[scooter_de]

My understanding of WSL is that Linux software runs natively on Windows by virtue of a compatibility layer. Eg. if there is a fork() in my code it will be translated into CreateProcess() or something like that.

[_emacsomancer_]

Right, so like what Wine does. (Remember: Wine Is Not an Emulator.)

[phs318u]

Correct. It's an interesting architecture, if you're interested in reading more:

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/wsl/2016/04/22/windows-subs...

[xtracto]

I have always been curious on how WSL differs to coLinux or andLinux ( http://www.andlinux.org/ )

About 10/15 years ago I used andLinux to have a Linux shell and other apps inside Windows. It was really good and it seems ahead of its time, as it was not virtualized.