How to Install a Linux Terminal on a Windows PC using Windows Subsystem for Linux

#programming #devops #codenewbie #linux

Introduction:

You may have used the linux terminal once, currently have a linux OS running on your computer or new to the term "Linux" and haven't used the OS (operating system) before because you use a Mac or Windows but curious as to how it works, what it looks like, how to interract with it and the likes, this article is just exactly what you need.

This article will focus on how you can install a "Linux Terminal" into your Windows OS which will thereby enable you to use "Linux Terminal Commands" to perform tasks, script processes and so on without having to install a whole Linux OS just to do basic and complex linux processes or tasks. In addition, this causes no issues in our Windows Operating System and it is safe to say:

The Installation of a Linux Terminal into your windows OS causes no harm whatsoever to your Computer or Files. Infact, latest releases of the Windows OS such as 11 and 10 (The versions i have tried it in) are in support of it as you will see later in the article

What is WSL?

WSL simply means Windows Subsystem For Linux and it is a functionality being provided by Windows themselves but hidden to most basic Windows users. This is what I am referring to when I said installing the linux terminal into Windows. Yes.. Yes.. Yes.. and I know some of us are already saying "I know how to do it". 🙂🙂

If you are still reading this then you are interested in knowing how it works. Now that you know what we are about to do, Let's not waste any more time and let's dive right in.

System Requirements for WSL:

To run WSL here are the system requirements needed.

Windows Version: WSL is available on Windows 10 and later versions, including Windows Server.
64-bit Windows: WSL requires a 64-bit version of Windows.
Windows Build Version: Different versions of WSL have different requirements:
Virtualization: WSL 2 requires virtualization technology to be enabled in the BIOS/UEFI settings of your computer.
Hardware Virtualization: Your CPU should support hardware virtualization
Minimum RAM: While there isn't a strict minimum, having at least 2GB of RAM is recommended for smooth operation.
Disk Space: The space required depends on the Linux distribution you install, but you should have a minimum of 1GB of free space.

Let us Install:

The very first step in the installation process is to open up your Windows Start Menu and search for "Turn Windows Features On or OFF" and click on it.

Search Windows Features:

Now that you have clicked on it, you should be presented with a window that look like the image below. Scroll down till you find the option for "Windows Subsystem for Linux". Turn it On.

Activate WSL:

We now have the option turned on. The next step will be to restart your computer and open your windows powershell as an administrator.
in the powershell, type in this command: wsl --install -d Ubuntu

Note: For advanced and Experienced users, after the -d you can specify any Linux Distro of choice. Example: wsl --install -d Debian and to get a list of avaiable Distros to install, use this command: wsl --list --online

Here is a Visual:

Install The Terminal and follow the installation guide

At this point if you followed the installation process from the promt, you should have no issues.
you can now start your Linux terminal by calling the bash shell from your powershell using bash or by calling wsl -d (Distro name)