WSLg adds support for Wayland and X server scenarios to the Windows Subsystem for Linux.
Open source
10 alternativesStartup Launcher
Distrod installs Linux distributions in WSL 2 and includes an automatic startup feature.
About Startup Launcher
Distrod is a systemd-based setup for WSL 2 on Windows. It installs a new Linux distribution with systemd, or enables systemd in an existing WSL 2 distribution. It includes automatic start of WSL on Windows startup and a systemd-managed port proxy for accessing services such as SSH from outside Windows.
Installation images come from linuxcontainers.org. Ubuntu, Debian, Arch Linux, Fedora, CentOS, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, Kali Linux, Linux Mint, openSUSE, Amazon Linux, Oracle Linux and Gentoo Linux are continuously tested, while other images may or may not work. Use requires WSL 2, and the port proxy service is noted as not working on Windows startup on Windows 11.
Key features
- Install a new WSL 2 distro with systemd
- Enable systemd in an existing WSL 2 distro
- Start WSL automatically on Windows startup
- Expose Linux ports outside Windows via port proxy
- Run systemd-managed services such as SSH
- Install distro images from linuxcontainers.org
Best for: People using WSL 2 on Windows who need systemd, automatic startup, and port forwarding for Linux services.
Good for
- Supports multiple tested distros, including Ubuntu, Debian, Arch Linux and Gentoo
- Offers both new distro installation and systemd enablement for current distro
- Combines systemd support with autostart and port forwarding
Watch out for
- Requires WSL version 2
- Untested linuxcontainers.org images may or may not work
- Port proxy service does not work on Windows startup on Windows 11
Startup Launcher at a glance
- Category
- Software & Utilities › Virtualization
- Type
- Open-source project
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Platforms
- Linux, Windows
- Open source
- Yes · Source code
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 5, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
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Startup Launcher FAQ
Can Distrod enable systemd in an existing WSL 2 distro?
Yes. Install with install.sh, run distrod enable, then terminate and reopen the distro to enter a systemd session.
How do I make WSL start on Windows startup?
Run sudo /opt/distrod/bin/distrod enable --start-on-windows-boot in the distro.
How do I expose services such as SSH outside Windows?
Add the port numbers to /opt/distrod/conf/tcp4_ports and enable the portproxy.service with systemctl.
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