WSL Manager

The WSL Manager is DevCentr’s instance-oriented front-end for Windows Subsystem for Linux: list distributions, choose a default, install/remove with guidance, and explain which Linux to pick. Microsoft’s WSL Settings app is treated as a complementary tool for shared WSL2 VM knobs (.wslconfig), not as the primary management UI.

Purpose

  • Own the instance story: Distro inventory, default selection, lifecycle (wsl.exe), and education. Windows does not ship a strong UI for this.

  • Complement, don’t replace, WSL Settings: Launch Settings for memory, CPUs, networking, and related global options. Keep a clear split in the UI so users are not sent to Settings expecting “manage my Ubuntus.”

  • Educate in-context: Short blurbs aligned with general-knowledge docs (Ubuntu LTS as merit-based default; Tumbleweed as rolling workshop; never default Docker/Podman helper distros).

  • Link out: Full comparison and setup how-to on docs.devcentr.org; Microsoft Learn for WSL Settings / WSL overview.

Architecture (module first)

Choice Decision

In-app module (current)

Primary surface. Lives in DevCentr so Toolchain Advisor, Secrets/SSH, and docs links stay one hop away. Matches “environment navigator” product direction.

Separate binary

Optional later extraction: a small Windows helper (CLI or GUI) that wraps wsl.exe + Settings launch, callable from DevCentr or standalone. Do not start here unless a second consumer (installer, Tray app, CI bootstrap) appears.

WSL Settings

Always external. Never re-implement .wslconfig editors inside DevCentr while Microsoft’s app exists; deep-link / spawn it instead.

Shared logic (listInstalledDistros, setDefaultDistro, openWslSettings, guide matching) should stay in modules.wsl_manager so a future helper binary can call the same D library or a thin CLI without rewriting rules.

Entry points

  • Home hub: Card “WSL” → Manage WSL.

  • Sidebar: Nav item “WSL”.

  • Page id: pageWsl (index 8 in the page switcher array in app.d).

  • Complementary: Button Open WSL Settings (and docs fallback).

Layout

pageWsl
├── title row + Refresh
├── muted help line (this page = instances; Settings = shared VM)
└── wslManagerHost
    └── WslManagerPanel
        ├── intro (from distro-guide.sdl)
        ├── actions: Refresh | Open WSL Settings | Distro comparison docs | Setup how-to | Microsoft WSL docs
        ├── status line
        └── split
            ├── left: installed list + “Set as default” (+ future: install / terminate / unregister)
            └── right: scrollable guide detail for selection

Behavior

Action Behavior

Refresh / page open

Run wsl -l -v (decode UTF-16 NULs), populate list; mark * default.

Select row

Match name against distro-guide.sdl tokens; show role, overview, prefer/avoid.

Set as default

wsl --set-default <Name>. Refuse matches for engine-managed ids (docker-desktop, podman-machine).

Open WSL Settings

Try Program Files\WSL\wslsettings.exe, then WindowsApps alias, then wslsettings: / Start name; on failure open Microsoft .wslconfig docs URL. Framed as complementary (VM config), not instance management.

Planned instance actions (not all shipped yet)

  • Install from wsl --list --online with guide blurbs before confirm.

  • Open shell in selected distro (wsl -d <Name>).

  • wsl --terminate / --shutdown with clear copy.

  • Export / import / unregister behind confirmations (destructive paths last).

Data

  • Guide file: app/src/modules/wsl_manager/distro-guide.sdl (bundled; loaded via bundledGuideSdlPath(), with builtinGuide() fallback).

  • Docs URLs (also in SDL):

Comparison: https://docs.devcentr.org/general-knowledge/latest/explanation/infrastructure/wsl-distro-comparison.html

Setup: https://docs.devcentr.org/general-knowledge/latest/how-to/wsl-setup.html

WSL Settings docs: https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/wsl/wsl-config

Related