Although technically Chrome OS is a Linux distro, we can not run desktop applications made for Linux in the system for Google laptops.

However, some recent additions to the Chromium code indicate that this may be about to change.

The Chromium team is working on a new policy to “allow running Linux virtual machines within Chrome OS,” specifically Linux containers, which would make it possible to run Linux apps within the system without having to resort to complicated alternatives.

Those “complex” alternatives include things like Crouton, which let you run Linux pure and simple from a device with Chrome OS, but that requires some knowledge of Linux tools, the command line and use the developer mode.

As they say, the developer mode is completely insecure and anyone can access your data if they have access to the laptop.

All the good things about Crouton and more, but without the disadvantages

With the option to create Linux MV in Chrome OS would open a huge amount of possibilities for developers and for the system.

The advantages of using Crouton, but without complications or loss of security.

There is still nothing official clear, but in Android Police suggest that something could be announced in the Google I/0 2018 this May, after all, is its developer conference.

In OMG! Ubuntu! they also found other additions to the code that referred to letting users create more than one virtual machine, and a configuration tool for ” project Crostini, Linux virtual machines in Chrome OS.”

No doubt it would represent another important step for Chrome OS, a system that continues to evolve little by little and that already allows running Android applications in the background.