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For most Linux-focused development, choose WSL 2. It runs a real Linux kernel in a managed lightweight virtual machine, supports a wider range of Linux software, and is the version Microsoft recommends. Choose WSL 1 when your project must stay on Windows storage, Windows and Linux tools constantly edit the same files, you need serial-port access, or WSL 2’s memory or NAT networking behavior conflicts with a specific requirement.
The short answer: start with WSL 2, then check your workflow
Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) lets you run a Linux distribution and its command-line tools directly alongside Windows. The choice between WSL 1 and WSL 2 is not simply a choice between an old and new release. They use different architectures, and the best option depends on where your files live, which operating-system tools touch them, and whether your software needs Linux-kernel behavior.
- Use WSL 2 for Linux-first web, application, container, and build work. Keep the project in the WSL Linux file system, such as
/home/<user>/Project, and run Linux tools there. - Consider WSL 1 for Windows-storage-heavy projects. It can be a better fit when files must remain on a Windows path, both Windows and Linux programs repeatedly access the same files, or serial ports are essential.
- Use WSL 2 for Linux GUI applications or software that needs a real Linux kernel. WSL 1 does not provide either capability.
Microsoft’s WSL documentation says, “We recommend that you use WSL 2 as it offers faster performance and 100% system call compatibility.” That is a default, not a promise that every workload is faster. File placement and the direction in which data crosses the Windows–Linux boundary can reverse the result.
How WSL 1 and WSL 2 work differently
WSL 1: a system-call translation layer
WSL 1 translates Linux system calls so Linux binaries can work with the Windows kernel. There is no Linux kernel running inside WSL 1. This design avoids the virtual-machine layer and can make access to files on Windows storage efficient when Windows and Linux programs share those files.
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The trade-off is compatibility. Software that expects Linux-kernel behavior, kernel modules, or system calls that the translation layer does not implement cannot run in WSL 1. A project may appear to work until a dependency reaches one of those unsupported areas.
WSL 2: a real Linux kernel in a managed lightweight VM
WSL 2 runs an actual Linux kernel inside a managed lightweight virtual machine integrated with Windows. You do not manage it like a conventional, full desktop virtual machine, but the virtualized boundary affects memory, networking, and some device access.
The kernel gives WSL 2 broad system-call compatibility and allows Linux workloads that WSL 1 cannot support. Microsoft specifically identifies Docker as an example of software that benefits from the Linux-kernel environment. WSL 2 also enables Linux GUI applications on supported Windows and WSL installations.
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| Decision axis | WSL 1 | WSL 2 | What it means for your choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | System-call translation layer | Linux kernel in a managed lightweight VM | Choose WSL 2 when software needs Linux-kernel behavior or broad system-call compatibility. |
| Linux tools working on Linux-file-system projects | Cross-operating-system file operations are generally slower than native-side access | Microsoft reports improved file I/O; best results come from keeping projects in the Linux file system | Typical Linux-focused development favors WSL 2 with files under the Linux home directory. |
| Windows and Linux tools sharing the same files | Often faster across operating-system file systems | Cross-operating-system file performance can be slower | Consider WSL 1 when files must remain on Windows storage or are edited intensively by both systems. |
| Linux GUI applications | Not supported | Supported on qualifying current Windows and WSL setups | A GUI requirement favors WSL 2, but WSL GUI support is not a complete Linux desktop. |
| Linux-kernel-dependent software | No actual Linux kernel | Linux kernel and broad system-call compatibility | WSL 2 supports a wider range of Linux applications, including kernel-dependent development tools. |
| Serial and USB devices | Serial-port access is one of Microsoft’s documented WSL 1 exceptions | Serial ports are unsupported; USB devices can be passed through with USBIPD-WIN | Check the exact device workflow before choosing. USB on WSL 2 requires additional setup. |
| Memory behavior | Avoids WSL 2’s virtual-machine cache behavior | Memory adjusts with use, but cached pages may remain allocated until the WSL instance shuts down | Strict-memory users should account for long sessions and large file workloads. |
| Networking | Uses the bridged arrangement described in Microsoft’s comparison | Uses NAT; host-network addressing or inbound access may need a workaround | Confirm the service’s networking requirement rather than assuming the two versions behave alike. |
Where your project files live matters more than the version label
Linux-first projects: keep them in the WSL file system
For a Linux toolchain, place source code and build trees under the distribution’s Linux file system, for example /home/<user>/Project. Run Git, package managers, compilers, test runners, and file watchers inside WSL. This keeps the intensive file operations on the same side of the boundary as the tools performing them.
