通过远程 WSL 扩展在 vscode 中使用 WSL bash 与在 Windows 中通过选择作为默认 shell 使用它有何不同？

Question

Before I knew about the remote WSL extension for vscode, I had been using bash in it by selecting it as the default shell from the terminal option. What is the advantage of using remote WSL if all I wanted was to just use bash as the default terminal?

Answer 1

Hi Rohan and welcome to SO!

I'll have a shot at answering this, though someone more knowledgeable might have better insight.

When you load VSCode in windows, it accesses your various PC resources as windows resources. For example your files will be from the windows folder structure. Even if you use WSL bash as your terminal, VSCode is still acting on a windows basis.

If you use the remote WSL extension, it leverages VSCodes separation of UI and Backend by remotely starting a VSCode backend in the WSL layer, and connecting the windows UI to that backend ('remotely' although on the same PC). Due to running the backend in a linux environment, the files are loaded as linux files and handled via the WSL system, rather than normal windows access.

With regard to the question 'What is the advantage?' I would suggest the advantage is that now instead of having a split between VSCode in windows and command line in WSL, you now have both acting in harmony through WSL. It should provide some benefits (especially when WSL2 hits properly and performance increases) around things not messing in a windows manner on files you are trying to use in a linux way, and just make things feel a bit more connected.

However if you're using WSL bash just as a command line replacement and not using it for it's linux goodness (though I don't know if this would be the case), there may be less of an advantage.

It's a stepping stone to switching to devcontainers, which are really neat.

This page might help more, but that's my understanding! https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/remote/wsl