WSL preview gains support for Linux apps with graphical interface
Microsoft is releasing a new preview version of the Windows Subsystem for Linux, which adds support for Linux apps with a graphical interface. The feature is included in the Windows 10 Insiders build 21364, which was released on Wednesday in the OS’s dev channel.
Microsoft calls the new feature WSLg and announces its beta version in a blog post. WSL was initially intended for running command line tools and apps for Linux. Microsoft lists several use cases for gui support in WSL, including running text editors and using Linux-only programs within Windows 10. Developers can also test their own Linux applications with a graphical interface. WSL will also receive support for GPU acceleration for Linux applications, allowing users to run 3D applications within Windows.
It has long been possible to run Linux apps with a graphical interface via an X server, but now that the feature is added to Windows by default, that is no longer necessary. WSL automatically starts a companion system distribution, which includes a Wayland, X server, pulse audio server, and all the other Linux app needs with a graphical interface. After users are done with such apps and disable WSL, the companion distro will also close automatically. It is not yet clear when WSLg will be added to the release version of Windows 10.
In addition to the new WSL feature, the Windows 10 Insiders build 21364 also includes a new eco mode in the task manager. This feature should ensure that users can limit the system usage of certain apps when they consume too much computing power or memory. In addition, the new preview build supports classification of Edge processes. This allows users to view how many resources are used by the various extensions, tabs or other processes of the web browser.
These task manager features are both initially being rolled out in a subset of the Insiders build in the dev channel so that Microsoft can first identify potential issues affecting system performance or stability. The features are gradually being rolled out to all users in the dev channel.
Eco Mode and Edge Rating in the Windows 10 Task Manager. Images via Microsoft