If you follow the app path, you can deploy WSL updates faster, according to Microsoft
Microsoft has just released a preview of Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) as a store app for Windows 11 computers. The company says this is the first release of its attempts to make WSL a decoupled app that can be installed and updated from the Microsoft Store.
“Installing WSL through the store allows you to get the latest WSL features and updates faster and without changing your version of Windows,” wrote Craig Loewen, Microsoft’s program manager.
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Don’t let the preview tag put you off. In an FAQ-style post, Loewen added that the release is not a new version of WSL, just the first release of the new deployment mechanism to test the waters and fix issues before the app becomes widely available. . .
WSL on the Microsoft Store
In the article, Loewen explains that WSL has been offered as an optional component in Windows since its introduction.
Second, the binaries that make up the WSL logic in this optional component are part of the Windows image and therefore are checked and updated during the installation of the operating system.
Microsoft now hopes to change these aspects and offer WSL as a separate application from the Windows image. As with all other apps in the store, users can also receive WSL updates regardless of the operating system.
“As soon as new features are developed, tested, and ready for releases, such as GUI application support, GPU computing, and Linux file system drive integration, you can immediately access them on your computer. without having to upgrade your entire Windows operating system or access Windows Insider previews, ”Loewen concludes.