winboat
Run Windows apps on 🐧 Linux with ✨ seamless integration
WinBoat is a Linux desktop app that runs Windows applications inside a lightweight container and displays each app as an ordinary Linux window, so you can use Windows-only software alongside your Linux apps without a full virtual machine.
WinBoat is an Electron application for Linux that lets you run Windows applications as if they were native Linux windows. It works by running Windows inside a Docker or Podman container (a lightweight virtualized environment), then uses FreeRDP and Windows's RemoteApp protocol to display individual Windows application windows directly on your Linux desktop — rather than showing you a full Windows virtual machine window. This means a Windows app can appear alongside your Linux apps as an ordinary window, with your Linux home directory also mounted in the Windows environment for easy file sharing between the two systems.
Setting up Windows is handled through WinBoat's interface, where you choose your preferences and the app handles the installation automatically. You can also open the full Windows desktop if needed. Hardware requirements include at least 4 GB of RAM, 2 CPU threads, 32 GB of free storage, and KVM virtualization support enabled in your computer's BIOS. FreeRDP version 3.x with sound support is also required.
The project is currently in beta, so occasional bugs are expected. It is built with TypeScript and is available as an AppImage, .deb, .rpm, or NixPkgs package. It is open source under the MIT license.
Where it fits
- Run a Windows-only app as a regular window on your Linux desktop without setting up a full Windows virtual machine.
- Mount your Linux home folder inside a Windows app running in WinBoat to share files seamlessly between the two systems.
- Install WinBoat via AppImage.deb, or .rpm to quickly add Windows app access to any major Linux distribution.
- Test or demo Windows software on Linux without maintaining a separate Windows installation.