Microsoft Developer, in this brief video, explains the technical implications of open sourcing WSL, highlighting new opportunities for the community to inspect and contribute to the codebase.

WSL Is Now Open Source – What That Means

Craig Loewen from Microsoft Developer explains the technical implications of open sourcing the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). Now, developers and enthusiasts can dive into the core code that makes WSL possible, including:

• VM Startup: Understand how WSL initiates and manages virtual machines to run Linux environments on Windows.
• File System Mounting: Explore the inner workings of mounting various file systems, a critical component for cross-platform development workflows.
• GPU Access and Interrupts: Learn how WSL provides GPU access and handles hardware interrupts, enabling more sophisticated use cases, particularly for development requiring direct hardware interfacing.

The WSL codebase is now available for anyone to inspect, learn from, or contribute back. This step enhances transparency, invites community collaboration, and offers educational opportunities for those interested in system-level development on Windows.

Get Started: Check out the open source WSL repository here: WSL GitHub Repository

Key Takeaways

• Open source WSL increases transparency for core virtualization and hardware interfacing features
• Developers can contribute improvements and bug fixes
• The community can now learn from real Windows and Linux interoperability code

About the Author

Video presented by Craig Loewen, Microsoft Developer.

What will you build with open source WSL?