Pengwin is a Debian-based Linux distribution built specifically for Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). Developed by Whitewater Foundry, it delivers a production-grade Linux environment on Windows with polished onboarding, strong Windows integration, and first-class support for both command-line and graphical Linux apps. Pengwin is open-source, built by WSL users, and shaped by community feedback. Why Pengwin * Debian 13 (Trixie) foundation for stability, security, and a huge package ecosystem. * Fast onboarding with `pengwin-setup`: guided setup and automation for dev tools, cloud tooling, and desktop environments. * systemd support: enabled by default on new installs, and can be toggled on/off via pengwin-setup (existing installs opt in). * Modern WSL export/import architecture: `wsl --export` / `wsl --import` preserves your icon and Windows Terminal profile when importing under a new name. * Windows Terminal integration: Pengwin registers itself in Windows Terminal with a curated profile (colors/background) and improved launch behavior (starts in the current directory when launched via “Open with Windows Terminal” and when set as default). * GPU acceleration + GPU video acceleration out of the box (no custom repos or manual environment hacks). * Optional D3D12 acceleration toggle to disable hardware acceleration for driver compatibility or troubleshooting. * wslu utilities included for Windows↔Linux workflows (open URLs/files, clipboard interop, Windows env vars, etc.). What you can do with it * Use a real Linux terminal on Windows: git, OpenSSH, Python, PowerShell, Bash, and more. * Install developer stacks via version managers (e.g., pyenv, n, rbenv, SDKMAN!) and get modern toolchains quickly. * Run local services for dev/test, including a one-click LAMP stack. * Install cloud & DevOps tooling such as Terraform, Kubernetes tooling, and cloud CLIs via pengwin-setup. * Run essential Linux GUI apps (IDEs, terminals, tools) with WSLg on Windows 11. Desktop apps and WSL1 support * Install a full Xfce desktop environment from pengwin-setup and launch it directly from the Windows Start Menu. * On WSL1, pengwin-setup can install/configure VcXsrv or set up X410, and you can manage services using `wslsystemctl`. Hybrid Windows + Linux workflow Access your `C:` drive at `/mnt/c`, work in a mixed toolchain, and move seamlessly between ecosystems—Pengwin is designed to make the hybrid workflow feel native. Notes * Pengwin is Debian-based (not Ubuntu). For best results, follow Debian instructions when troubleshooting or installing packages. * DISCLAIMER: Windows Insider Preview builds are not production-ready and may introduce incompatibilities. Support for Insider builds is best-effort.

Debian base for a stable, widely-used Linux foundation and massive package ecosystem. First-class WSL support on Windows 10/11, including seamless WSLg integration for GUI apps. pengwin-setup onboarding: guided setup and automation via pengwin-setup to get productive fast. systemd support end-to-end: enabled by default on new installs, and can be toggled on/off via pengwin-setup (existing installs opt in). GUI apps out of the box: no manual DISPLAY setup on WSLg; on WSL1, pengwin-setup can auto-configure VcXsrv or X410. GPU acceleration built-in (no custom repos or manual user-group tweaks required). GPU video acceleration enabled with modern Mesa support (VA-API). D3D12 acceleration control: optional GUI toggle to disable hardware acceleration for compatibility/troubleshooting. Xfce desktop environment installer via pengwin-setup, with Start Menu integration. XRDP-ready experience with performance-oriented defaults for responsive remote desktop sessions. HiDPI friendly: environment is tuned for crisp UI on high-resolution displays. Create Windows Start Menu items from Linux desktop apps (including WSL1 scenarios). Windows Terminal integration: handcrafted profile + improved launch behavior (starts in the current directory from “Open with Windows Terminal”). wslu utilities included for Windows↔Linux interop (clipboard, open URLs, env vars, etc.). winhome shortcut: access your Windows user home easily from Linux via the winhome symlink. Developer stacks on demand: install Python, Node.js, Ruby, Java, and .NET using version managers (pyenv, n, rbenv, SDKMAN!, etc.). Cloud & DevOps tooling: install Kubernetes, Terraform, Azure CLI, AWS CLI, and more from pengwin-setup. One-click LAMP stack deployment for local web dev. AIUTILS menu in pengwin-setup to install GitHub Copilot CLI and Copilot for Vim/Neovim. Actively maintained with frequent updates, bug fixes, security updates, and community support resources.

Existing users can update immediately by running $ pengwin-setup update 26.02.5: * Systemd is now enabled by default on new installs (existing installs can opt in via pengwin-setup). * Migrated to the new WSL export/import architecture: imports under a new name preserve the icon and Windows Terminal profile. * New branding: updated Pengwin logo. * New AIUTILS menu in pengwin-setup to install GitHub Copilot CLI and Copilot for Vim/Neovim. * Added a GUI toggle to disable D3D12 hardware acceleration; plus XRDP/Xfce and compatibility fixes. 25.11.0: * Upgraded to Debian 13.2 (Trixie) * Upgraded to Mesa 25.2.6 * Added the default user to the render group for GPU acceleration * Updated Terraform to 1.13.4 * Updated JetBrains Toolbox installation script * Fixed WSL1 systemd upgrade issues * Fixed backports configuration for Debian 13 * Updated DISPLAY setup to use default gateway from ip route 25.06.0: * Terraform 1.12.1, Node.js 22/24 LTS, Debian 12.11 * Mesa 25.0.4 with D3D12: completed OpenGL 4.6, expanded HEVC/H.264 support, added VP9/AV1 GPU acceleration * pengwin-setup TUI switched to ncurses: mouse support, visible accelerator keys, resizable large dialogs * Fixed pengwin-setup menu regression, GPU video acceleration in WSL 2.5.x, and desktop icon generation * Added udev package required for video acceleration