I asked Canonical if Ubuntu on Windows will outgrow native installs as rumored - it's a no

Canonical's VP of engineering Jon Seager told ZDNET that Ubuntu on Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) will not outgrow native Ubuntu installs, clarifying that earlier comments about growth referred only to a faster growth rate, not absolute numbers. Seager attributed the faster WSL growth to enterprise developers broadly, with AI development tools possibly accelerating the trend.

I asked Canonical if Ubuntu on Windows will outgrow native installs as rumored - it's a no Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source https://cc.zdnet.com/v1/otc/00hQi47eqnEWQ6T9d4QLBUc?element=BODY&element label=Add+us+as+a+preferred+source&module=LINK&object type=text-link&object uuid=9357acaf-c743-4770-9c98-40b177e34fe3&position=1&template=article&track code= COM CLICK ID &url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fpreferences%2Fsource%3Fq%3Dzdnet.com&view instance uuid=4dd049f4-591d-463a-a26d-d007fb24c56a&object version=f7b9fbad-1c6d-4f27-9f97-f40863392eb9 on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways - Ubuntu on WSL isn't displacing Ubuntu on PCs anytime soon. - Linux on WSL is popular for enterprises and AI developers. - WSL helps programmers work across Windows and Linux. There have been reports that Ubuntu on Windows may one day outgrow native Ubuntu installs. https://www.xda-developers.com/ubuntu-is-growing-faster-on-windows-than-on-linux-and-it-could-soon-become-its-biggest-user-base/ Nope, sorry, that's not true. I interviewed Jon Seager, Ubuntu Linux https://www.zdnet.com/article/6-reasons-why-ive-stuck-with-ubuntu-based-linux-distros-for-the-last-20-years/ parent company Canonical's VP of engineering, and he told me, "No, not really, only that the growth rate is faster " And growth, and the speed of that growth, are two very different things. Wait, Ubuntu on Windows? Yes, thanks to Windows Subsystem for Linux WSL https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-subsystem-for-linux-3-for-developers-sticking-with-microsoft/ , it's long been possible to run Linux distros https://www.zdnet.com/article/elementaryos-linux-review/ , including Ubuntu, on Windows. Also: After 30 years with Linux, here's my way of convincing Windows users to switch The confusion about Ubuntu on Windows' growth arose from comments Seager made out of context in an earlier interview. There, he said, "The growth in our WSL numbers is significantly higher than the growth in Desktop usage numbers https://newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/p/ubuntu-and-ai ." The confusion came with his follow-up comment: "I expect to see more Ubuntu WSL users than 'native' Ubuntu users over the coming months." Seager's assertion might suggest he expected more Ubuntu Desktops to run on WSL than on PCs, but that's not the case. Once again, he was referring to WSL Ubuntu's higher growth rate, not the absolute number of Ubuntu Desktops. There are, and almost certainly always will be, more Ubuntu Linux Desktops on PCs than on PCs running WSL. Seager's clarification reinforces a narrower interpretation of a recent claim that Ubuntu was growing more quickly on WSL than on bare metal. The comparison is between Ubuntu Desktop usage within WSL and native Ubuntu Desktop installations, rather than between Windows-hosted Linux environments and all Linux deployments. Also: AI-enriched Linux 7.2 delivers cache-aware scheduling - here's everything new The distinction matters. Ubuntu is used across desktops, servers, cloud instances, containers, appliances, and embedded systems. Seager's comments were only about the desktop. Nor do they establish whether WSL users will ultimately become a larger population than all forms of native Ubuntu deployment. Personally, I can't see it. Windows usage is finally declining as MacOS and Linux gain at its expense https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-linux-desktop-finally-cracks-the-10-market-share-barrier/ . Asked what might be driving faster WSL growth, and whether AI developers https://www.zdnet.com/article/why-most-developers-prefer-claude-code-over-codex/ were a major factor, Seager told me, "I suspect it's just enterprise developers rather than specifically 'AI developers', but the rise of AI development tools may well have also accelerated things, of course." That suggestion is a plausible fit for WSL's role in enterprise software development. As a Microsoft spokesperson said, "WSL was built to give developers access to the Linux tools they need while staying productive on Windows, and it's been great to see adoption continue to grow. We're continuing to invest in Windows as a leading tool for modern development, including the new WSL Container https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/wsl-container feature and improving fundamentals like memory management. Our work with Canonical has been an important part of that journey." Also: I used OpenFactory to build my own Linux distro overnight - this AI tool is going to be big WSL enables developers to retain a Windows desktop environment while using Linux command-line tools, package managers, shells, containers, and development workflows locally. In many organizations, particularly those with standardized Windows endpoints, WSL can lower the friction of adopting Linux-based tooling without requiring a separate machine, dual-booting, or a full virtual machine. As Hayden Barnes, senior technical product manager for HeroDevs and author of Pro Windows Subsystem for Linux https://www.amazon.com/Windows-Subsystem-Linux-Cross-Platform-Collaboration-ebook/dp/B096TRZMW1?ref =ast author mpb , said: WSL is a great way to learn Linux. Ubuntu is easy to use, well supported, and popular. There are lots of resources out there for getting started with Ubuntu. Ubuntu is the default and most common WSL distro for good reason. WSL makes sense for learning Linux, driving fleets of Linux servers, or doing AI on Windows. As someone who builds on and for Windows and Linux, it's great having all the tools right there, side by side. Indeed, it is. So, while Ubuntu on WSL isn't likely to replace Ubuntu on your PC anytime soon, it's clear that for a growing segment of developers, especially enterprise developers using Windows-managed PCs, Linux is increasingly important as a development environment in Windows rather than as the host operating system. Linux Editorial standards /editorial-guidelines/