Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a powerful piece of software wizardry that allows users to run GNU/Linux environments directly in Windows without requiring virtual machines (VMs) or dual-boot configurations. Available for both Windows 10 and Windows 11, it"s a very handy utility, especially for cross-platform development and testing. Microsoft regularly updates WSL with new features and capabilities. Today, it has announced WSL version 0.65.1 for Insiders.
As spotted by Windows Central, Microsoft"s Manager of the Linux on Windows team Ben Hillis has confirmed that WSL 0.65.1 is available for all Windows Insiders, regardless of the release channel they are currently on. The idea is to cast a wide net for feedback by making it available for all Insiders and then use that feedback to determine whether the release is fit for general availability:
For WSL 0.65.1 we are trying something new! The build will be first available to Windows Insiders (all rings) first, then rolled out to everybody once we get positive signals on release quality.https://t.co/Sr087lHOq8
— 𝕓𝕖𝕟 𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕤 (@benhillis) August 3, 2022
If you"re wondering what new features are in tow, here is the lengthy changelog:
- Improvements to localhost relay to have better performance and accurately report bind failures.
- Use /dev/ptp0 to keep guest clock (sic) in sync with the host
- Improve the error message if the distro list can"t be fetched and wire it to wsl.exe --list --online
- Update Linux kernel to 5.15.57.1
- Fix 9p filesystem regressions since the last v5.10 WSL2 kernel
- Enable support for the Precision Time Protocol (PTP) clock device
- Enable Retbleed mitigations in x86_64 builds
- Enable nftables and traffic control
- Enable VGEM driver
- Update Microsoft.WSLg to version 1.0.41
- WSLg: add default x11 bell sound
- WSLg: Update /etc/wsl.conf to set the default user to wslg
- WSLGd: add option to start weston under gdbserver
- WSLGd: simplify weston command line construction
- compositor: add wslgd-notify
- compositor: Stop trapping SIGINT
- compositor: load xwayland module last
- rdp: resize margin adjustment for MoveWindow/SnapArrange PDU
- rdpaudio: use pthread_cancel instead of pthread_kill
- xwayland: give Xwayland its own session
- xwayland: Don"t track focus for override redirect windows
The MSIX bundle for WSL v0.65.1 can be grabbed from the same GitHub page.
Source: Microsoft via Windows Central