Microsoft has announced that the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is now open source. This marks a significant milestone in the development of WSL, which was first introduced in 2016 and has since become a popular tool for running Linux distributions on Windows.
The code for WSL is now available on GitHub at Microsoft/WSL, allowing users to download and build it from source, add new features and fixes, and participate in its active development. This move opens up new possibilities for the community to contribute to WSL and shape its future.
WSL is composed of several distribution components that run either directly on Windows or inside a virtual machine. The main areas of the code include command-line executables, the WSL service, Linux init and daemon processes, and file sharing between Linux and Windows.
The decision to open-source WSL now comes after years of community support and contributions. Despite not having access to the source code, users have been able to make significant contributions to WSL’s development. Microsoft is excited about the prospect of the community making direct code contributions to the project, which it believes will accelerate its evolution.
Users can learn more about each component of WSL by visiting https://wsl.dev. The open-sourced components include microsoft/wslg and microsoft/WSL2-Linux-Kernel, which were previously part of the Windows image. However, some components remain closed-source, including Lxcore.sys and P9rdr.sys.
With this move, Microsoft is taking a significant step towards making WSL more accessible and community-driven. The open-sourced version of WSL is available now for users to explore and contribute to.
Source: https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2025/05/19/the-windows-subsystem-for-linux-is-now-open-source