Arch Linux Coming to WSL 2: Legendary Distro Joins Windows 11

In case you didn’t know, I’m using Arch Linux, a well-known joke among the Linux community. Soon, Windows 11 users who utilize WSL 2 will also be able to join in on this inside joke.

According to reports from It’s Foss, it appears that Arch Linux is planning to release an official distribution image for use with Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) 2 at some point down the line, following discussions with Microsoft.

From the official confirmation:

Microsoft has expressed their intention to incorporate an official Arch Linux WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) image in their distribution, agreeing to submit one update pull request per month, mirroring the release frequency of your ISO. Based on this and the positive responses I’ve received thus far, I believe we are prepared to move forward, but I would like to take a little more time to gather additional thoughts and validations regarding the current specifications for distributing an official Arch Linux WSL image.

Besides Arch Linux, another well-known name is set to join the WSL celebration as well. This follows the announcement from Fedora regarding their plans to provide official WSL images, which are expected to be released with version 42 in the near future.

As the analyst, I’ve confirmed that both parties involved are content with the decision, marking just the starting point of our journey. Moving forward, Arch Linux for Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) will establish its unique space within GitLab’s repository, ensuring it stands apart from the primary releases. Every month, a new image will be crafted to maintain consistency and stability. Moreover, I want to emphasize that our support extends exclusively to WSL 2, as we have no intentions of catering to the outdated (and significantly less effective) WSL 1 at this time.

I personally haven’t had hands-on experience with Arch Linux; however, I’ve worked with SteamOS, a derivative of Arch, on my Steam Deck, and had a short encounter with Manjaro, another Arch-based distribution. Arch has a devoted user base, and those who also work with Windows 11 are bound to be thrilled by the recent news.

A significant number of well-known Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, Debian, Kali, and soon Fedora, are available on WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux). Even Oracle is included. Arch Linux will also be part of this list soon. It has been around for some time, but I’m pleased to see that the advancement in this area continues unabated.

Read More

2025-02-05 16:09