Windoze WSL man page

wsl-man.txt

Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
For privacy information about this product please visit https://aka.ms/privacy.

Usage: wsl.exe [Argument] [Options...] [CommandLine]

Arguments for running Linux binaries:

    If no command line is provided, wsl.exe launches the default shell.

    --exec, -e <CommandLine>
        Execute the specified command without using the default Linux shell.

    --shell-type <standard|login|none>
        Execute the specified command with the provided shell type.

    --
        Pass the remaining command line as-is.

Options:
    --cd <Directory>
        Sets the specified directory as the current working directory.
        If ~ is used the Linux user's home path will be used. If the path begins
        with a / character, it will be interpreted as an absolute Linux path.
        Otherwise, the value must be an absolute Windows path.

    --distribution, -d <Distro>
        Run the specified distribution.

    --user, -u <UserName>
        Run as the specified user.

    --system
        Launches a shell for the system distribution.

Arguments for managing Windows Subsystem for Linux:

    --help
        Display usage information.

    --debug-shell
        Open a WSL2 debug shell for diagnostics purposes.

    --install [Distro] [Options...]
        Install a Windows Subsystem for Linux distribution.
        For a list of valid distributions, use 'wsl.exe --list --online'.

        Options:
            --no-launch, -n
                Do not launch the distribution after install.

            --web-download
                Download the distribution from the internet instead of the Microsoft Store.

            --no-distribution
                Only install the required optional components, does not install a distribution.

            --enable-wsl1
                Enable WSL1 support.

    --manage <Distro> <Options...>
        Changes distro specific options.

        Options:
            --set-sparse, -s <true|false>
                Set the vhdx of distro to be sparse, allowing disk space to be automatically reclaimed.

    --mount <Disk>
        Attaches and mounts a physical or virtual disk in all WSL 2 distributions.

        Options:
            --vhd
                Specifies that <Disk> refers to a virtual hard disk.

            --bare
                Attach the disk to WSL2, but don't mount it.

            --name <Name>
                Mount the disk using a custom name for the mountpoint.

            --type <Type>
                Filesystem to use when mounting a disk, if not specified defaults to ext4.

            --options <Options>
                Additional mount options.

            --partition <Index>
                Index of the partition to mount, if not specified defaults to the whole disk.

    --set-default-version <Version>
        Changes the default install version for new distributions.

    --shutdown
        Immediately terminates all running distributions and the WSL 2
        lightweight utility virtual machine.

    --status
        Show the status of Windows Subsystem for Linux.

    --unmount [Disk]
        Unmounts and detaches a disk from all WSL2 distributions.
        Unmounts and detaches all disks if called without argument.

    --uninstall
        Uninstalls the Windows Subsystem for Linux package from this machine.

    --update
        Update the Windows Subsystem for Linux package.

        Options:
            --pre-release
                Download a pre-release version if available.

    --version, -v
        Display version information.

Arguments for managing distributions in Windows Subsystem for Linux:

    --export <Distro> <FileName> [Options]
        Exports the distribution to a tar file.
        The filename can be - for stdout.

        Options:
            --vhd
                Specifies that the distribution should be exported as a .vhdx file.

    --import <Distro> <InstallLocation> <FileName> [Options]
        Imports the specified tar file as a new distribution.
        The filename can be - for stdin.

        Options:
            --version <Version>
                Specifies the version to use for the new distribution.

            --vhd
                Specifies that the provided file is a .vhdx file, not a tar file.
                This operation makes a copy of the .vhdx file at the specified install location.

    --import-in-place <Distro> <FileName>
        Imports the specified .vhdx file as a new distribution.
        This virtual hard disk must be formatted with the ext4 filesystem type.

    --list, -l [Options]
        Lists distributions.

        Options:
            --all
                List all distributions, including distributions that are
                currently being installed or uninstalled.

            --running
                List only distributions that are currently running.

            --quiet, -q
                Only show distribution names.

            --verbose, -v
                Show detailed information about all distributions.

            --online, -o
                Displays a list of available distributions for install with 'wsl.exe --install'.

    --set-default, -s <Distro>
        Sets the distribution as the default.

    --set-version <Distro> <Version>
        Changes the version of the specified distribution.

    --terminate, -t <Distro>
        Terminates the specified distribution.

    --unregister <Distro>
        Unregisters the distribution and deletes the root filesystem.