WSL2 Extremely slow file read fix (mutagen)
Current Env:
Windows 10
WSL2 unbuntu 20.04
This document is intended to solve the WSL2 slow file read issue via using a docker container bridge to construct a forward file sync from Windows host to docker container volume mirror mount to the WSL2 container.
The development of IDE env will be hosted on Windows session, not WSL2 session.
The hosting / script / test session can be on both Windows / WSL2 session.
The pros and cons of using this method:
Pros:
- solve WSL2 slow file read issue with text editor
- almost native file read speed
- At least it is a alternative fix for a 2 yrs issue
- You dont need a linux ext4 drive for this
Cons:
- requires docker container volume bridge running during the session
- some of the binaries may not be processed or run because of the different host issue, (node_modules bin), you need to setup a custom file sync blacklist and config the file on WSL2 side
- need to run
dos2unixif you are running .sh files on wsl2 when writing it from windows
Windows:
- Download mutagen to your windows, I am using mutagen v0.11.8 here , https://github.com/mutagen-io/mutagen/releases
- Config windows path for mutagen (copy to C:\.bin, than add C:\.bin to sys env path)
- Open Powershell session, test your if mutagen is working corectly,
> mutagen PS C:\Users\Engineer> mutagen Mutagen is a remote development tool built on high-performance synchronization Usage: mutagen [flags] mutagen [command] Available Commands: sync Create and manage synchronization sessions forward Create and manage forwarding sessions [Experimental] project Orchestrate sessions for a project [Experimental] tunnel Create and manage tunnels [Experimental] login Log in to mutagen.io logout Log out from mutagen.io daemon Control the lifecycle of the Mutagen daemon version Show version information legal Show legal information help Help about any command Flags: -h, --help Show help information Use "mutagen [command] --help" for more information about a command.
On WSL2:
- goto ~/ , setup mirror path
cd ~ mkdir docker-mirrors cd docker-mirrors # remove UBUNTU_BRIDE container if exists docker rm UBUNTU_BRIDGE # start the session docker run -it -v $PWD:/app --name UBUNTU_BRIDGE ubuntu:20.04 /bin/bash # In the docker session # config a user with the same user id of WSL2 , default is 1000 adduser ubuntu cd /app # here are the synchronized files
Setup development environment on Windows
- goto
%HOMEPATH%, default isC:\Users\{YOUR_USERNAME}\ - create a default .mutagen.yml, (there is . before the mutagen.yml, make sure you have it), for ignoring node_modules and other files that should only be working on the host (for example linux based binaries)
# write this file at %HOMEPATH%.mutagen.yml sync: defaults: ignore: paths: - "mutagen.yml" - "mutagen.yml.lock" - ".vagrant" - ".git" - ".idea" - "node_modules" vcs: true
Setup Project file sync on Windows (You only need to do step 7-10 for new projects)
-
goto your project root path, and start the mutagen session:
> mutagen sync create . docker://[email protected]_BRIDGE/app/project_name Created session sync_Gpwdlf1Dor5PEOtkNBBzZYN1LXci6hkl7AZzJPVZavp > mutagen sync list sync_Gpwdlf1Dor5PEOtkNBBzZYN1LXci6hkl7AZzJPVZavp Identifier: sync_Gpwdlf1Dor5PEOtkNBBzZYN1LXci6hkl7AZzJPVZavp Labels: None Alpha: URL: C:\Users\Engineer\Projects\xxx\yyy Connection state: Connected Beta: URL: docker://[email protected]_BRIDGE/app/project_name DOCKER_HOST= DOCKER_TLS_VERIFY= DOCKER_CERT_PATH= DOCKER_API_VERSION= Connection state: Connected Status: Watching for changes -
On your docker mirror session, verify the sync
[email protected]:/app# ls -la project_name/ total 236 drwx------ 8 ubuntu ubuntu 4096 Sep 30 01:19 . drwxr-xr-x 4 ubuntu ubuntu 4096 Sep 30 01:19 .. -rw------- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 141 Sep 30 01:19 .editorconfig drwx------ 7 ubuntu ubuntu 4096 Sep 30 01:19 .git -rw------- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 84 Sep 30 01:19 .gitignore drwx------ 2 ubuntu ubuntu 4096 Sep 30 01:19 .idea -rw------- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 345 Sep 30 01:19 README.md -rw------- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 229 Sep 30 01:19 _config.yml -rw------- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 942 Sep 30 01:19 package.json drwx------ 2 ubuntu ubuntu 4096 Sep 30 01:19 scaffolds drwx------ 5 ubuntu ubuntu 4096 Sep 30 01:19 source drwx------ 3 ubuntu ubuntu 4096 Sep 30 01:19 themes -rw------- 1 ubuntu ubuntu 171151 Sep 30 01:19 yarn.lock [email protected]:/app# -
On your WSL2, verify the sync
> ~/projects/docker-mirrors# ls -la project_name total 236 drwx------ 8 engineer engineer 4096 Sep 30 09:19 . drwxr-xr-x 4 engineer engineer 4096 Sep 30 09:19 .. -rw------- 1 engineer engineer 141 Sep 30 09:19 .editorconfig drwx------ 7 engineer engineer 4096 Sep 30 09:19 .git -rw------- 1 engineer engineer 84 Sep 30 09:19 .gitignore drwx------ 2 engineer engineer 4096 Sep 30 09:19 .idea -rw------- 1 engineer engineer 345 Sep 30 09:19 README.md -rw------- 1 engineer engineer 229 Sep 30 09:19 _config.yml -rw------- 1 engineer engineer 942 Sep 30 09:19 package.json drwx------ 2 engineer engineer 4096 Sep 30 09:19 scaffolds drwx------ 5 engineer engineer 4096 Sep 30 09:19 source drwx------ 3 engineer engineer 4096 Sep 30 09:19 themes -rw------- 1 engineer engineer 171151 Sep 30 09:19 yarn.lock # you can now run all your dev scripts here: > yarn > ls -la . total 232 drwx------ 6 engineer engineer 4096 Sep 30 09:28 . drwxr-xr-x 4 engineer engineer 4096 Sep 30 09:25 .. -rw------- 1 engineer engineer 141 Sep 30 09:25 .editorconfig -rw------- 1 engineer engineer 84 Sep 30 09:25 .gitignore -rw------- 1 engineer engineer 345 Sep 30 09:25 README.md -rw------- 1 engineer engineer 229 Sep 30 09:25 _config.yml drwxr-xr-x 484 engineer engineer 20480 Sep 30 09:29 node_modules -rw------- 1 engineer engineer 942 Sep 30 09:25 package.json drwx------ 2 engineer engineer 4096 Sep 30 09:25 scaffolds drwx------ 5 engineer engineer 4096 Sep 30 09:25 source drwx------ 3 engineer engineer 4096 Sep 30 09:25 themes -rw------- 1 engineer engineer 171151 Sep 30 09:25 yarn.lock # you may have fun now # everything will work as normal, including browsersync etc. > yarn server -
Once completed the session, terminate it on Powershell
mutagen sync terminate sync_Gpwdlf1Dor5PEOtkNBBzZYN1LXci6hkl7AZzJPVZavp
Bye , see you guys around.