How to use the command 'wsl' (with examples)

The ‘wsl’ command is used to manage the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), which allows running a Linux environment natively on Windows. It provides various functionalities to start a Linux shell, run Linux commands, specify distributions, list available distributions, export/import distributions, change the version of WSL used, and shut down WSL.

Use case 1: Start a Linux shell (in the default distribution)

Code:

wsl shell_command

Motivation: Starting a Linux shell allows users to work with their preferred Linux environment and utilize its command-line tools and utilities.

Explanation:

• ‘wsl’: The command used to manage the Windows Subsystem for Linux.
• ‘shell_command’: The Linux shell command to run after starting the shell.

Example output:

wsl ls -l

This will start the default Linux distribution’s shell and execute the ’ls -l’ command, listing the files and directories in the current directory.

Use case 2: Run a Linux command without using a shell

Code:

wsl --exec command command_arguments

Motivation: Running Linux commands directly without using a shell can be useful for running automated scripts or executing specific tasks without interactive shell behavior.

Explanation:

• ‘wsl’: The command used to manage the Windows Subsystem for Linux.
• ‘–exec’: A flag to indicate running a Linux command directly without using a shell.
• ‘command’: The Linux command to execute.
• ‘command_arguments’: The arguments to pass to the command.

Example output:

wsl --exec echo "Hello, World!"

This will execute the ’echo “Hello, World!”’ command in the default Linux distribution without starting a shell, resulting in the output “Hello, World!”.

Use case 3: Specify a particular distribution

Code:

wsl --distribution distribution shell_command

Motivation: In case multiple Linux distributions are installed, specifying a particular distribution allows running commands or opening a shell in a specific environment.

Explanation:

• ‘wsl’: The command used to manage the Windows Subsystem for Linux.
• ‘–distribution’: A flag to indicate the specific distribution to use.
• ‘distribution’: The name of the distribution to use.
• ‘shell_command’: The Linux shell command to run after starting the shell.

Example output:

wsl --distribution Ubuntu ls /

This will start the Ubuntu distribution’s shell and execute the ’ls /’ command, listing the files and directories in the root directory.

Use case 4: List available distributions

Code:

wsl --list

Motivation: Listing available distributions provides an overview of installed Linux distributions on the Windows Subsystem for Linux.

Example output:

wsl --list

This will list all the available Linux distributions installed on the Windows Subsystem for Linux.

Use case 5: Export a distribution to a .tar file

Code:

wsl --export distribution path\to\distro_file.tar

Motivation: Exporting a distribution allows creating a backup or transferring it to another machine.

Explanation:

• ‘wsl’: The command used to manage the Windows Subsystem for Linux.
• ‘–export’: A flag to indicate exporting a distribution.
• ‘distribution’: The name of the distribution to export.
• ‘path\to\distro_file.tar’: The path and filename of the .tar file to export the distribution to.

Example output:

wsl --export Ubuntu C:\Users\Username\Ubuntu.tar

This will export the Ubuntu distribution to the ‘C:\Users\Username\Ubuntu.tar’ file.

Use case 6: Import a distribution from a .tar file

Code:

wsl --import distribution path\to\install_location path/to/distro_file.tar

Motivation: Importing a distribution allows installing and using a previously exported distribution on another machine or restoring a backup.

Explanation:

• ‘wsl’: The command used to manage the Windows Subsystem for Linux.
• ‘–import’: A flag to indicate importing a distribution.
• ‘distribution’: The name of the distribution to import.
• ‘path\to\install_location’: The path where the distribution will be installed.
• ‘path/to/distro_file.tar’: The path and filename of the .tar file containing the distribution to import.

Example output:

wsl --import Ubuntu-2 C:\WSL\Ubuntu-2 C:\Users\Username\Ubuntu.tar

This will import the Ubuntu distribution from the ‘C:\Users\Username\Ubuntu.tar’ file and install it in the ‘C:\WSL\Ubuntu-2’ directory.

Use case 7: Change the version of WSL used for the specified distribution

Code:

wsl --set-version distribution version

Motivation: Changing the WSL version for a distribution allows taking advantage of new features and improvements introduced in different versions of WSL.

Explanation:

• ‘wsl’: The command used to manage the Windows Subsystem for Linux.
• ‘–set-version’: A flag to indicate changing the WSL version.
• ‘distribution’: The name of the distribution to modify.
• ‘version’: The desired version of WSL to use (1 or 2).

Example output:

wsl --set-version Ubuntu 2

This will change the WSL version of the Ubuntu distribution to version 2.

Use case 8: Shut down Windows Subsystem for Linux

Code:

wsl --shutdown

Motivation: Shutting down the Windows Subsystem for Linux allows stopping all running environments and freeing up system resources.

Example output:

wsl --shutdown

This will shut down all running Linux distributions on the Windows Subsystem for Linux.