For a long time, I followed the usual setup for my development environment:Install a VM → set up a Linux distro → allocate resources → wait for it to boot → start working.It worked.But it always felt like I was adding friction before even writing my first line of code.Over the past few years of building personal projects, I’ve started paying more attention to how I work not just what I build.That’s when I explored WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux).And honestly, I moved away from virtual machines.Not because they’re wrong but because they didn’t fit the kind of workflow I was trying to build.With WSL, everything feels more integrated:• Linux commands running alongside Windows tools• Same files accessible across both environments without duplication• Seamless VS Code integration that actually feels native• Near-instant startup, no waiting for environments to boot• Much lower resource usage compared to running a full OSBut the biggest shift wasn’t technical.I stopped switching between environments… and started working in one continuous flow.For someone building backend projects, experimenting with cloud tools, and refining workflows, this small change made a real difference.One thing I’m learning along the way:Better development isn’t just about better tools.It’s about removing unnecessary complexity.Still building. Still refining. Still learning. Templates let you quickly answer FAQs or store snippets for re-use. as well , this person and/or