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Install on Windows With WSL

This page is a beta path for experimenting with Yeast on Windows through WSL 2.

Warning

This path is experimental and may be unpredictable. Yeast is still Linux-first, and the supported path is native Linux. If yeast doctor reports missing /dev/kvm or another virtualization blocker, stop here and use Linux instead.

What This Page Covers

This page shows how to:

  • install WSL 2
  • install a Linux distro inside WSL
  • install Yeast inside that Linux distro
  • check whether your machine is usable for Yeast

Before You Start

You need:

  • a Windows machine with WSL 2 support
  • hardware virtualization enabled in BIOS or UEFI
  • PowerShell or Windows Terminal with administrator access for WSL setup
  • a Linux distro inside WSL, such as Ubuntu

1. Install WSL

Open an administrator PowerShell window and run:

wsl --install
wsl --update
wsl --set-default-version 2

If you want to pick a distro explicitly:

wsl --install -d Ubuntu

Check what is installed:

wsl -l -v

If WSL asks you to reboot, do that before continuing.

2. Open The Linux Distro

Start your distro from the Start menu or with:

wsl

Confirm you are inside Linux:

uname -a
cat /etc/os-release

3. Prepare The Linux Environment

Inside the WSL distro, install the packages Yeast needs:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y qemu-kvm qemu-utils genisoimage openssh-client curl

If your distro does not have apt, use the package manager for that distro.

4. Install Yeast

Use the same install script as Linux:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Twarga/yeast/main/install.sh | bash

Or install a specific release:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Twarga/yeast/main/install.sh | YEAST_VERSION=v1.1.4 bash

5. Verify The Beta Path

Run:

yeast version
yeast doctor

Expected outcome:

  • yeast version prints the installed version
  • yeast doctor may still report blockers if WSL on your machine cannot provide the virtualization Yeast needs

If yeast doctor complains about /dev/kvm, QEMU/KVM, or host virtualization access, this WSL setup is not ready for Yeast yet.

6. What To Expect

WSL beta can be inconsistent because Yeast still expects Linux virtualization behavior.

You may see:

  • slower startup
  • missing hardware virtualization
  • image or networking differences from native Linux
  • commands that work on Linux but fail on this beta path

For anything important, use native Linux instead.

Next Step

If the beta path works on your machine, continue with the Quickstart.