My laptop just got updates last night. It seems I got Windows 10 Anniversary Update earlier. One feature that I’ve been waiting is Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), or more known as Bash on Windows on Ubuntu. So why not give it a try?

Enabling Windows Subsystem for Linux

My Windows build version after update is 14393. To enable bash feature, go to Programs and Features in Control Panel, click Turn Windows features on or off in left sidebar. Tick Windows Subsystem for Linux (Beta) checkbox and click OK

Turn On WSL Feature

Restart computer and run bash from Start Menu by clicking Bash on Ubuntu on Windows. You can also run via Run (Win+R) and write bash. Type y to continue. Windows will download required files to install Ubuntu on Windows.

Start Bash

First Impression

It is awesome to have UNIX command lines such as grep, installing tools as easy as apt-get and gain privileges as simple as sudo. I really hate UAC prompt to pop up and open new terminal everytime I want to gain privileges from command line. Windows Command Line lack of these features and somehow I just don’t like PowerShell.

bash Home folder is separated with Windows Home folder. To access from Windows Explorer, go to C:\Users\%YOUR_USERNAME%\AppData\Local\lxss. bash cannot execute Windows binaries so I have to install git and other tools via apt-get and sources. ruby packages is outdated too, so I install it from Brightbox repository.

My Verdict

I’m more graphical UI guy, but lately I found it’s more productive to use command line. I use Git for Windows or git-bash as my default terminal. It’s awesome because I got UNIX command lines as well as able to execute Windows binaries.

Comparing git-bash to Bash on Windows, I don’t think it will replace my default terminal anytime soon. Developer tools that I mostly used like node, go, and docker is available natively for Windows. Even though some features would be missed, it’s still enough for most developers and students. Besides, there won’t be any features to run Windows exectable very soon.

For Ruby developers, Jekyll bloggers and others who relies on open-source tools which not available natively on Windows, Bash on Windows will be very helpful when setting up development environment. I don’t have to run VirtualBox VM again just to modify my Jekyll blog.

Bash on Windows is still in Beta. I’m sure it will be getting richer features and getting better in the future. If you found problems, you could find solutions or ask a question in here

Alternative

If you want to accomplish Ubuntu terminal features in Windows, I recommend you to use Git for Windows, ConEmu for console emulator and Chocolatey for apt-get alternative.

ConEmu

If you don’t want hassle, there is Cmder, a fully-packaged console emulator based on ConEmu, clink, and Git for Windows

Cmder

In the end, I realized that I just want sudo in Command Prompt.