Ubuntu is growing faster on Windows than on Linux, and it may soon have its largest user base

So, good news for Linux fans: it looks like the “Year of Linux” is finally upon us. The bad news is that Linux may not last year On Linux. A recent interview with a member of Canonical suggests that the number of people installing Ubuntu in a Linux environment on Windows is quickly outstripping native Ubuntu installations, and it may one day become the largest market share.

Ubuntu on Windows may one day surpass native Ubuntu installations

This is a surprising but reliable result

Noticed this interesting statement from Canonical Windows latesthe found the quote hidden in a published interview A pragmatic engineer months ago. In the full article, the publication interviews John Seeger, Canonical’s VP of Engineering, about what’s going on with Ubuntu.

One of the topics Seager covers is installing Ubuntu WSL, and he has some surprising statistics and predictions to share:

“In one year, the growth in our WSL numbers is significantly higher than the growth in desktop usage numbers.

(…)

I expect to see more Ubuntu WSL users than “native” Ubuntu users in the coming months. This is especially true for anyone doing ML or AI work. We’re already hearing from many developers who have no choice but to get a Windows machine from their employer, but then feel they need to do AI or ML work. With WSL, it’s much simpler.”

If you’re a little confused as to why people are talking about Linux on Windows, don’t worry; you are not angry yet. When Seager says that more people are installing Ubuntu on Windows than on native Linux, what he means is that people are downloading Ubuntu on a Windows machine and then running it using the Windows Subsystem for Linux (which is what he often refers to as the “WSL” in his quote).

WSL allows you to install a Linux environment on Windows and interact with it through a terminal, while using Windows as your primary operating system. In the past, people had to dual boot Windows and Linux, but some people find WSL much easier to manage. According to Seeger, people use WSL to use Ubuntu when they need Windows (usually depending on their employer’s needs) and Linux. And this method may outlast actual Ubuntu installations. Yes, it is very strange.

Given that the interview is several months old and has only just come to light, there’s a good chance we’ll see Ubuntu on Windows overtake native Ubuntu installations. However, I’m happy as long as Linux continues to be used in any shape or form.