Setting Up WSL2

Windows Subsystem Linux (WSL) is not automatically enabled on windows. So, to start, we need to enable it!

Install Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and Ubuntu

Now that we know your computer is ready for the rest of the environment setup, we can install Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and the Ubuntu Linux distribution. You'll be doing the majority of your dev work using WSL and Ubuntu, so this step is critical to complete before moving ahead.

Action Item: Install WSL Features

1. Search for the "Command Prompt" application using the "Start" menu
2. Select "Run as administrator" from the right side of the search window
3. Allow the program to make changes to your device and wait for the "Command Prompt" application to open
4. Type wsl --install -d Ubuntu and press <Enter>
5. The terminal should output "The requested operation is successful."
6. Restart your computer to complete the installation.

Note: If you encounter an error message that says "Ubuntu required feature not installed" then try enabling VSM in your BIOS. Follow this guide to access your BIOS and get to the virtualization settings. Enable VSM and virtualization options from there. Check out this issue for reference.

Check Your Work

Action Item: Install the "Ubuntu" Application

You are ready to install and set up the Ubuntu operating system! Ubuntu is a Linux-based operating system and this is the application we'll use to run the remainder of the environment setup.

1. Open the "Microsoft Store" application using the "Start" menu
2. Search for "Ubuntu" (Note: do not choose "Ubuntu 16.04 LTS", "Ubuntu 18.04 LTS", or "Ubuntu 20.04LTS". Instead, choose the option that has no number next to it.)
3. Click "Get" and "Install" and wait for the application installation to complete
4. Open the "Ubuntu" application
5. When it says "Enter new UNIX username:" add a simple username and press <Enter> (Note: usernames may not start with a number, and may not include capital letters)
6. Where it says "New password:" add a simple password and press <Enter> (Note: you will not see any text when you are typing your password.)
7. Where it says "Retype new password:" retype the same password from before and press <Enter> (Note: store this password somewhere safe. You will need it to be able to run commands in the future)
8. The terminal should output "Installation successful!" and then print about 50 lines that you can ignore

Check Your Work

Now, the last line in your "Ubuntu" application should say your username + "@DESKTOP" + some random numbers and letters. If you see that, continue below.

Update the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) to WSL 2

Now that we have the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) enabled and we have the "Ubuntu" application installed, we can update WSL to version 2 and update the "Ubuntu" application to use WSL 2.

Action Item

1. Search for the "Command Prompt" application using the "Start" menu
2. Select "Run as administrator" from the right side of the search window
3. Allow the program to make changes to your device and wait for the "Command Prompt" application to open
4. Type wsl --set-default-version 2 into the terminal and press <Enter> (Note: you should see a message starting with "For information on key differences…")
5. Type wsl --status into the terminal and press <Enter>. You should see a message including "Default Version 2", which verifies that the default version has been set correctly.
6. Type wsl --set-version Ubuntu 2 into the terminal and press <Enter>
7. Wait for the "Conversion complete" or "This distribution is already the requested version" message in the terminal
8. Type wsl --list --verbose into the terminal and press <Enter>. You should see a message including "NAME Ubuntu VERSION 2", which verifies that the default version has been set correctly.

Check Your Work

If you saw the "Conversion complete" or "This distribution is already the requested version" message in the "Command Prompt" application, close the "Command Prompt" application and continue below.

Note: If you encounter an error message that you need to enable the Virtual Machine Platform, but you've already enabled it, you may not be able to use WSL2. However, you may still be able to use WSL1. Run wsl --set-default-version 1, then run wsl --set-version Ubuntu 1. Wait for the "Conversion complete" or "This distribution is already the requested version" message in the terminal, then continue on with these instructions.

Configure VS Code to Work with WSL

Action Item

1. Open the "Visual Studio Code" application using the "Start" menu
2. Click "View" in the toolbar, then click "Extensions" in the dropdown menu, or use the shortcut <Control> + <Shift> + X
3. Search for "WSL" and click on the item in the list with a description that starts with "Open any folder in the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) …". (Note that the name of the extension has been changed from "Remote - WSL" to just "WSL" since the video below was recorded.)
4. Click the "Install" button near the top of the page
5. Click "Terminal" in the toolbar, then click "New Terminal" (Note: a new terminal should appear at the bottom of your VS Code window)
6. If the dropdown in your terminal says "1: wsl", continue to step 9. Otherwise, click on the dropdown in the terminal that says "1: powershell" and choose "Select Default Profile"
7. A dropdown should appear at the top of your VS Code window
8. Click on "Ubuntu (WSL)" to enable VS Code to display your Ubuntu terminal
9. Close the "Visual Studio Code" application
10. Open the "Ubuntu" application using the "Start" menu
11. Type code and press <Enter>

Check Your Work

If the "Visual Studio Code" application opens when you type code in the "Ubuntu" application, continue to the next lesson, Installing Node.js on WSL2.