Fedora Linux Achieves Official WSL Distro Support

Introduction to the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a groundbreaking feature that allows developers to run Linux alongside Windows on their systems without the need for a traditional virtual machine. This capability enables users to seamlessly access and operate various popular Linux distributions, such as Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, Kali, and Debian, while still utilizing Windows applications.

Fedora Linux Joins the WSL Family

In a significant announcement today, Microsoft introduced official support for Fedora Linux as a WSL distribution. This development is made possible through WSL’s innovative tar-based architecture, with the initial release focusing on Fedora 42. The team behind Fedora is also actively working on enhancements that will allow GUI applications to leverage hardware acceleration on Windows and improve the overall Flatpak experience.

Steps to Install Fedora Linux on WSL

Installing Fedora Linux on WSL is straightforward. Developers can execute the following commands in their terminal:

wsl --install FedoraLinux-42
wsl --d FedoraLinux-42

After installation, users can set up their username and quickly start using Fedora. Notably, by default, users will not need a password and will be automatically added to the wheel group, granting them the privileges to use sudo for executing commands that require elevated permissions.

Flatpak and Popular Tools in Fedora on WSL

It’s important to note that Flatpak support is not included in the default Fedora WSL setup, meaning that users will need to install it independently if desired. Microsoft has emphasized the Fedora community’s commitment to providing access to a myriad of popular development tools within the Fedora WSL image. Current offerings include essential tools such as GCC 15, LLVM 20, Golang 1.24, Ruby 3.4, PHP 8.4, and Python 3.9, among others.

Conclusion: Expanding WSL Capabilities

The inclusion of Fedora Linux significantly enhances the versatility of the WSL platform, presenting developers with yet another highly-regarded Linux distribution to utilize directly within their Windows environment. The ongoing efforts from the Fedora community are poised to deliver further enhancements and a richer toolset in the near future, making WSL an even more attractive option for developers.

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