Terminal — Windows (WSL2)
WSL2 (Windows Subsystem for Linux) gives you a real Linux terminal inside Windows. The AI tools run here.
Need admin access?
The initial wsl --install command requires administrator rights. If you're on a managed work computer, check the Permissions page or your institution guide first.
Install WSL2 and Ubuntu
Open PowerShell (Start menu → type PowerShell → click it):
Restart your computer if prompted.
Create your Linux user
When Ubuntu opens for the first time, it asks for a username and password. This is required by Linux — it only happens once.
- Username: short, lowercase, no spaces (e.g.,
jane) - Password: easy to remember — you'll need it occasionally
- When you type the password, nothing appears on screen — this is normal. Just type and press Enter.
- You'll type it twice to confirm.
Open Ubuntu
From now on, open Ubuntu from the Start menu — type Ubuntu, click the app.
Pin your Linux home folder in Explorer
Your Linux home folder is where AI tools store their config files (like CLAUDE.md). Pin it for quick access.
In your Ubuntu terminal, run:
This opens your Linux home directory in a Windows Explorer window. Right-click the folder and select Pin to Quick access.
This is for config, not your daily work
Your actual research files stay in OneDrive — see Where Should You Work. The Linux home folder is just for AI tool configuration.
Navigate to a project folder
In Explorer, navigate to your project folder (e.g., in OneDrive). Type wsl in the address bar and hit Enter.
You're now in a terminal at that folder.
Get back to Explorer
Reload your terminal
After installing tools, you sometimes need to reload:
Terminal says 'command not found'?
Run exec bash to reload. If that doesn't work, close the Ubuntu window and reopen it from the Start menu.
WSL feels slow?
If you're working with very large projects (thousands of files, big git repos), you can work in your Linux home folder instead. For everyday research tasks, OneDrive is fine.