Microsoft has officially confirmed that WSL Containers, a feature that allows users to create and manage Linux containers directly from Windows, is now available on Windows 10. This development opens the door for a substantial number of users who have yet to transition to Windows 11, especially as Windows 10 remains a viable operating system until at least October 2027.
Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) has been part of the Windows ecosystem since 2016, evolving significantly with the introduction of WSL 2 in 2019, which brought a real Linux kernel into a lightweight virtual machine. This advancement paved the way for proper Docker support on Windows. However, instead of launching WSL 3, Microsoft has opted to introduce WSL Containers, a built-in solution that eliminates the need for third-party tools like Docker Desktop.
Does WSL Container work on Windows 10
Indeed, WSL Containers are fully operational on Windows 10, as confirmed by Craig Loewen, the product manager overseeing WSL development. He stated, “This works anywhere WSL is supported today, which is the vast majority™️ of supported Windows versions. So yes, this will work on Win10 too :)” To utilize WSL Containers, users must have Windows 10 version 2004 (Build 19041) or later. The installation process is straightforward, as WSL Containers is delivered as a WSL update rather than a feature tied to a specific Windows version.
How to install WSL Container on Windows 10
To get started with WSL Containers, users must first ensure that WSL is running on their system. Unlike Windows 11, Windows 10 may require some additional setup, particularly since it does not come with Terminal pre-installed. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Check your build. Press Win + R, type winver, and hit Enter. Ensure you have version 2004 or Build 19041 or later. Update through Settings if necessary.
- Install WSL. Open Windows Terminal as an administrator and execute wsl –install. This command enables the necessary Windows features and installs Ubuntu as the default distribution. Restart your PC afterward.
- Update to the container build. Run wsl –update –pre-release, followed by wsl –shutdown, and close Terminal.
- Confirm the version. After restarting, run wslc –version. You should see version 2.9.3.0, indicating that WSL Containers is installed.
- Run a test. Execute wslc –help to view the full command reference and verify that the binary is functioning correctly.
As WSL Containers is still in pre-release, users may encounter occasional issues. Some have reported a Catastrophic failure with error code E_UNEXPECTED upon their first container launch, but a full reboot typically resolves this.
We built a live dashboard with WSL Container in Windows 10
In our exploration of WSL Containers on Windows 10, we constructed a live dashboard featuring a simple Flask application. This application displays real-time metrics such as CPU load, memory usage, uptime, and kernel information, all rendered on a sleek dark-themed interface. The dashboard utilizes standard tools like psutil for system statistics and uname -a for kernel details, serving the content over Flask on port 5000.
The entire setup operates independently of Docker Desktop or any Docker components. The image is built using a Containerfile with a lightweight Python base image, and the building process is executed with a single command: wslc build -t wsl-dashboard . Accessing the dashboard via 127.0.0.1:5000 in a web browser reveals a fully functional dashboard, showcasing the capabilities of WSL Containers without the need for Docker.
While WSL Containers currently lacks a graphical user interface, Craig Loewen has introduced a text-based UI dashboard for managing WSL Containers, aptly named lazywslc. This innovation hints at the potential for future enhancements.
GPU passthrough on Windows 10
WSL Containers also support GPU passthrough, allowing users to leverage CUDA capabilities directly from Windows 10. By utilizing the –gpus all flag, users can access GPU resources seamlessly, as the passthrough operates through the Windows NVIDIA driver. This functionality enables local AI work, with frameworks like PyTorch and TensorFlow running at near-native Linux speeds within a GPU-enabled WSL Container.
Should you bother if you are staying on Windows 10
For those committed to remaining on Windows 10 until the end of the ESU window in October 2027, WSL Containers present a compelling reason to maintain access to Linux tools without the need for additional installations. While the feature is still in pre-release, it offers a valuable opportunity for experimentation, particularly for single-container applications like the dashboard we created. Microsoft’s decision to ensure WSL Containers function identically on both Windows 10 and Windows 11 reflects a commitment to user accessibility, though the future trajectory of WSL Containers and potential new features remains to be seen.
