Disposable Linux subsystems
Finding a WSL-like workflow on a Linux desktop — isolated, disposable, easy to tear down.
The goal is a WSL-style workflow on an Ubuntu or Debian desktop: an isolated, disposable environment that is quick to create, inspect, update, and remove. The shell is already Linux, so the missing part is isolation and lifecycle management, not the terminal.
Options to compare
- Distrobox / Toolbx — containers that feel like a normal shell, with home directory passthrough
- systemd-nspawn — lighter than a VM, heavier isolation than a container
- LXD system containers — full init, closest to a small VM
- Multipass — already in use, but a real VM per environment
- Plain Docker — fine for services, awkward as a workspace
Deciding on
- Startup cost and disk footprint per environment
- Whether GUI applications need to work
- How cleanly an environment can be destroyed and recreated