Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) allows you to run a Linux distribution directly on Windows without the overhead of a traditional virtual machine or dual-boot setup. Here are some commonly used commands and operations related to WSL:

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Here is a list of some of the most common WSL commands:

• wsl: This command will start a new WSL session.
• wsl -l: This command will list all of the installed WSL distributions.
• wsl -d <distribution name>: This command will start a new WSL session using the specified distribution.
• wsl --shutdown: This command will shut down all running WSL sessions.
• wsl --terminate <distribution name>: This command will terminate the WSL session for the specified distribution.
• wsl --set-version <version number>: This command will set the default WSL version.
• wsl --status: This command will display the status of all running WSL sessions.
• wsl --import <distribution name> <tarball path>: This command will import a new WSL distribution from a tarball file.
• wsl --export <distribution name> <export path>: This command will export a WSL distribution to a tarball file.
• wsl --mount <source path> <mount point>: This command will mount a Windows file system path to a WSL mount point.
• wsl --unmount <mount point>: This command will unmount a WSL mount point.
• wsl --default <distribution name>: This command will set the default WSL distribution.

WSL Management Commands

1. List installed WSL distributions:wsl --list or wsl -l
2. List all distributions, including those that aren’t currently installed:wsl --list --all or wsl -l -a
3. Set a default distribution (this is the distribution that will be used if you just type wsl into the command prompt):wsl --setdefault <DistributionName>
4. Set version of WSL for a distribution (WSL 1 or WSL 2):wsl --set-version <DistributionName> <VersionNumber>
5. Terminate a running WSL distribution:wsl --terminate <DistributionName>
6. Shutdown all running WSL instances:wsl --shutdown
7. Install a new distribution (this command will install the distribution but allow you to set up a new user, etc., later):wsl --install -d <DistributionName>
8. Unregister and remove a distribution (WARNING: This will remove the Linux distribution from WSL and also delete the user account and data): wsl --unregister <DistributionName>

General WSL Commands

1. Open a new WSL terminal window: Simply type wsl into the command prompt or PowerShell.
2. Run a Linux command without entering the WSL terminal:wsl <LinuxCommand> For example, to list files in the Linux home directory:wsl ls -la ~
3. Access Windows files from WSL: In WSL, your Windows drives are mounted under the /mnt directory. So, for example, your C drive would be available at /mnt/c/. cd /mnt/c/Users/<YourWindowsUsername>/
4. Access WSL files from Windows: For WSL 2, you can access the Linux file system by navigating to \\wsl$\<DistributionName> in File Explorer.

Configuration

1. Edit WSL settings: WSL configurations can be modified by editing the file: C:\Users\<YourWindowsUsername>\.wslconfig

Rajesh Kumar

I’m a DevOps/SRE/DevSecOps/Cloud Expert passionate about sharing knowledge and experiences. I am working at Cotocus. I blog tech insights at DevOps School, travel stories at Holiday Landmark, stock market tips at Stocks Mantra, health and fitness guidance at My Medic Plus, product reviews at I reviewed , and SEO strategies at Wizbrand. 

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