- Microsoft announced WSL Containers, a built-in platform for creating and running Linux containers through WSL.
- The feature includes a new WSLC command-line tool and an API for integrating Linux containers into Windows apps.
Microsoft announced WSL Containers during Build 2026, introducing a built-in way to create, run, and manage Linux containers directly through Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). The feature will enter public preview by the end of June as a standard WSL update, eliminating the need to install separate container tools to get started.
Microsoft’s new container platform removes the need for extra software, but that may not be the most significant part of the announcement. The more interesting development is the company’s effort to make Linux a built-in capability of Windows apps rather than a separate platform developers interact with directly.
The software giant isn’t simply adding container support to WSL. Based on the demonstrations shown during Build, Microsoft is working toward a future in which Linux workloads run seamlessly behind Windows applications, often without users realizing Linux is involved at all.
Linux containers become a built-in Windows 11 feature
When WSL Containers launches, developers will receive a new command-line tool called WSLC as part of a regular WSL update. The software giant says users won’t need to install third-party software, configure background services, or manage additional runtimes.
The tool supports familiar container commands to create, build, run, and manage Linux containers directly from the Windows environment.
During a demonstration, the company showed developers how to create a Debian container, build custom container images from a container file, expose services via localhost, and run web applications inside Linux containers while accessing them from Windows.
The company also demonstrated GPU acceleration support, allowing containers to access the host GPU for AI workloads. In one example, a Linux container fine-tuned a GPT-2 model in a Jupyter Notebook, using the Windows machine’s GPU resources.
The API may be more important than the CLI
Alongside the WSL Containers CLI, Microsoft is introducing a WSL Containers API via a NuGet package, enabling users to integrate Linux containers directly into Windows apps without needing to interact with Linux.
To demonstrate the concept, Microsoft partnered with MoonRay, an open-source rendering engine used for films such as The Wild Robot and The Bad Guys 2. Although MoonRay is a Linux-based application, Microsoft showed it running from a standard Windows executable.
The application launched a Linux container in the background, completed its rendering task, and automatically shut down the environment when finished.
Without debug messages, users would have no indication that Linux was involved at all.
A different approach from Docker
Microsoft also revealed details about the architecture behind WSL Containers.
Every Windows application using the API receives its own lightweight virtual machine. All containers for that application run within the dedicated environment, which provides separate storage, networking, resources, and hypervisor-level isolation.
According to Microsoft, the design allows organizations to maintain strong security boundaries while giving developers access to Linux workloads.
The company also explained why it chose to build its own container tooling instead of relying on Docker or Podman.
We wanted to be able to be opinionated about our approach
, Microsoft said during the session. At the same time, the company emphasized that Docker Desktop, Podman Desktop, and Rancher Desktop remain fully supported options.
Pureinfotech’s take
For years, Microsoft has been working to make Windows a better platform for developers, but many modern development workflows still rely on Linux tools running through separate applications and virtual machines. WSL Containers feels like another step toward eliminating that complexity.
Do you think Windows apps should be able to use Linux behind the scenes?
What stands out most is not the new command-line tool. It’s the API. The ability to package Linux workloads directly into Windows apps could allow developers to use Linux-based software without exposing users to Linux, containers, or virtual machines. The MoonRay demonstration showed how that experience could work in practice.
WSL started as a way to bring Linux to Windows. WSL Containers suggests Microsoft’s long-term goal may be to make the distinction between the two platforms far less important than it is today.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert and founder of Pureinfotech in 2010. With over 22 years as a technology writer and IT Specialist, Mauro specializes in Windows, software, and cross-platform systems such as Linux, Android, and macOS.
Certifications: Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), VMware Certified Professional (VCP), and CompTIA A+ and Network+.
Mauro is a recognized Microsoft MVP and has also been a long-time contributor to Windows Central.
You can follow him on YouTube, Threads, BlueSky, X (Twitter), LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].
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