Enhanced Capabilities Unveiled in WSL 2.0: Facilitating Memory Recovery and Seamless Disk Operations, Redefining Networking as a Singular Entity Aligned with the Windows Ecosystem.

Introducing WSL: The Ultimate Developer Tool for Windows

The latest version of WSL, known as WSL 2.0.0 pre-release, is a game-changer for developers looking to write Linux apps on Windows with ease. This cutting-edge tool brings a host of important features, such as real-time memory and disk reclamation, seamlessly integrating the Linux subsystem with the Windows environment.

These features, still in experimental mode, truly elevate WSL to a whole new level of integration with Windows. Here are the six key features that make WSL function as an extension of the Windows operating system:

1. AutoMemoryReclaim: This feature automatically frees up memory based on actual usage, ensuring optimum performance.

2. SparseVhd: With this feature, the disk dynamically expands and shrinks according to real usage. No longer will the VHD files grow endlessly.

3. Mirrored Network: With the new network mode, WSL sees the network as a single entity. There is no need for tunneling to connect to servers in WSL, and apps in WSL can connect to Windows apps through localhost effortlessly.

4. DnsTunneling: Configure WSL to use the DNS settings from Windows, providing seamless networking integration.

5. Firewall: This feature enables the configuration of the Windows firewall with WSL, ensuring enhanced security.

6. AutoProxy: WSL apps can utilize the proxy settings configured in Windows, providing a seamless experience.

Although these features bring WSL closer to being fully unified with Windows, it’s important to note that they are still experimental. Users need to enable and configure these features themselves, and a few known issues exist. For instance, autoMemoryReclaim may encounter issues when running the Docker daemon directly in WSL (no issues with Docker Desktop). Similarly, mirrored network has problems when used with VSCode Remote, and many of these features require Windows Insider. It may take some time before these features can be used to their full potential, but they offer a clear path towards a future where WSL seamlessly integrates with Windows.

TLDR: WSL 2.0.0 pre-release brings exciting features that enhance its integration with Windows, such as autoMemoryReclaim and mirrored network. While still experimental, these features offer great potential for developers, although known issues need to be addressed. With further development, WSL is poised to become a robust tool for Linux app development on Windows.

Source: Windows Command Line Blog