There are programs available that let you run the bash shell on Windows, and it now looks like Microsoft is partnering with Canonical to bring Ubuntu to Windows 10.
According to ZDNet, Ubuntu will not function as a virtual machine, but will be integrated within Windows 10:
Microsoft and Canonical will not, however, sources say, be integrating Linux per se into Windows. Instead, Ubuntu will primarily run on a foundation of native Windows libraries.
That said, the partnership is aimed at developers, and as such it doesn't look likely that Ubuntu's Unity interface will be included:
It also seems unlikely that Ubuntu will be bringing its Unity interface with it. Instead the focus will be on Bash and other CLI tools, such as make, gawk and grep.
Canonical and Microsoft are doing this because Ubuntu on Windows' target audience is developers, not desktop users.
We'll know more at the Build conference. Stay tuned to Windows Central for all the details.
Reader comments
You'll soon be able to run Ubuntu on Windows 10
And ? Hyper-X and Vmware player work fine...
Hope gtk based programs will look better.
What is Ubutu ?
1. It's Ubuntu
2. If you don't know what this is, this planned function is not for you
3. Ubuntu is a custom distribution of the Operating System called Linux
It could also allow Windows systems to run docker without the small overhead of virtualbox and a minimal Linux image. Seeing how Server 2016 will support docker for Windows-based containerization, maybe this is just the next step? Have the Linux kernel/subsystem in Windows, for Linux-based docker containers. That would be cool. Or, it could be that they want the Linux toolchain to run on Windows natively (gcc, llvm, etc.). Or maybe just allow bash without Cygwin or compiling to a Windows-based executable. Either way, very cool!
You don't need Ubuntu to run grep and awk on a Win machine. There's something more behind this.
Bash, make, grep and gawk are all already available with MinGW32.
Ubuntu he'll yea!!! I used Ubuntu for several years and it works like a dream
Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
Good move for MS!
Ubuntu love Windows.. LMAO.
Well, microsoft already stole a lot from ubuntu, i guess it makes sense to get all of it.
This is great news for debs. Ubuntu and Linux generally is better in many ways for devs than windows, but by enabling Ubuntu to run on windows, it saves devs the painstaking task of dual booting or running a vm. It also increases Microsoft foothold, expanding into what would have been a Linux user base originally. I hope devs adopt this, if it's an option in the near future. The Ubuntu interface is not needed, but it's capabilities would be awesome to have available in windows for devs
Posted from Windows Central for Windows 10
"debs"
Haha, devs*
Windows uwp apps should also run on ubunto.. Or bad idea?
Good idea I guess. Ubuntu could use the apps.
Only MS would dare to do this, whilst other companies wouldn't even be able to dream of such a thing...go Microsoft!
Windows 10 mobile OS
Finally!
Linux on Windows?! Oh wait, is it April fools day already?
I think MSFT knows what it does. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
2016 is the year of the Linux desktop.
Ubuntu.. Okay, but where's android and iOS?
What this means to windows 10 mobile users? Just curious.
Nothing. This has absolutely nothing to do with Mobile users and even most desktop users. It only has to do with developers who prefer UNIX Bash to DOS.
Microsoft can't get Windows to run on Windows and now this is happens???
Mastermind has total lack of focus. Regime change needed. Mastermind must go.
LINUX IS CANCER!!!
Developers, developers, developers, etc. -Steve Ballmer.
So what is next - Ability to run Mac OS on Windows? There is a saying in Hindi. You should not cut the branch of a tree on which you are sitting.
F the Ubuntu, F the Linux! :D
i used ubuntu same as how i use windows 10, this is good new
This is BIG. Though I wish it was fedora though.
I wish it was kali
heh things that you thought wont happen from Microsoft is happening
And the things we thought that would happen from Microsoft are not....what a strange time to be in
+640/Win10
I'm really excited about this. I was already planning on buying a new pc to ruu Ubuntu on it.
Posted via the Windows Central App for Android
If your current PC has virtualization capabilities, you can just install VirtualBox and put Ubuntu or Mint on it. As long as it's not a company computer, obviously.
Sent from Lumia 650.
True, but then you have to shell into it everytime.
What I'm looking forward to running Docker nativally without having to resort to Babun (Cygwin) - which doesn't work all time.
I guess this is the "Something awesome" to be revealed at build. Great news though..
If they can manage to properly integrate a good Linux subsystem in Windows, hopefully we'll be able to run GNU toolchains without compatibility issues.
Really wish we have the robust development platform of Linux in Windows, so that I don't have to keep booting separate OSs.
I sincerely hope this isn't the something awesome....yawn.
If you don't think this is awesome, you're not the target demographic :) (developers)
gcc ftw
So when there is another critical BASH exploit like that happened a few months ago, do the Windows installs need to be patched as well?
Not our problem :)
It is if you're running Ubuntu, UNIX or OSX in a virtual instance on a Windows system.
