What is Ubuntu?
Ubuntu is an operating system (OS) developed from the Linux kernel. It is a distribution of Linux. In Linux lingo, a distribution is a version of the OS that has the Linux kernel as its foundation.
Why install Ubuntu on Windows?
If you want to connect to cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Google Cloud or Microsoft Azure, one way to do so is by using a Linux operating system on your computer. Most personal computers have Windows operating systems. Many years ago, developers have to make their computers dual-boot just to install a Linux, meaning only one OS can run at any given time. But when Microsoft introduced Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), you can now run tools that are available for Linux on Windows system, natively. It is like running Ubuntu terminal ‘in‘ Windows.
How do you install Ubuntu on Windows 11?
The instructions on Ubuntu website are pretty straight-forward. https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/install-ubuntu-on-wsl2-on-windows-11-with-gui-support#1-overview I do not have to run graphical Linux applications, so I skipped the last part of the their tutorial.
Below are the steps I have done to I install Ubuntu on my Windows computer:
Step 1. Check if your machine passes the pre-requisites.
Windows 11 build version should be 22000 or higher.
Virtual Machine Platform optional feature should be enabled.
Step 2. Open Microsoft Store, search Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). Install the Windows Subsystem in your machine.
Step 3. After installation, click Open. The Preview screen will confirm that you have not installed a Linux distribution yet. That will be done in the next step. For now, press any key to continue.
Step 4. From Microsoft Store, search and install Ubuntu.
Step 5. Open Ubuntu app. To configure Ubuntu, you will need to create a username and password.
Step 6. Install the latest updates by running these commands:
sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade
Press Y when prompted.
Viola! You can now run Ubuntu on your Windows computer.
If you would like to install Ubuntu on Windows 10, I have the instructions listed on How to Build Bitcoin Core Wallet from Source Code and Install in Windows 10 – PART 2 Installing Ubuntu.
