Argument/Option to wsl.exe to start in the user home directory in the Linux file system

Running wsl keeps the current working directory. An example from the documentation:

PS C:\Users\sarah> wsl

scooley@scooley-elmer:/mnt/c/Users/sarah$

This is great for running commands in Linux against files in the current working Windows directory. But there are times when I want to start in the user home directory in the Linux file system.

I can run wsl (or wsl -u username) and then immediately run a cd ~ command. I can also run bash ~ but if I have set up a different shell, this may not be what I want.

It is not documented but I found that I can run wsl ~ and wsl ~ -u username. However if the ~ is not the first token in the command line, the command will not start in the user home directory and will likely have an error. Because it is undocumented and because it is idiosyncratic (by being positional) when compared to the documented arguments and options, it seems like I shouldn't depend on using ~.

Can a supported and documented argument or option be added to wsl that will start in the user home directory in the Linux file system?

Possible solutions:

• Document the apparent existing ~ argument (including that it is positional and must appear before any other arguments).
• Add a named argument that determines if wsl starts in the current working Windows directory (current default) or starts in the user home directory in the Linux file system.

Start by tracing the wsl command's argument and working-directory handling, then review the documented arguments and options described in the issue. Decide whether the existing positional ~ behavior should be documented or replaced with a named option, and verify that the chosen behavior works with wsl -u username and alternate shells.