💥💥💥 New year - new challenges - "OpenFoam project" - part 1 (installation)

 There are different ways to install OpenFoam on Windows, depending on your preferences and needs. One option is to use the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), which allows you to run Linux applications on Windows 10. Another option is to use a virtual machine (VM), such as VirtualBox, which creates a separate Linux environment on your Windows system. Here are some brief steps for each option:

• 
  WSL: You need to activate WSL and install the Ubuntu distribution from the Microsoft Store. Then, you can download the OpenFoam package for Ubuntu and install it using the commands provided in the OpenFOAM website. You also need to install some additional dependencies and configure your bash shell to run OpenFOAM. To enable graphical applications, such as ParaView, you need to install an X server software, such as VcXsrv¹²³.
• VM: You need to download and install VirtualBox, and then create a new virtual machine with Ubuntu as the operating system. Then, you can follow the same steps as for WSL to install OpenFOAM on Ubuntu. Alternatively, you can download a pre-configured VM image with OpenFOAM from the OpenFOAM website and import it into VirtualBox⁴⁵.

Is threre possibilty to install OpenFoam directly on Windows ?

No, there is no possibility to install OpenFoam directly on Windows, as OpenFoam is a Linux-based software that requires a Linux environment to run. However, as I mentioned before, you can use WSL or VM to create a Linux environment on your Windows system and install OpenFoam there. These methods are well-documented and supported by the OpenFoam community¹²³. 

How to install OpenFoam on Windows by the WSL method?

To install OpenFoam on Windows by the WSL method, you need to follow these steps:

• Activate Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and install the Ubuntu distribution from the Microsoft Store¹.
• Launch the Ubuntu distribution through WSL and download the OpenFoam package for Ubuntu using the commands provided in the OpenFOAM website.
• Install some additional dependencies and configure your bash shell to run OpenFOAM¹.
• Install an X server software, such as VcXsrv, to enable graphical applications, such as ParaView¹²³.

What is the difference between WSL and VM?

WSL and VM are two different ways to run Linux applications on Windows. WSL stands for Windows Subsystem for Linux, and VM stands for Virtual Machine. Here are some of the main differences between them:

• WSL uses the Windows kernel to implement Linux system calls, while VM uses a separate Linux kernel running on a hypervisor¹².
• WSL has better performance and integration with Windows, while VM has better compatibility and isolation with Linux¹².
• WSL is more lightweight and easy to set up, while VM is more flexible and customizable¹²³.
• WSL supports only command-line applications, while VM supports both command-line and graphical applications¹²⁴.

What are the advantages of using WSL over VM?

Some of the advantages of using WSL over VM are:

• WSL is more lightweight and easy to set up than VM, as it does not require allocating resources from the host machine or installing heavy ISO files¹².
• WSL has better performance and integration with Windows than VM, as it uses the Windows kernel to implement Linux system calls instead of a separate Linux kernel running on a hypervisor³⁴.
• WSL is faster to launch and more convenient to use than VM, as it does not need to boot a full Linux system or switch between different machines⁴².
• WSL supports most of the Linux command-line tools, languages, and compilers that developers need, while VM supports both command-line and graphical applications³⁴.

What are the advantages of using VM over WSL?

Some of the advantages of using VM over WSL are:

• VM is more compatible and isolated with Linux than WSL, as it uses a separate Linux kernel running on a hypervisor instead of the Windows kernel to implement Linux system calls¹².
• VM is more flexible and customizable than WSL, as it allows you to configure virtual devices, allocate resources, and install different operating systems on the same machine²³⁴.
• VM supports both command-line and graphical applications, while WSL supports only command-line applications (although Microsoft promises support for GUI apps in WSL in the future)¹²⁵.
• VM gives you a more authentic Linux experience than WSL, as it runs a full Linux system with all the processes and features that Linux has to offer²⁵.