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MSYS2 VS coLinux

Compare MSYS2 VS coLinux and see what are their differences

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Contents:
  1. » Base Details
  2. » Videos
  3. » Reviews
  4. » Alternatives

MSYS2 logo MSYS2

A Cygwin-derived software distro for Windows using Arch Linux's Pacman

coLinux logo coLinux

Cooperative Linux is the first working free and open source method for optimally running Linux on Microsoft Windows natively.
  • MSYS2 Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-05
  • coLinux Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-04-24

MSYS2 features and specs

  • Package Management
    MSYS2 uses the Pacman package manager, which is known for its speed and ease of use. This allows users to easily install, update, and manage software packages and dependencies.
  • Unix-like Environment
    MSYS2 provides a Unix-like environment on Windows, making it easier for developers familiar with Unix/Linux systems to work on Windows without having to adjust to a new command interface.
  • Compatibility
    MSYS2 is compatible with many popular Unix/Linux tools and software, making it a versatile option for developers who need access to these tools on a Windows system.
  • Frequent Updates
    The MSYS2 project is actively maintained, with frequent updates to keep up with new features, security patches, and bug fixes, ensuring a stable and secure environment.

Possible disadvantages of MSYS2

  • Complex Setup
    The initial setup of MSYS2 can be complex and intimidating for new users, as it requires multiple packages and configurations to get started.
  • Overhead
    Running a Unix-like environment on top of Windows can introduce some overhead, potentially impacting performance when compared to native Windows applications.
  • Learning Curve
    Users who are not already familiar with Unix/Linux command-line environments may face a steep learning curve when transitioning to MSYS2, due to its reliance on command-line operations.
  • Package Availability
    While MSYS2 has a wide range of packages, not every Linux package is available or may not work as expected due to differences between the environments.

coLinux features and specs

  • Open Source
    coLinux is open-source software, allowing users to freely access, modify, and distribute the source code under the GNU General Public License, fostering a community of users and developers.
  • Integration with Windows
    coLinux enables Linux to run natively alongside Windows, facilitating a seamless integration that allows users to run Linux applications without needing a separate virtual machine.
  • Low Resource Usage
    Compared to full virtual machines, coLinux typically uses fewer system resources, making it a lighter alternative for running Linux applications on Windows.
  • Performance
    Because it shares the Windows kernel, coLinux can offer better performance compared to other methods of virtualization that may suffer from overhead.

Possible disadvantages of coLinux

  • Complex Setup
    Setting up coLinux can be complex and is not as user-friendly as other virtualization solutions, often requiring manual configuration and technical knowledge.
  • Limited Support
    coLinux has limited support for certain modern hardware and software, and its development has slowed down significantly, which might result in compatibility issues with newer systems.
  • Security Concerns
    Since coLinux shares the Windows kernel, any security vulnerabilities in Windows could potentially affect the coLinux environment as well.
  • Updates and Maintenance
    The project is no longer actively developed or maintained, meaning users might encounter unpatched bugs or a lack of new features.

MSYS2 videos

+ Add

QMK Firmware Tutorial - MSYS2, and Drivers (Part 1)

More videos:

  • Review - Instalando e Atualizando o MSYS2

coLinux videos

+ Add

coLinux + Ubuntu installation tutorial

More videos:

  • Review - Install coLinux in 2 minutes

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to MSYS2 and coLinux)

MSYS2

coLinux

Terminal Tools
100 100%
Terminal Tools
0% 0
Virtualization
0 0%
Virtualization
100% 100
SSH
100 100%
SSH
0% 0
Cloud Computing
0 0%
Cloud Computing
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using MSYS2 and coLinux. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare MSYS2 and coLinux

MSYS2 Reviews

10 Termux Alternatives
MSYS2 is an advanced technology software with a user-friendly environment that provides libraries and tools for building, installing, and running a specific featured software on native 64bit windows. The software you generate on this platform would have a particular system of command called minty to have complete control over your profiles to run them smoothly. The primary...
Source: www.justalternativeto.com

coLinux Reviews

7 VirtualBox Alternatives You Can Consider
CoLinux has better hardware virtualization and portability method which helps it to run guest OS smoothly. It is a free and open source software to run Linux based operating systems. CoLinux will only run on following Windows version: Windows XP, 2000, Vista, and 7 with 32 bit CPU. You will need to download and install WinPCap as it needs the WinPCap library for ethernet...
Source: www.techuntold.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, MSYS2 seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 8 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

MSYS2 mentions (8)

  • Trying to find the real MinGW
    Hi, I have been learning C++ recently using Visual Studio and Replit and wanted to switch to using a compiler with the windows command prompt. When I search up how to install MinGW there are multiple tutorials of indian people and other people who use totally different links and download pages in each video and I'm not sure which one to trust. Is msys2.org the correct website or is sourceforge or a different... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Getting “QT with MinGW support”?
    Apart from what other people already said, http://msys2.org/ is another easy-to-setup option. Source: over 2 years ago
  • I Hate Windows!
    Also FYI: there’s a project called MSYS2 which derives from Cygwin and seeks to provide a proper set of Unix tools on Windows, including split: https://packages.msys2.org/package/coreutils. Source: over 2 years ago
  • std::cout << "It's a pain";
    Still, it isn't a compiler. You also need to install the Visual Studio build tools, or GCC and/or Clang through MSYS2. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Installing MinGW W64 with FFMPEG on Windows and fixing the weird "file downloaded incorrectly" error.
    Download the latest msys2 installer from http://msys2.org/ and run it. - Source: dev.to / almost 3 years ago
View more

coLinux mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of coLinux yet. Tracking of coLinux recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing MSYS2 and coLinux, you can also consider the following products

MinGW - MinGW ("Minimalistic GNU for Windows") is a port of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) and...

QEMU - QEMU (short for "Quick EMUlator") is a free and open-source hosted hypervisor that...

Termux - Terminal emulator and Linux environment for Android

VMware Workstation - VMware Workstation is a multiple operating system handler to easily evaluate the any other type of new operating systems.

Cygwin - Cygwin is a set of tools that provide Linux and POSIX functionality to Windows.

VirtualBox - VirtualBox is a powerful x86 and AMD64/Intel64 virtualization product for enterprise as well as...

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