Windows editors can still work with this arrangement. A Windows editor such as Visual Studio Code can connect to the distribution through its Remote WSL workflow, so the interface runs on Windows while language servers, terminals, and extensions that need the project execute in Linux. That approach avoids relocating the project to a Windows-mounted path merely for editing.
Windows-first projects: keep the files on Windows storage
If Windows programs are the primary tools, keep the project on a Windows path and use the Windows-native toolchain. WSL can access Windows drives through mounted paths such as /mnt/c, but Linux tools repeatedly traversing that boundary can experience lower performance, especially with dependency trees, source-control metadata, and file-watcher-heavy builds.
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When a project must stay on C: because of corporate tools, backup policy, or another Windows-only application, test WSL 1 and WSL 2 with the actual workload. WSL 1 may have the advantage when both operating systems constantly read and write the same files. Another option is to move the active Linux build into the WSL file system and export artifacts back to Windows, if that satisfies the workflow.
Do not mix the two locations casually
Copying a repository between /home/<user> and /mnt/c changes more than its path. Permissions, symbolic links, executable bits, case behavior, file-notification performance, and line-ending handling can all affect tools. Decide which operating system owns the active working tree, then keep the high-churn operations there.
Which version fits common development workflows?
Linux-first web or application development
Start with WSL 2. Store the repository in the Linux file system and run the package manager, test suite, compiler, and development server in WSL. Use Windows integration for the editor and browser. This arrangement aligns the tools and files on one side of the boundary and takes advantage of WSL 2’s kernel compatibility.
Containers, Docker, and kernel-dependent tools
Prefer WSL 2 when your stack depends on a Linux kernel or container features. WSL 1’s translation layer cannot provide a real Linux kernel, so compatibility problems can appear in container engines and tools that inspect or rely on kernel interfaces.
Linux GUI applications
Use WSL 2 on a supported Windows build with the required graphics driver. WSL’s GUI feature integrates individual Linux applications with the Windows desktop; it is not a complete Linux desktop session. Applications such as a Linux editor, graphical debugger, or visualization tool can run in that integrated mode, but the feature does not turn WSL into a separately managed desktop distribution.
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Because GUI support depends on the current Windows, WSL, and graphics-driver combination, verify those prerequisites before changing a production setup. WSL 1 cannot provide this feature.
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Projects that must remain on Windows storage
Consider WSL 1 when the repository must stay on a Windows drive and both Windows and Linux programs access it intensively. WSL 2 can still be used, but its cross-file-system path may make dependency installation, source scans, and file watching slower. First test whether a Linux-side copy plus Windows editor integration removes the constraint; if it does, WSL 2 is usually the cleaner long-term arrangement.
Serial hardware and device development
Choose WSL 1 if direct serial-port access is a non-negotiable part of the workflow. Microsoft’s comparison lists serial ports as unsupported in WSL 2. USB is a separate case: USB device support can be provided to WSL 2 through USBIPD-WIN, but that requires setup and should be validated with the exact device and tooling you use.
Long-running services and tight memory budgets
WSL 2 adjusts memory as workloads run, yet cached pages may remain allocated until the WSL instance shuts down. Large builds, package caches, or data-processing jobs can therefore leave less memory immediately available to Windows than you expect during a long session. If this matters, plan a controlled shutdown with wsl --shutdown after heavy work, or evaluate whether WSL 1’s behavior better matches the machine’s limits.
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WSL 2 uses NAT. A service inside WSL may therefore have a different address from the Windows host, and inbound access or host-network assumptions may require a workaround. WSL 1 uses the bridged arrangement described in Microsoft’s comparison. If your development environment depends on a particular host address, LAN reachability, callback URL, or inbound port, test that requirement explicitly rather than inferring behavior from the version number.
Is WSL 2 faster than WSL 1?
There is no single answer because the storage location and access pattern dominate many development tasks. Microsoft reported that initial WSL 2 versions were up to 20× faster when unpacking a zipped tarball than WSL 1. Microsoft also reported around 2–5× faster git clone, npm install, and cmake operations on various projects. Those are Microsoft-published figures for named workloads and initial versions, not a current universal benchmark or a guaranteed speedup for your machine.
For a fair comparison, measure the same repository, cache state, Windows build, WSL version, storage device, and tool versions. Test both of these patterns separately:
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- Linux tools operating on files under
/home/<user>. - Linux tools operating on files under a mounted Windows path such as
/mnt/c.
