Show HN: NSL – WSL for Linux

# WSL-style Linux machines for Linux Source: [https://frostyard.github.io/nsl/](https://frostyard.github.io/nsl/) [https://github.com/frostyard/nsl/edit/main/site/content/index.md](https://github.com/frostyard/nsl/edit/main/site/content/index.md)NSpawn Subsystem for Linux ## Keep the host atomic\.*Work in any distro\.*[¶](https://frostyard.github.io/nsl/#keep-the-host-atomic-work-in-any-distro) nsl gives a Linux host persistent Linux machines, as WSL does for Windows\. Each machine is a whole distro with its own packages and services\. It runs as a systemd\-nspawn container in one small VM, starts when you use it, and works in your files\. [Install nsl →](https://frostyard.github.io/nsl/getting-started/install/)[How it works](https://frostyard.github.io/nsl/concepts/how-it-works/)  ``` nsl create debian --distro debian:13 # verify the signed images; the first machine is the default nsl # a login shell in the machine, in this directory nsl run make test # one command, with its exit status ``` ## What a machine gives you[¶](https://frostyard.github.io/nsl/#what-a-machine-gives-you) - **Any distro, one command away** --- `nsl`opens a login shell in your default machine, in the directory you were in\.`nsl run`runs one command and returns its exit status\. - **Your files and your account** --- Your`$HOME`,`/run/media/USER`and`/mnt`appear at`/mnt/host`\. Inside, you keep your username, UID and GID, and passwordless`sudo`\. - **Ports and windows on the host** --- A server listening in a machine is reachable at the same port on host`127\.0\.0\.1`\. Wayland applications open windows on your desktop\. - **Seven signed distros** --- Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, CentOS Stream, Arch, openSUSE Tumbleweed and Leap\. Rebuilt weekly, and verified against the signed Frostyard publishing workflow before use\. - **Isolation when you need it** --- `\-\-isolated`gives a machine a VM of its own, with no access to host files, desktop or host actions, for software you do not trust\. - **A clean host** --- nsl runs as your user\. It installs no host packages and changes no device permissions, groups or sudoers\. ## Start here[¶](https://frostyard.github.io/nsl/#start-here) - 01**[Get started](https://frostyard.github.io/nsl/getting-started/install/)** Check the host, install nsl and create your first machine\. - 02**[Architecture](https://frostyard.github.io/nsl/concepts/how-it-works/)** One VM, many machines, and what a machine may touch on the host\. - 03**[Look it up, baby](https://frostyard.github.io/nsl/reference/cli/)** Every command, every setting in`nsl\.conf`, and every published image\. Pre\-release nsl has no stable release yet\. v0\.4\.0 is the first release of this design; v0\.3\.0 and earlier are a retired prototype\. The tested host is Snow Linux 13 on x86\-64 with systemd 261\.2, QEMU 10\.0\.13, virtiofsd 1\.13\.2 and GNOME Wayland\.