WebStorm 2024.1 Help

WSL

WSL (WSL 2) – Windows Subsystem for Linux – is a compatibility layer for running Linux binary executables natively on Windows 10 and later. Currently, it supports several Linux distributions, such as Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, and SLES.

With WSL toolchain set up for your project, you can build using a toolchain from Linux, and run/debug on WSL, without leaving WebStorm running on your Windows machine.

Configure WSL

  1. Download and install a WSL distribution (for instance, Ubuntu) from Microsoft Store.

    For this step, be sure to use at least Windows 10 or later with the latest “Fall Creators Update” (minimum version 1709, build 16299.15). See the official guide Install the Windows Subsystem for Linux for instructions.

    To work with WSL 2, your Windows version should be 10 build 18917 or later. Follow these instructions to switch the distributive.

  2. Run the Linux distribution.

    Upon the first launch, the system may prompt you to enable the Windows optional feature. In this case, you need to do the following:

    • Open Windows PowerShell as Administrator and run

      Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Windows-Subsystem-Linux
    • Restart your computer.

Install Node.js and npm

Inside the Linux (Ubuntu) installation, make sure nvm, Node,js, and npm are installed. For the detailed installation instructions, refer to Install Node.js on Windows Subsystem for Linux.

  1. Open the Terminal (Alt+F12.

  2. Install cURL:

    sudo apt-get install curl
  3. Install nvm:

    curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.1/install.sh | bash
  4. Install the stable Long Term Service Node.js version or the current release version by running one of the following commands:

    nvm install --lts nvm install node

Configure a WSL-based Node.js interpreter

You can set a Node.js installation as the default interpreter for the current project or you can configure and use this Node.js version in a Node.js Run/Debug configuration.

  1. In the Settings dialog (Ctrl+Alt+S) , go to Languages & Frameworks | Node.js.

  2. Click the Browse button next to the Node Interpreter field, in the Node.js Interpreters dialog that opens, click the Add button, and then select Add WSL from the list.

    Configure WSL Node.js interpreter: add WSL
  3. In the Add WSL Node Interpreter dialog that opens, select the Linux distribution you’re using and specify the path to Node.js.

    Configuring Node.js on WSL as the default project node interpreter

Firewall configuration

You need to perform the following steps to ensure that the building of a project works properly.

Configure firewall settings

  1. Run the Windows PowerShell as administrator.

    Restore firewalls to default
  2. Execute the following command to allow connections using WSL: New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "WSL" -Direction Inbound -InterfaceAlias "vEthernet (WSL)" -Action Allow

  3. Then execute the command to renew the firewall rules: Get-NetFirewallProfile -Name Public | Get-NetFirewallRule | where DisplayName -ILike "IntelliJ IDEA*" | Disable-NetFirewallRule

  4. Now start the debugger session. When the Windows Firewall popup appears, select the Public networks checkbox.

    Allow public networks
Last modified: 28 June 2024