Install Linux shell on Windows 10

Purpose

To install and then run a full bash shell in Windows 10. This makes you able to use most of the shell functionality in Windows, from running scripts to using package managers. This could be of use for people new to shell, or when you don't want to boot in Linux on a Windows/Linux dualboot to use a specific command line tool.

Details

This solution is not a virtual machine, but makes use of the Linux subsystem which is part of Windows 10. Microsoft collaborated with Canonical on developing a distribution of the Ubuntu shell that runs on this subsystem. Technically this can't be called Linux, because the Linux kernel is replaced by the Linux subsystem in Windows. The only thing that is left are the GNU utilities and software. There are some limitations, of which the most important are that you can't use the shell for graphical software, server software, nor Windows software. You have however access to the Windows filesystem.

And then?

If all went well:

• If you open the default windows command prompt, the command bash will let you enter the Ubuntu shell
• If you open Hyper you will automatically enter the Ubuntu shell