In a significant development for the tech community, Arch Linux has officially joined the ranks of available distributions for the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). This announcement follows earlier reports from It’s Foss News in February, which hinted at the impending release of an Arch Linux image. With WSL serving as a compatibility layer that enables users to run a complete Linux environment on Windows, the addition of Arch Linux is poised to invigorate interest among users, developers, and system administrators alike.
Prior to this release, WSL users had access to a limited selection of distributions, including Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora Remix, openSUSE, Kali Linux, and Pengwin. The introduction of Arch Linux brings a rolling release model that many have eagerly anticipated, allowing them to experience the unique features and flexibility that Arch offers.
This new WSL image comes courtesy of several dedicated Arch contributors, with Robin Candau taking the lead as the official maintainer. According to the official image site, the images are built and released monthly through a GitLab CI schedule, ensuring that users receive a streamlined and comprehensive Arch Linux experience within WSL, complete with systemd support. The site also advises users to execute pacman -Syu immediately after their first launch to ensure they are operating with the latest updates, reflecting the rolling release nature of Arch Linux.
How to use the Arch Linux WSL image
To embark on your Arch Linux journey within Windows, it is essential to have WSL 2 installed, as WSL 1 does not support this new image. For those eager to explore Arch Linux, the process begins by opening PowerShell and executing the following command:
wsl –install
Once WSL 2 is successfully installed, you can proceed to add Arch Linux by running:
wsl –install archlinux
After the installation is complete, boot into Arch Linux with the command:
wsl -d archlinux
As a final step, remember to update your system by running:
pacman -Syu
With WSL 2, users can also run Linux GUI desktops and access them via the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). However, it’s important to note that the available Linux images for WSL 2 are primarily command-line based, necessitating a manual installation of any desired desktop environment.
