Ubuntu 16.04 LTS On Windows 10
For many years Windows has been considered “bad for programming” if you don’t develop in a Microsoft stack, like .NET. The main alternatives are Linux and macOS. The thing is not every developer can adapt easily to Linux, or can afford a Mac. Sometimes you just want all your software to run without a dual boot, VMs or compatibility layers (like Wine for Linux). And that’s where Windows enters in.
To maintain the best of both worlds — Unix and Windows — people usually use Windows with a Linux VM, which can cost lots of CPU and memory. How to keep the best of both worlds without virtual machines or dual boot?
Ubuntu on Windows allows one to use Ubuntu Terminal and run Ubuntu command line utilities including bash, ssh, git, apt and many more. Note that Windows 10 S does not support running this app.
Before installing Ubuntu on Windows or before the first run ,open the Control Panel, visit Programs and Features submenu Turn Windows features on or off and select Windows Subsystem for Linux. Click OK, reboot, and then your system is ready to run this app.
Instead of the above steps You can set up your system by executing the following command in the Administrator PowerShell prompt: Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux
When your system is ready simply start “ubuntu” in cmd.exe or launch Ubuntu from the start menu.
This app installs the Ubuntu 16.04 LTS release on Windows.
Have Fun !
Even though WSL is good, it is not perfect yet. There are some performance issues, especially with I/O. To solve these problems, you’ll probably have to spend some time searching and tweaking settings for your use. Once you have configured your environment, you should have a smooth, convenient and stable hybrid (Windows + Linux) development environment.
As I mentioned before, WSL is getting better and better each Windows update, and I/O has been being a major WSL concern, shown by the last patches.
Windows Isn’t Bad Anymore
Yes, Windows was bad for programming before. But that is definitely false in 2019. Microsoft has been making up the lost ground for non-Windows developers.
If you want to give WSL a try, follow this Microsoft guide. It should be up and running in a couple of minutes. To obtain the maximum performance, disable Windows Defender while using it.
