The Windows Subsystem for Linux is arguably one of the best features Microsoft has added to Windows in a very long time. Being able to run Linux distros without needing to dual-boot or set up a full virtual machine is an incredibly useful feature. For the most part, you'll probably use it for the Linux terminal, but you can actually run GUI-based Linux apps on Windows 11, too.

And while many apps that are on Linux are also on Windows, there are some that still make total sense to install in WSL. Here are a few I've found useful for my Ubuntu WSL instance.

HiFile

Manage your Linux files easily

Believe it or not, this isn't the first time I talk about HiFile on XDA, and I covered it when testing alternatives to Finder on macOS. Indeed, HiFile is a multi-platform tool, as it's also on Windows, and it's a solid file manager in its own right. The thing is, the Windows and macOS versions are paid, while the Linux version of HiFile is completely free, and that makes this an excellent way to manage your Linux file system.

HiFile comes with a nice design that can be customized to your liking with a selection of included themes, but the best part is it has a dual-pane UI by default, so it's much easier to view multiple folders at the same time and manage files between them. It also has tab support, and a lot more you can dive into to customize the experience.

The only downside with HiFile is that it's an AppImage file, so it won't register to the Windows Start menu, meaning you always have to launch it from the Linux terminal. Still, a great file manager is a great file manager, and HiFile definitely fits that bill.

Foliate

Read your books digitally

E-reader apps aren't anything new necessarily, but Foliate is an interesting option that's only available on Linux, and it may make sense to use through WSL, too. Foliate has a very clean interface, and it comes with some built-in repositories where you can find free books to check out from the get-go. Admittedly, I could only get it to work with Freebooks, but there are other options like the Internet Archive.

Even if you can't use the built-in browsing tool, however, you can open just about any epub file of your choosing, and read it in a comfortable way. You can easily flip between pages with a touchpad or keyboard (the app also supports touchscreens, but gestures don't translate well through WSL), and there's a convenient menu for navigating chapters and bookmarks. You can also customize the theme to make reading more comfortable, as well as adjust the font and size of text.

It's a great app for reading books, and even if it's not native on Windows, it's one of the best options around. The app is available on the Snap store or on Flathub, so you may need to set up either one of those platforms to be able to get it.

Apostrophe

Distraction-free writing

In today's world, it's incredibly easy to get distracted while doing anything, and finding a way to stay focused can be challenging. Distraction-free writing apps are a growing category, and Linux has the privilege of having a great exclusive one with Apostrophe.

Apostrophe is a very simple, but effective writing tool. It comes with customizable themes and has Markdown support, so you can format your text as needed and produce more advanced notes. It also allows exporting into PDF or HTML formats, or you can copy the HTML code and paste it somewhere else. You can choose a light or dark theme, too.

Once you start writing, the app's entire UI fades and leaves in a space with just your text, which is great for focus. You can also preview your text, and you can even do it in real-time in a separate window as you write, if you want to see what the formatting will look like.

There isn't a ton to say about Apostrophe, but it's a great app if you want a focused writing experience.

Any apps that need to access Linux files

Sometimes the Windows versions aren't as good

Not every Linux app worth your time needs to be a Linux exclusive, though. Some apps just work better on Linux or may have certain features or workflows designed around the Linux file system, making that version of the app more useful. For example, Obsidian has a Windows version, but you might have your projects stored inside WSL, or otherwise have data you want to link to within your WSL instance, and using the Windows version of Obsidian may give you trouble when trying to access that data.

The same could be said for all kinds of other apps, like coding tools where you might want to see how a certain app runs on Linux, or have access to additional resources for Linux development. There's a lot of potential for this.

That's just the beginning

Depending on your workflow, there may be a lot more apps you find useful on Linux. These are just some top-level picks I got to try for myself, but there are a lot of Linux tools that aren't on Windows or aren't as useful for particular workloads. If you have any particular recommendations, I'd love to hear them in the comments.