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Discussion on: Modern Windows 10 development setup

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matiasbaldanza profile image
Matias Baldanza • Edited

I remember trying WSL on my Win 10 (16299) and it being an absolute nightmare to make some things work. I ended up using homestead and, later on, a VM running Ubuntu. (Sloower, but no compatibility issues.)

People say WSL2 is better, but I have to update my OS, and I worked in IT for 20+ years. Believe me when I say that OS upgrades in Windows are a Pandora's box. If you have a version that works, stay on it as long as you can.

On the other hand, I just got a new laptop with the latest W10 pre-installed, so I might give it another try... I will definitely not waste a day or two in reinstalling my main machine just to try WSL2.

I definitely will take a look at Cmder and Wox, which I didn't know. Thanks for the tip!!!

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Fredrik Bonde

WSL2 is very different from WSL, WSL they try to emulate linux. WSL2 is a proper linux system running in a container.

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elmuerte profile image
Michiel Hendriks

People say WSL2 is better

Not me. For some things WSL2 is better than WSL1, but for a lot of things it is worse.

  • In WSL2 Linux IO is much better, but Linux->Windows IO is much much worse.
  • WSL2 will eat your memory (originally 80%, now reduced to 50%) because they have no disabled the Linux Kernel IO caching functionality.
  • WSL2's time is not synchronized, cause serious clock drift when you let Windows sleep.
  • SystemD is broken for a large part in WSL2
  • WSL2 does offer much better Docker support in Windows
  • WSL2 runs in a hidden HyperV VM and tuning it is a bit limited