Common WSL Commands

wsl --list / wsl -l:list distributions
wsl --list --running:list running distributions
wsl --distribution <<distro-name-here>>: start distribution and enter shell as default user
wsl --shutdown: shutdown all distributions and the WSL management vm
wsl --help | more: show WSL Help

Remove Distro (but not uninstall WSL)

wsl --unregister <distro name>

Also consider uninstalling from the Microsoft Store in addition to the above.

Multiples of the same distro

From: https://superuser.com/questions/1816644/can-we-have-multiple-wsl2-distros-of-the-same-type-installed-in-a-single-windows
Based off: https://endjin.com/blog/2021/11/setting-up-multiple-wsl-distribution-instances

Here is how to have several copies of the same distribution:

  1. Install the base distribution from the Windows Store or using: wsl --install -d <distribution name>
  2. Log into the environment and modify as needed, then exit it
  3. Export the environment with the following command: wsl --export <distribution name> <export file name>
  4. Create a new instance of the base environment by importing the .tar file: wsl --import <new distribution name> <install location> <export file name>
  5. You may now open the new environment using: wsl -d <new distribution name>
  6. In Windows 11, you can browse the file-system of distributions in Explorer via Desktop > Linux

  7. The new distribution will have root as the default user. To login as another user, either use the -u <username> flag or create/modify a wsl.conf file in /etc directory inside the environment, with the following section:

     [user]
 default=<username>