
This article was generated with AI for the purpose of providing practical information. I have reviewed it for accuracy and edited it appropriately.