From Zero to AI‑Ready: Python on Windows via WSL 2 and VS Code (GitHub + Codex Integration)

From Zero to AI‑Ready: Python on Windows via WSL 2 and VS Code (GitHub + Codex Integration)

Why bother? Because production workloads still lean on Linux, and Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL 2) lets you run a full kernel without giving up Windows’ desktop conveniences. Follow this playbook and you’ll be writing, testing, and committing AI‑infused Python in under an hour—no VM gymnastics required.

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Prerequisites at a Glance

Tool	Minimum Version	Why You Need It
Windows 10 2004 / Windows 11	with WSL 2	Provides the real Linux kernel
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS	or newer	Stable, long‑term support
VS Code 1.90 +	Editor with first‑class WSL remote support
Git 2.40 +	Version control muscle memory
GitHub account & SSH key	Passwordless pushes
OpenAI API key	Fuel for Codex AI and GitHub Copilot

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1  Enable WSL 2 and Install Ubuntu

Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:

wsl --install                 # Installs WSL + default Ubuntu distro
wsl --set-default-version 2   # Make all future distros WSL 2

Reboot when prompted.

Sanity check:

wsl --status                  # Kernel ≥ 5.x, Default = 2

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2  Update and Harden the Linux Side

Launch Ubuntu from the Start Menu:

sudo apt update && sudo apt dist-upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y build-essential python3 python3-pip python3-venv git

Need multiple Python versions? Install pyenv the reliable way:

curl https://pyenv.run | bash
# Follow the shell‑config instructions printed to the terminal

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3  Wire VS Code into WSL

1. Install VS Code for Windows (normal installer).

2. Launch VS Code → Ctrl+Shift+X → install Remote — WSL.

3. Back in Ubuntu:

   mkdir -p ~/code/my-python-project
   cd ~/code/my-python-project
   code .                     # VS Code opens inside WSL context

   The status bar should now read “WSL: Ubuntu”.

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4  Bootstrap a GitHub Repository (Properly)

1. Generate an SSH key inside WSL:

   ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your.email@example.com"
   cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub   # Copy the public key

2. Add the key to GitHub → Settings → SSH and GPG keys.

3. Create a blank repo on GitHub (no README/LICENCE).

4. Clone into WSL:

   git clone git@github.com:your‑org/my-python-project.git ~/code/my-python-project
   cd ~/code/my-python-project

5. First commit:

   python3 -m venv .venv && source .venv/bin/activate
   echo "# My Python Project" > README.md
   echo -e "venv/\n__pycache__/" > .gitignore
   git add README.md .gitignore
   git commit -m "chore: initial commit"
   git push -u origin main

Rule of thumb: keep your SSH keys in WSL, not in the Windows ssh-agent—safer separation.

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5  Add Codex AI to Your Workflow

5.1  Install Node 18 LTS & the Codex CLI

Inside WSL:

# Install Node via the Node Version Manager (nvm)
curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/v0.39.7/install.sh | bash
source ~/.bashrc
nvm install --lts      # e.g. Node 18.x
nvm use --lts

# Install Codex CLI globally
npm install -g @openai/codex
codex --version        # should echo a semver like 0.2.x

5.2  Authenticate

export OPENAI_API_KEY="<your‑key>"   # add the line above to ~/.bashrc for permanence

5.3  First Run & Modes

cd ~/code/my-python-project
codex "Explain this repo to me."

By default Codex runs in Suggest mode (read‑only). Use --auto-edit to let it write files, or --full-auto for an autonomous agent that can run shell commands inside a sandbox. citeturn0search0

5.4  (Optional) Python SDK

If you also want to call the API directly from scripts:

pip install --upgrade openai

The same OPENAI_API_KEY environment variable is reused.

6  Commit the AI Helpers (Without Leaking Keys)

# Requirements
echo "# AI helpers\nopenai>=1.0" > requirements.txt
pip freeze --local > requirements.lock

git add requirements.txt requirements.lock codex_smoketest.py
# Double‑check no key files are staged
if git status | grep -q api_key; then echo "✗ Key leak detected"; exit 1; fi

git commit -m "feat: add OpenAI Codex integration"

git push

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7  Best Practices Going Forward

• One virtual environment per repo—time‑honoured and still right.

• Use pre‑commit hooks for black, ruff, and isort.

• Tune WSL filesystem performance: create /etc/wsl.conf inside Ubuntu:

  [automount]
  options = "metadata,umask=22,fmask=11"

  Then wsl --shutdown from PowerShell to reload.

• CI/CD parity: GitHub Actions’ ubuntu‑latest runner mirrors WSL—build once, run everywhere.

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Conclusion

With WSL 2, Ubuntu, VS Code, GitHub, and Codex AI all humming together, you’ve fused a decades‑proven Linux toolchain with tomorrow’s AI‑driven coding assistants—without ever leaving Windows. Time to ship something awesome.