Installing Jekyll on WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)

This guide explains the cleanest, most stable, and industry‑best‑practice method for installing Jekyll using WSL2 + Ubuntu on Windows 11.

1. Install WSL2 + Ubuntu

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

wsl --install -d Ubuntu

If prompted, restart your computer.

When Ubuntu launches, create your UNIX username and password.

2. Update Ubuntu Packages

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

3. Install Required Build Tools

These packages ensure Ruby, OpenSSL, and Jekyll build correctly:

sudo apt install -y   build-essential   autoconf   bison   libssl-dev   libreadline-dev   zlib1g-dev   libyaml-dev   libffi-dev   libgdbm-dev   libncurses5-dev   pkg-config   git curl

4. Install rbenv (Ruby Version Manager)

git clone https://github.com/rbenv/rbenv.git ~/.rbenv
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.rbenv/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.bashrc
echo 'eval "$(rbenv init - bash)"' >> ~/.bashrc
exec "$SHELL"

Install ruby-build plugin

mkdir -p ~/.rbenv/plugins
git clone https://github.com/rbenv/ruby-build.git ~/.rbenv/plugins/ruby-build
exec "$SHELL"

5. Install Ruby

List available Ruby versions:

rbenv install -l

Install a stable version (example):

rbenv install 3.4.7
rbenv global 3.4.7
rbenv rehash

Verify:

ruby -v

6. Install Bundler and Jekyll

gem install bundler jekyll
rbenv rehash
jekyll -v

7. Create a Development Directory

mkdir -p ~/dev
cd ~/dev

8. Create a New Jekyll Site

jekyll new mysite
cd mysite
bundle install

9. Run Jekyll Server

bundle exec jekyll serve

Open your browser to:

http://localhost:4000

Press Ctrl + C to stop the server.

10. Build Site for Deployment

bundle exec jekyll build

Your static site appears in:

./_site/

Upload this folder to WHM/cPanel, GitHub Pages, or any static host.

  • Use VS Code + WSL extension
  • Edit project via:
cd ~/dev/mysite
code .

This keeps Ruby/Linux in WSL and editing on Windows — the best combination.

Finished!

You now have a perfect Jekyll development environment on Windows 11 via WSL2.