Historically, running Linux on a Windows machine required one of two approaches:

Installing Linux directly on hardware (potentially dual-booting)
Running Linux inside a Virtual Machine

All approaches work, but they introduce additional complexity and resource usage.

Microsoft introduced Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) to allow Linux environments to run directly on Windows.

What Is WSL?

WSL allows Linux distributions to run on a Windows system without requiring a traditional Virtual Machine.

Conceptually:

Windows
↓
WSL
↓
Linux Distribution

This allows users to access:

Linux commands
Linux tools
Linux shells
Linux development environments

without leaving Windows.

Why WSL Exists

Many developers, engineers and security professionals prefer Linux tools.

Examples:

grep
awk
sed
curl
ssh

Instead of maintaining a separate Linux machine, WSL allows these tools to run directly on Windows.

WSL vs Virtual Machines

Virtual Machine

Windows
    ↓
Hypervisor
    ↓
Linux VM

Advantages:

Strong isolation
Full operating system
Independent environment

Disadvantages:

More RAM usage
More CPU usage
Larger storage requirements

WSL

Windows
↓
WSL
↓
Linux Environment

Advantages:

Lightweight
Fast startup
Easy installation
Minimal resource consumption

Disadvantages:

Less isolated than a traditional VM
Shares resources with Windows
Not always identical to a standalone Linux system

WSL Versions

WSL1

The original implementation.

Used a compatibility layer to translate Linux system calls into Windows operations.

Linux Calls
    ↓
Translation Layer
    ↓
Windows

WSL2

The modern implementation.

Uses a lightweight virtualized Linux kernel.

Windows
      ↓
Lightweight VM
      ↓
Linux Kernel
      ↓
Linux Distribution

WSL2 provides significantly better Linux compatibility and is the recommended option.

Why Operators Use WSL

WSL allows operators to access Linux tools without leaving Windows.

Examples:

nmap
ssh
curl
python
git

This is especially useful for:

Development
Automation
Scripting
Networking
Security research

Many operators use Windows as their primary workstation while leveraging Linux tooling through WSL.

Installing WSL

Open an elevated PowerShell:

wsl --install

Reboot when prompted.

After installation:

wsl --list --online

View available distributions.

Install Ubuntu:

wsl --install -d Ubuntu

Launch Ubuntu:

wsl

ubuntu

Useful WSL Commands

List installed distributions:

wsl -l -v

Shutdown WSL:

wsl --shutdown

Start a distribution:

wsl

Open a specific distribution:

wsl -d Ubuntu

Update WSL:

wsl --update

Accessing Files

Windows can access Linux files.

Linux files are typically located at:

\\wsl$\

Example:

\\wsl$\Ubuntu\home\student

Likewise, Linux can access Windows drives:

/mnt/c
/mnt/d

Example:

cd /mnt/c/Users/Student/Desktop