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by tkinom 3518 days ago
Bash for Windows is open source, right?

Is there anyway for me to get just bash binary to run? or build it from source and run it instead sign up for the insider program.

I tried to signed up as insider a few times on couple win 10 systems, failed and completely gave up on that.
2 comments
enzanki_ars 3518 days ago
You don't need to be an insider to run it. It is available in the current version of Windows 10 (Build 1607 - AKA Anniversary Update). Then go to `Settings -> Update and Security -> For Developers -> Developer Mode`. Next, search for `Optional Features` Start Menu (Just start typing that in the Start Menu, it will show up) and check the box next to `Bash for Windows`.
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JdeBP 3518 days ago
You're being misled by the misleading marketing name, too. This isn't the Bourne Again shell at all. It's a "personality" subsystem that lets one run Linux binaries directly on top of the Windows NT kernel. One of those binaries may well be the Bourne Again shell, but that is largely irrelevant. The Bourne Again shell binary comes from Canonical (or from RedHat if, say, you choose to experiment with running Fedora on the Windows Subsystem for Linux).

The part that comes from Microsoft is the Windows Subsystem for Linux, and of course the Windows NT kernel beneath it (and the Win32 subsystem alongside it). Unless something has changed recently, that is not open source.

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