Microsoft has made its self-developed Azure Linux distribution available to Windows users. Azure Linux 4.0 Beta can run on Windows 10 and Windows 11 computers via the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

Users can access this Linux environment without needing to set up a separate virtual machine or configure a dual operating system. This system, which does not require an Azure subscription, offers developers a local Linux experience.

Azure Linux 4.0 and WSL 2 Integration

Azure Linux 4.0 does not come as a standard part of Windows and needs to be installed separately on the WSL 2 infrastructure. The system requires Windows 10 22H2 or Windows 11 versions with activated WSL 2 support.

This release comes with a complete terminal environment with systemd support. Users can continue working with Windows desktop applications while using Linux command-line tools.

The distribution is released with custom packages for x86-64 and ARM64 architectures. Developers can test similar system behaviors on their local computers as they do on Azure.

Azure Linux 4.0 stands out as an RPM distribution based on Fedora Linux. Microsoft adds custom changes and layers necessary for modern cloud workloads to this build.

The installation process begins with downloading the .wsl package appropriate for the processor architecture. Installation, performed via the Windows Terminal with the command `wsl –install –from-file`, does not require administrator permission.

Microsoft recommends verifying downloaded packages with checksums and digital signatures for security reasons. During the initial startup, the system is configured by creating a username and password.

Visual Studio Code users can connect directly to the Azure Linux environment thanks to the Remote – WSL extension. This allows code editing and debugging processes to be performed in a Linux-based environment.

Beta process and usage details

The WSL version of Azure Linux 4.0 is currently in beta. Microsoft states that this version should be used solely for testing and evaluation purposes, not for production environments.

Package updates for the distribution can be easily managed through the DNF package manager. Microsoft states that it will continue to release updates as needed, based on user feedback.

Official support is currently limited to cloud scenarios such as Azure virtual machines and AKS container hosts.

What do you think about Microsoft offering the possibility to run its own Linux distribution within Windows?