Stage 1 of 8 · 8 lessons · ~2 weeks
Set up your machine
Install WSL 2 with Ubuntu, make Windows Terminal your home, and keep projects in the Linux file system. The rest of the roadmap runs in that Ubuntu shell, so a clean setup now saves hours of confusing errors later.
Start: WSL 2 with UbuntuLessons· one lesson for each topic, in this order
Do this
- Run `wsl --install` in an administrator PowerShell, restart, and create your Linux user.
- Check `wsl -l -v` shows Ubuntu on version 2.
- Make Ubuntu the default profile in Windows Terminal, starting in your Linux home.
- Run `sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade`, then install git, curl, jq and tree.
- Configure Git inside Ubuntu: name, email, default branch and editor.
- Create `~/code` in Linux, not under /mnt/c, and clone a test repository there.
- Install VS Code on Windows with the WSL extension, then open `~/code` with `code .`.
- Open the folder in File Explorer with `explorer.exe .` to see where it lives.
Start with· follow one of these
- GuideFreeWindows Subsystem for Linux Documentation
Microsoft · Beginner
Microsoft's own install and best-practice guides for WSL, including where to store files and VS Code set-up
- GuideFreeThe Linux Command Line for Beginners (Ubuntu)
Canonical · Beginner
A short, friendly first hour in the Ubuntu shell once your terminal is working
Keep handy
Also worth your time
- roadmap.sh: LinuxGo deeper
A map of the whole Linux topic, to see how much there is beyond this stage
Before moving on: Windows Terminal opening Ubuntu on WSL 2 by default, Git configured inside Ubuntu, a `~/code` folder in the Linux file system, and VS Code editing it through the WSL extension with `code .`.
Treat Ubuntu in WSL as your development machine and Windows as the place your browser lives. Keep code in the Linux home, install tools with apt inside Ubuntu, and ignore tutorials that tell you to use Git Bash or Command Prompt for this work.