Linux on Windows (WSL2)

Name: Linux on Windows (WSL2)
Rating: 4.5 (272 reviews)

Leverage the power of the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL 2), Docker, Kali Linux, GPUs and more on Windows 11

Created byDavid Bombal

Last updated 5/2025

English

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What you'll learn

Learn how to install set up and use Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2)
Learn how to leverage the power of GPUs within WSL
Learn how to run Docker Containers on Windows 11 using WSL 2
Learn Linux easily and quickly by running a lightweight Linux virtual machine on your Windows 11 computer
Learn how you can run Linux commands such as grep directly from within Windows

Course content

5 sections • 20 lectures • 1h 22m total length

Kali, Ubuntu & Hashcat demo in WSL10:04
Learn to run Kali Linux and Ubuntu GUI on Windows via WSL2, access GPU-accelerated Hashcat for password cracking, and use Burp Suite within Linux for web traffic interception.
Using Windows applications in Linux and vice versa8:53
Learn how to run Windows applications in Linux and edit Linux files from Windows, using WSL2, VS Code, Notepad, and Explorer for seamless cross-platform workflows.
Running Linux commands in Windows1:49
Execute Linux commands from Windows tools such as Command Prompt or PowerShell by invoking WSL, using commands like ls and grep within a Windows directory.

Install WSL and run other distributions6:09
Install WSL on Windows 10 or 11 with the dash dash install command, enabling the virtual machine platform and administrator rights, then install and run Ubuntu and Kali Linux.
Installing and running different versions of Ubuntu in WSL1:24
Install two Ubuntu versions in WSL2, manage them with wsl list, install Ubuntu 20.04, and verify each with lsb_release to confirm the running versions.
More options in WSL3:37
Explore running gui linux apps in wsl2, manage kali linux installations with wsl list, and install firefox esr and wireshark using apt.
Installing additional software and GUI for Linux5:51
Discover how to install Kali Linux on wsl2, upgrade with Kali tweaks, add meta packages and a gui, and run tools like Hashcat and Burp Suite from gui or cli.
Required software to utilize GPU in WSL2:54
Learn to enable gpu access in wsl2 by installing the nvidia cuda toolkit and hashcat, then run a gpu-accelerated brute-force attack to crack a wifi password.
Make Kali Linux the default installation in WSL1:19
Set Kali Linux as the default WSL distribution, verify with WSL status, and note that this system uses WSL 2 and WSL 1 is not supported.
Install and run multiple instances of a distribution3:29
Install and run multiple Kali Linux and Ubuntu distributions on Windows with WSL2, using the name option to name each instance, and verify release versions and software availability across them.
Installing GUI and Firefox for Ubuntu in WSL2:29
Install a graphical user interface on Ubuntu in WSL2, update and upgrade packages, install xrdp and Firefox, and connect via remote desktop to use a browser inside the WSL session.

WSL network mirroring demo2:45
Demonstrates setting WSL to mirrored networking to enable remote connections to an Ubuntu server on a Windows laptop, illustrating IP visibility, firewall rules, and network isolation.
How to enable mirroring3:37
Enable mirroring in WSL2 by editing the wsl config and setting networking mode to mirrored. Use the host IP to remote into the Ubuntu server on WSL via remote desktop.
Allowing connections through the firewall2:36
Learn to enable the Windows Defender Firewall inbound rules for port 3389 to allow RDP to an Ubuntu server, ensure the server is running, and use the local IP address.
How to export and import backup data2:58
Export your WSL distribution to a tar backup with the wsl --export command, then import it using wsl --import to a new location on the C drive.
Advanced configuration settings in WSL4:15
Configure advanced WSL options with per-distribution local settings and global configurations for all VMs, including systemd, auto mount, networking, memory, and CPU.
Changing amount of memory used3:34
Adjust wsl memory by editing the user config to four gig, set two processes and two gig swap, and verify with /proc/meminfo and free -h, noting default 50% allocation.

Requirements

Windows 11 computer or laptop
Experience of Windows and Linux is helpful, but not required

Description

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) gives you the power and functionality on Windows. There are so many things you can do now leveraging Linux directly on Windows using WSL2.

You can learn Linux, Docker and other technologies easily using WSL 2. Get started quickly with Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) today by joining me on this Linux and Windows adventure.

WARNING: You may encounter issues running WSL 2 with VMware Workstation and VirtualBox. Don't use WSL 2 if you needed nested virtualization with those hypervisors.

This course focuses on the following:

- WSL2 Installation and Setup

- Installation of multiple Linux Distributions

- WiFi Password Cracking Demo using GPUs in WSL, Kali Linux and Hashcat

- Running a GUI version of Linux with WSL and Microsoft Remote Desktop

- Using Windows applications in Linux and Linux applications in Windows

- Leverage Linux commands directly from Windows

- Configurare your Windows Firewall to permit connections to WSL

- Docker using WSL 2

I don't try to teach you everything about Linux, Docker or Windows. I'm only showing you how you can leverage these technologies to do amazing things. This course consists of practical demonstrations which you can follow - the best way to learn is hands-on learning, so follow me and set this up yourself.

Who this course is for:

Web developers
NetDevOps engineers
Sysadmins
Network Engineers
Ethical Hackers

Linux on Windows (WSL2)

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

WSL2 Demos: (GPU WiFi Cracking, Wireshark, Remote Desktop and a lot more)3 lectures • 21min

Getting help2 lectures • 5min

WSL Setup8 lectures • 27min

Additional WSL2 Tips and Tricks6 lectures • 20min

How to install Docker and use that with WSL1 lecture • 9min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: