Microsoft Just Made a Huge Linux Move That Developers and Container Fans Everywhere Will Love
TechRadar, Tuesday, June 30th, 2026
Microsoft's WSL containers preview lets developers create and run Linux containers directly on Windows.
Microsoft released WSL containers in public preview, following its Build 2026 announcement, as a way to create, run, and manage Linux containers directly on Windows.
The feature has two main components: a CLI called wslc.exe to build and interact with Linux containers, and a WSL container API letting Windows developers use Linux containers in their app logic.
Microsoft also added a new virtiofs file system that makes Windows file access twice as fast and a consomme networking mode for better compatibility, plus Intune controls for admins. The lower-level platform changes are also being made available across tools like Docker Desktop, Podman Desktop, and Rancher Desktop, removing the need for third-party container software in many cases.