The answer is No!<\/strong><\/p>\n Just because an “app” comes from the Windows Store does NOT automatically mean that it’s safe & suitable for running in Windows 10 S. There are some apps that are not allowed to run on Windows 10 S, including all command-line apps, shells and Consoles.<\/p>\n Read on for more background & info…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A couple of weeks ago, Microsoft announced Windows 10 S<\/a> – a new SKU of Windows which is “Streamlined for security and superior performance<\/em>“.<\/p>\n Windows 10 S is primarily aimed at non-technical users<\/a> – teachers & grade-school children, non-technical students, content creators, artists, etc. – people who don’t typically want to spend time & effort futzing with their PC – people who just expect their computer to work safely, quickly, reliably and efficiently.<\/p>\n To deliver this experience, Windows 10 S users can only install apps from the Windows Store. This enables Microsoft to help ensure a safe, predictable, easy-to-use experience by preventing malicious and\/or inefficient apps from getting onto users’ machines and wreaking havoc with their data and resources.<\/p>\n Therefore…<\/p>\n These needs are not well met by an operating system that has been deliberately constrained to prevent just these types of apps and tasks from running!<\/p>\n This said, Windows 10 S can<\/strong> be used for building code that runs elsewhere – on the web, on IoT devices, on a remote VM via ssh, etc. Such scenarios don’t require the user access\/modify a local machine’s system, settings\/registry, filesystem, etc.<\/em> And of specific interest to readers of this blog, Windows 10 S does not run command-line applications, nor the Windows Console, Cmd \/ PowerShell, or Linux\/Bash\/WSL instances<\/strong> since command-line apps run outside the safe environment that protects Windows 10 S from malicious \/ misbehaving software:<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Windows 10 S primarily runs apps downloaded & installed via the Windows Store.<\/p>\n Modern Universal Windows Platform (UWP) store apps run within a secure & constrained sandbox, with explicitly controlled access to system resources, devices, and capabilities like file storage devices, cameras, ability to run in the background, etc.<\/p>\n Another class of Windows Store app, called Desktop Bridge (or “Centennial”) apps,<\/a> are given much broader access to the OS. However, Desktop Bridge apps are only published by organizations which have a direct engagement with Microsoft, and which have been vetted and are well supported by the publisher. Examples of Desktop Bridge apps<\/a> include Evernote, Arduino IDE, doubleTwist, PhotoScape, Virtual Robotics Kit, etc.<\/p>\n Linux distro store packages are an exotic type of app package that are published to the Windows Store by known partners. Users find and install distros , safely, quickly, and reliably via the Windows Store app.<\/p>\n Once installed, however, distro’s should be treated as command-line tools that run outside the UWP sandbox & secure runtime infrastructure. They run with the capabilities granted to the local user – in the same way as Cmd and PowerShell do.<\/p>\n This is why Linux distro’s don’t run on Windows 10 S: Even though they’re delivered via the Windows Store, and installed as standard UWP APPX’s, they run as non-UWP command-line tools and this can access more of a system than a UWP can.<\/p>\n If you want to run all your dev tools, distros, shells, etc. on a machine running Windows 10 S – like the sweeet new Surface Laptop<\/a> – then upgrade it to full Windows 10.\u00a0<\/span><\/a> You’ll then be able to run Linux distro’s, Cmd\/PowerShell, install dev tools, debuggers, profilers, packet sniffers, etc.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\nWhat is Windows 10 S?<\/h2>\n
![\"windows10s\"](\"https:\/\/devblogs.microsoft.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2019\/02\/Windows10S-600x415.png\")
<\/a><\/h2>\nWindows 10 S is not well-suited for many app developers\/hackers, admins & IT pro’s!<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Why?<\/h2>\n
So what should I use?<\/h2>\n