Red Hat Enterprise Linux Joins Windows Subsystem for Linux as an Official Distribution
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) will soon be an official Linux distribution available for Microsoft’s Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). WSL enables Windows users to run Linux environments seamlessly without needing a separate virtual machine, bridging the gap between the two platforms. This collaboration between Red Hat and Microsoft marks another milestone in their ongoing efforts to enhance developer productivity and hybrid cloud capabilities.
The announcement, made on November 19, highlights the advantages of RHEL becoming an official WSL distribution. While WSL users already have access to a variety of Linux distributions, the official inclusion of RHEL will simplify its discovery and installation process. Microsoft and Red Hat plan to release a dedicated RHEL image for WSL, leveraging a new .tar-based WSL distribution architecture designed to optimize packaging and installation. This architecture promises to make adopting RHEL within WSL a smoother experience for developers.
The integration is particularly beneficial for hybrid cloud environments, where many enterprise IT teams rely on a combination of Windows and Linux systems. According to Ron Pacheco, Red Hat’s senior director of the RHEL ecosystem, the collaboration addresses a key need for developers. “For developers who need to build Linux applications on a Windows system and then deploy on a RHEL environment, using the same RHEL setup in WSL as in production can save significant time and resources,” Pacheco explained. This ensures greater consistency between development and deployment environments, reducing potential compatibility issues.
By bringing RHEL to WSL, Red Hat and Microsoft are offering a streamlined solution for enterprise developers and hybrid cloud professionals. The move underscores the growing importance of interoperability between platforms, enabling teams to work more efficiently while leveraging the best features of both Windows and Linux. As RHEL becomes an official WSL distribution, it’s poised to further strengthen its role in enterprise IT workflows.