Do not interpret a fast result in one pattern as evidence that the other pattern will match it. WSL 2’s advantage is generally strongest when Linux tools stay with Linux-side files; WSL 1 can be competitive or preferable when the workload crosses between Windows and Linux file systems repeatedly.
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Microsoft’s current development setup guide states that the one-command installation requires Windows 10 version 2004 (Build 19041) or later, or Windows 11. The command enables the WSL and Virtual Machine Platform components, installs the latest Linux kernel, sets WSL 2 as the default, and installs Ubuntu. A restart may be required.
- Open Windows PowerShell or Command Prompt with the permissions requested by Windows.
- Run
wsl --install. - Restart Windows if the installer asks you to.
- Launch the installed Linux distribution and create its Linux user account and password.
- Confirm the distribution’s version with
wsl --list --verbose.
Older Windows releases have different, architecture-specific manual requirements. If the command is unavailable or fails, check the Windows build and follow Microsoft’s current manual-installation instructions for that build instead of applying a modern shortcut to an old system.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check a distribution’s version and convert it
See which version each distribution uses
Run:
wsl --list --verboseThe output lists installed distributions and the WSL version assigned to each one. This matters because WSL 1 and WSL 2 are selected per distribution; changing one does not automatically change the others.
Convert an existing distribution
Use the documented form:
wsl --set-version <distribution name> <versionNumber>Replace <distribution name> with the name shown by wsl --list --verbose and use 1 or 2 for <versionNumber>. For example, a distribution named Ubuntu would be converted with:
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wsl --set-version Ubuntu 2Conversion can take time or fail because the two architectures are different. Back up important files first, particularly distributions containing large projects. Keep a copy outside the distribution or use your normal source-control and backup process; do not treat conversion as a substitute for a backup.
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Test without converting your main environment
Separate distributions can run side by side. If you are unsure whether a build, device, or network workflow will work under WSL 2, install or import a second distribution, reproduce the workflow there, and compare the result before changing the distribution that holds your active project.
Common failure modes and practical fixes
“WSL 2 is slow”
- Check whether the repository is under
/mnt/cor another mounted Windows path. - Move a test copy to
/home/<user>and rerun the same command. - Run Linux tools inside WSL rather than invoking them indirectly from a Windows process.
- If Windows tools must own the files, compare the same workload under WSL 1.
A Linux application will not run
- Confirm the distribution’s version with
wsl --list --verbose. - Check whether the application needs kernel interfaces unavailable in WSL 1; if so, convert or test it under WSL 2.
- For GUI software, verify that the Windows build, WSL installation, and graphics driver meet the current GUI-app prerequisites.
Windows cannot reach a service in WSL 2
- Account for WSL 2’s NAT rather than assuming a bridged address.
- Check which address and port the service is listening on.
- Use the documented Windows-to-WSL or inbound-access workaround appropriate to your Windows and WSL versions.
- If the workflow fundamentally requires bridged-style networking, evaluate WSL 1 or a different deployment arrangement.
Memory remains occupied after a large job
- Stop idle Linux processes and allow the workload to finish.
- Run
wsl --shutdownwhen you need to release the WSL 2 instance and its cached pages. - For machines with strict memory limits, test whether WSL 1 avoids the behavior that is affecting your session.
A serial device is missing
Do not spend time changing Linux permissions if the underlying limitation is architectural: Microsoft lists serial-port access as unsupported in WSL 2. Use WSL 1 for a workflow that requires serial ports, or determine whether your USB device can use USBIPD-WIN and whether that path supports your development tools.
A decision checklist
Choose WSL 2 when most answers below are “yes”:
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- Does the project use Linux-native compilers, package managers, tests, or containers?
- Can the active repository live under
/home/<user>? - Does the software need a real Linux kernel or broad Linux system-call compatibility?
- Do you need Linux GUI applications?
- Can your networking design accommodate NAT?
- Can your machine tolerate WSL 2’s memory-cache behavior during long sessions?
Choose WSL 1, or test it seriously, when one of these constraints is decisive:
- The repository must remain on Windows storage and is edited heavily by both Windows and Linux tools.
- Direct serial-port access is required.
- Your network integration depends on behavior that WSL 2’s NAT complicates.
- WSL 2’s memory behavior is unacceptable on the target machine.
If neither list gives a clear answer, create a small reproducible test: clone a representative repository, install its dependencies, run its build and tests, start its development server, and exercise any devices or callbacks it needs. Run that test with files on the storage location you will actually use. The result will be more useful than a generic claim that one WSL version is always faster.
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