Microsoft has announced the general availability of WSL containers, a feature that enables Linux containers to run on Windows via the Windows Subsystem for Linux. The functionality can be installed through `wsl --update` or downloaded from Microsoft's GitHub releases page.
For organizations managing Windows devices, Microsoft Intune now includes settings to enable or disable WSL containers and to restrict image pulls to approved registries. This allow-listing capability is designed to help ensure that developers only use container images that comply with an organization's security and compliance standards.
The feature provides a command-line tool, `wslc.exe`, which also has an alias, `container.exe`. An API is included, allowing native Windows applications to execute Linux containers, with Microsoft highlighting local AI workloads as a potential use case. Since its public preview, Microsoft has added commands for restarting containers, copying files, checking container environment states, and incorporating health checks and a live stream of container events.
Integrations are already available for two development environments. VS Code dev containers can now use `wslc` as their default driver, and Aspire can recognize WSL containers as a container runtime.
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, which previously had a plugin for WSL, now extends its coverage to include WSL containers. According to Microsoft, Defender can report process, file, and network activity originating from a container and link it to the Windows host, streamlining investigation workflows.
Performance enhancements include support for up to two times faster access to Windows files from Linux environments, though specific test conditions for this claim were not provided. The release also introduces a new network mode named "consomme" for container workflows. A notable omission, which Microsoft identifies as the most requested feature, is support for Compose, with the stated goal of enabling existing `compose.yaml` files to run without modification.
