How to Use WSL for Linux

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) has revolutionized cross-platform development, allowing users to run a Linux environment directly on Windows.

While primarily designed for Windows users, you can also leverage WSL from your Linux system, opening up unique possibilities for testing, development, and interoperability.

Why Use WSL from Linux?

• Testing Windows-Specific Applications: If you’re a developer working on cross-platform projects, accessing WSL from Linux allows you to test Windows-specific components without needing a separate Windows machine.
• Accessing Windows Tools: You might need to use a specific Windows tool or application that isn’t available on Linux. WSL provides a convenient way to access these tools without leaving your Linux workflow.
• Automation and Scripting: You can integrate Windows commands and scripts into your Linux workflows, automating tasks that require interaction with both operating systems.
• Simplified Cross-Platform Development: Running both Linux and Windows environments side-by-side on your Linux machine can streamline cross-platform development.

Steps to Access WSL from Linux

1. Enable SSH on Windows (if not already enabled):
   • Ensure that the OpenSSH Server is installed and running on your Windows machine.
   • You can enable it through “Settings” -> “Apps” -> “Optional features” or through PowerShell.  
   • Once installed, start the OpenSSH Server service.  
   • It is advised to set up SSH keys for passwordless login.
   • It is also advised to escalate to sudo user on Windows.
2. Determine the Windows Machine’s IP Address:
   • On your Windows machine, open Command Prompt or PowerShell and type ipconfig.
   • Note the IPv4 address.
3. SSH into the Windows Machine from Linux:
   • On your Linux terminal, use the following command, replacing [Windows_IP_Address] with the IP address you noted:
     • ssh [Windows_Username]@[Windows_IP_Address]
     • If using ssh keys, you may not need to enter a password.
4. Access WSL from the Windows Command Line:
   • Once you’ve successfully SSHed into your Windows machine, you can access your WSL distribution by typing its name. For example, if you’re using Ubuntu, type:
     • wsl -d Ubuntu
   • You are now inside the Linux environment that is running inside of WSL.
5. Running commands:
   • From within the WSL terminal, you can run any linux command that you would normally run.  
   • You can access windows files from within WSL. The windows files are typically mounted under /mnt/c.  
   • You can also run windows commands from within WSL by appending .exe to the command. For example, to run notepad, type notepad.exe.  
6. Automating WSL commands from Linux:
   • You can directly execute WSL commands from your Linux terminal using SSH. For example:
     • ssh [Windows_Username]@[Windows_IP_Address] wsl -d Ubuntu -e "ls -l /mnt/c/Users/[YourWindowsUsername]/Documents"
     • This command will SSH into your Windows machine, launch the Ubuntu WSL distribution, and execute the ls -l command to list the contents of your Windows Documents folder.
7. This can be very useful for scripting tasks that need to interact with both Linux and Windows.

Tips and Considerations

• Network Access: WSL 2 runs in a virtualized environment, so you might need to configure network settings if you need to access network resources from within WSL
• GUI Applications: While you can run GUI applications from WSL, it requires additional configuration, such as setting up an X server on your Linux machine or using a remote desktop solution.