Hopefully it can be like MacOS. I want to use curl and other commands to more easily work with Amazon AWS like I can on a Mac.
can't you just use a thirdparty tool?
though i agree how mac has a lots of things included by default making life of web developer much more easier.
Yeah, the AWS CLI tools are totally dope and have saved me so much time and aggravation. Pipe its output to jq for mind-bending efficency. 1990s web interfaces, be gone.
This is what i was hoping
Posted from Windows Central for Windows 10
How can this be a good thing?
This could be the gateway for a real terminal running on windows without a tool such as putty that can flake out under certain circumstances.
But the thing about Ubuntu that made it great was it's open source... I'm worrying that the partnership will get rid of that for good...
the only thing that made ubuntu great was the ease of inatalling it. otherwise it is pure crap. It comes with crapp like amazon services and ads. Unity ui was horrible.
Maybe mint or elementry os would be nice.
It's glory dats was 8... But everything changed in 11 released
How long ago did you use Ubuntu? I'm running 14.04 on my htpc and unity runs really smooth and the amazon ads can be disabled, it's not forced.
acting clever in a group of dumbs makes you what ...? you can never call ubuntu crap... you should never do that....
I've used 14.04 and it was ok.. But I prefer it's simplicity back then...
This is nothing new. Windows used to have an extra feature called "Subsystem for Unix Applications", and from the looks of it, this seems just a new/revived version.
Posted from Bikini Bottom via my ShellPhone 950 XL
POSIX, is that you?
Yes, the subsystem and the services provided were POSIX-compliant, albeit an old standard.
Posted from Bikini Bottom via my ShellPhone 950 XL
:) Thank goodness they're not porting Unity.
Someone will do.
I was working on a document and the notification came. This news just dropped like a bomb.
This is Microsoft. Great !!
Sent from UWA-Windows Central for Windows 10
This is great.
Continuum integration then I'm sold
Who are you?
Who who, who who.
- Who am I ?
- Francis !!!!!!!!!!
I don't want ubuntu to run on Windows... I want to run Windows 10 Mobile on my Windows Phone 8.1 *mindblown?
Do you want to run Ubuntu on Windows 10 Mobile on your Windows Phone 8.1?
Ubuntu on phone? No thanks. On a computer itself the thing is so ugly.
Uh, oh. You've done it now. "Linux Guy" by the masses will be showing up on your doorstep with pitch forks in hand you heretic!
P.S. I think Ubuntu (and Linux in general) is way overrated. I tried Ubuntu for the first time in a few years recently on an old laptop. I was surprised at how ugly the interface is and how cumbersome it was to navigate the system.
Ubuntu is the easiest of the bunch for desktop users. Linux drives nearly 3/4 of the internet, server wise. Hardly overrated.
On the desktop, it's crap. I've tried it year after year since the Redhat 4 days.
Don't worry. This will not happen, adding bloat to Windows to cater for 0.01% desktop Linux demographics makes no sense whatsoever. They may announce this at Build but then it will be quietly canned.
That .01 percent is the most important as android has proven. Apps=Users. So make something people want to develop for... As a consumer I doubt you'll see any negative affects.
+640/Win10
Actually 1,47% since latest Gartner stats. But server wide, Ubuntu or linux based systems make microsoft look like an ant.
Really? You base this on what exactly?? I work with a multitude of businesses, some huge, supporting their servers and while Linux is far more prominent than on desktop there obviously, Windows is very much the biggest single player.. Adding up all flavors of Linux makes it a bigger OS, but just between OS installs (per 'distro'). Windows wins hands down.
Linux is good for certain server bases applications, great for others. But there is quite a few crucial business essential tasks where Windows Server simply kills anything else..
21% of *developers* use Linux according to the recent Stack Overflow survey. And developers are the intended target of this integration, as the post says.
Personally, I'm a 100% Windows user and developer, and I would LOVE to see the Linux CLI tools available in Windows!
As a non-developer, what do the tools allow you to do that you can't do right now on Windows alone? Just curious.
Or enterprise being their target
In programing you need linux or other distros believe me. I use linux a lot at my university all of us do.
Posted from Windows Central for Windows 10
yeah linux to a developer is a must..... I don't remember the last time i logged in my windows machine....
Not really. Visual studio on Windows is amazing and good enough.
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As a C++ (and C) developer working in both Windows and Linux, I'm not impressed with Visual Studio. What's the real advantage with using it compared to e.g. Qt Creator?
If you think about server space this is a right move.
I agree. But at least Ubuntu is a usable OS. So gives us more choice.
No no you guys get the wrong idea, the UI will always the way they do, they just added ubuntu capabilities to allow developer have more capacity in developing software apllication,
insider
The guy that wrote the article sounds like he sneezed and fell into a load of pans. The first sentence sound like Klingon. The end.
Posted on a L950XL with Fingers 10
When can we read and see Micheal Fisher articles and videos? He join Mobile Nation right?
Astoria grandpa..