How to Set Up Linux and Linux Apps on a Windows PC
If you are a typical tech enthusiast like us, you must have already used one or another form of Linux on your PC so far. And why not; it’s open source, offers tons of customization options, and, these days, it also lets you run almost any Windows app on it. But did you know the reverse is true as well?
With a few modifications, you can now install and use all your Linux apps on Windows with a breeze. If you’re looking to install and run Linux apps on Windows, then you’ve come to the right place. So, let’s dive into all the methods one by one.
1. Virtual Machines
Virtual machines have been around for a while—since 1999, to be precise, whenVMware first introduced the concept of virtualization. They have evolved multiple times over the years, but the primary purpose is still the same: to help you run a specific operating system on top of a ‘host’ computer that works on a different OS.
Windows has a few options to choose from when it comes to picking a virtual machine. VirtualBox, VMware, and Bootcamp are some of the free options you can try out. And then there’s Parallels, Bluestacks, etc., on the proprietary side, too.
If this is your first time playing around with VMs, we suggest you use a free, open-source option likeVirtualBox. After you have VirtualBox, you have to install the Linux ISO; from there, you may run your Linux (and your Linux apps) on VirtualBox.
Confusing? Don’t panic; we’ll do this in steps.
Step 1: Install VirtualBox
The first step is to install a VirtualBox on your Windows. Head to theofficial VirtualBox website, and download the official Windows app from the website. Launch the setup and finish the VirtualBox installation.
Step 2: Download and Install the Linux ISO
Now download the Linux ISO, which will be handy in installing the Linux operating system on top of VirtualBox. Head to theofficial Linux websiteand grab the ISO file from there. In this case, we’ll go with the Ubuntu distribution.
Step 3: Install Linux on VirtualBox
Now it’s time to install Linux on VirtualBox. Here’s how:
From here, VirtualBox will then power up the Ubuntu VM on its own, and in a few seconds you will see the Ubuntu interface as well. In a couple of minutes, it will also finish the Ubuntu installation on its own.
Note:If the VirtualBox doesn’t pick up the Linux ISO automatically, you must try the manual method; click on the folder, choose the file manually, and clickStart. Finally, the Linux setup will be launched. From here, choose the language and click onInstall Ubuntuto get started with the first part of the installation.
Again, follow the on-screen instructions from here; it’s pretty straightforward. When asked, set up an account, and clickContinueto finish the installation. Ubuntu will be installed on your VirtualBox in a few seconds from here.
Now that Ubuntu is installed, you can run all the Linux apps on your Windows straight through the VirtualBox.
2. Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL2)
Using a virtual machine to run Linux is fine, but it isn’t straightforward and takes a fair amount of tinkering to get running. This is where Windows Subsystem for Linux, or WSL, can help you. WSL is a Windows feature that will help you run the Linux environment on your Windows without the help of a virtual machine like VirtualBox.
We have a detailed guide that covershow you can download and set up WSL2on your PC. Follow the steps from the guide, and you will be using the WSL (and, along with it, Linux apps) in no time.
Cygwinis an open-source tool that offers a UNIX/Linux-like shell to run your Linux tools on the Windows environment. To get started, you first have to download the Cygwin app. Follow the steps below to get started:
After you’re done with the installation, you can then launch the Cygwin terminal from your desktop. By default, the terminal is set toC:\Cygwin\home<user>folder. So, first, we suggest you move it to the/cygdrive/cdirectory, so that you can run various Linux commands.
Before we move ahead to make Cygwin work on Windows, though, you have to add it to your Windows Environment Variable so that you will be able to launch Cygwin straight from your Windows command prompt. You should start by opening the system properties. Then press theWin+Pause/Breakor right-click on the computer and select properties.
From there, click onAdvanced system settingsto open the system properties window. Now, click on theEnvironment Variablesbutton from the bottom. Locate the path and click onEdit.
At the end of the variable value, add Cygwin to your bin location. Here’s how:
Copy the above address and paste it into the end of thePathvariable, and click onOKafter you’re done.
That’s it. You can now run Linux apps straight from the Cygwin app. Launch Cygwin and start typing the Ubuntu commands from here on. For instance, we have below used thepwdcommand, which basically prints the path of the working directory, from the root.
From here, it’s possible to do pretty much anything; only creativity is the limit. Here’s alist of top Linux tools or commandsto help you get started.
Running Linux Apps on Your Windows Computer
You don’t have to switch to Linux every time you want to use a handy tool from its large repository. With the methods we’ve laid down above, you can pretty much run any Linux tool straight from your Windows computer.
While running Linux apps on your Windows will undoubtedly involve going through a slew of complicated steps, using them becomes second nature after a while. In fact, this also holds for the reverse case; by that, we mean when you’re looking to run Windows apps on your Linux.
WinApps helps you install and run Windows apps on Linux using virtualization and RDP. Here’s how to get started.
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