HISTORY OF DEV

August 2, 2016

Windows Subsystem for Linux released

MicrosoftThe software giant behind Windows, Office, Azure, and Xbox — founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. shipped Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update on August 2, 2016 — running Linux ELF binaries on Windows without a VM.

What it was for

Windows Subsystem for LinuxWSL let developers run bash, apt, and NodeNode.js — JavaScript on the server via an event-driven runtime built on V8. tooling on Windows laptops — `wsl` became standard in full-stack setup guides. WSL 2 later added a real Linux kernelThe core of an operating system that manages hardware, memory, and processes — everything else depends on it., blurring the line between Windows and Linux dev environments.

Companies

  • Microsoft

Why it's here

WSL brought native Linux tooling to Windows developers.

Why it mattered

It reduced friction for cross-platform and open-source workflows on Windows.

What it solved

Windows developers dual-booted or ran slow VMs to use Linux build chains.

Media

  • Windows Subsystem for Linux
    ImageWindows Subsystem for Linux

    Canonical, Ltd., Microsoft, GPL, via Wikimedia Commons

Related