Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) has been a game-changer for developers and power users who want to run Linux on their Windows machines. But until recently, it was limited to just running Linux distributions – not Linux containers. That’s all changed with the general availability of WSL Containers, which brings Linux container support to the platform.
Microsoft is making it easy to get started by including a new command-line tool called `wslc.exe`, which allows you to build, run, and deploy Linux containers on Windows just like you would on a native Linux system. And with the inclusion of Docker-like commands via the alias `container.exe`, developers will feel right at home.
But WSL Containers isn’t just about providing a familiar interface – it’s also designed to work seamlessly with other Microsoft tools. For example, the WSL Containers API allows Windows apps to programmatically launch and interact with Linux containers, opening up scenarios like running local AI workloads or using cloud-based containerized applications locally. This means that organizations can take advantage of Linux containers while still maintaining their existing infrastructure.
One of the key benefits of WSL Containers is its integration with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. Security teams can now see process, file, and network activity inside containers and relate it back to the Windows host, making it easier to identify potential security threats. Additionally, Microsoft Intune can be used to disable WSL Containers entirely or restrict developers to images from approved container registries – a welcome feature for organizations with strict compliance requirements.
But that’s not all – Microsoft is also working closely with the broader developer ecosystem. For example, VS Code Dev Containers now supports WSL Containers, and “wsl compose up” (a Docker Compose-style tool) is already in development. Microsoft says it aims to make “wsl compose up” work seamlessly with existing `compose.yaml` files.
So what does this mean for users? If you’re a developer who’s been waiting for Linux container support on Windows, the time has finally come. And if you’re an organization looking to take advantage of Linux containers while maintaining your existing infrastructure, WSL Containers is definitely worth checking out. Just remember to keep an eye on Microsoft’s roadmap – with features like Docker Compose-style support and improved networking performance on the horizon, this is just the beginning of what WSL Containers has to offer.
One final takeaway: if you’re already using WSL, you can get started with WSL Containers by running `wsl –update` in your terminal. And if you’re new to WSL, now’s a great time to give it a try – with WSL Containers, the possibilities are endless.
Source: Bleeping Computer — 2026-09-30