Linux or window. Why?

Let me explain it in form of a limerick:

Now Windows is still the best way
if all that you want is to play,
Use Linux to hack
Or else get a Mac,
if you are really happy to pay.

Now I am using Linux OS . I think that is good to use.

There's no possible discussion nowadays on this question.

Windows + WSL (windows subsystem for Linux)

That means you have a windows 10/11 plus a Linux core in the same OS.
WSL2 was a great push on this tech and WSLg is promising to be even better (didn't tried it yet).

Check the Microsoft official documentation about WSL.

Remember to update your windows to the latest version before.

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Back those days I had dual boot so I was using Elementary OS, Ubuntu, Debian or whatever distro to code and if I want anything else I had to reboot, log in into windows and do whatever I need to do.
Design tools in Linux are sh*t, gaming on Linux is a joke (nearly as sh*t as it is with MacOS) and so on.

Usefulness
With WSL the dual boot thingy is gone, I've all my setup in the same OS/environment plus I can use tools like PowerToys to split my secondary screen into 3 parts (I've the secondary screen in vertical) and other useful utilities that are shipped along powertoys like a color picker.
Other tools like DevToys are useful as well, I'm using them almost every day, and they run on windows so another mini-point to this setup 😆

Ergonomics
A better compatibility with monitor drivers, peripherals and gadgets on Windows (in comparison with Linux and MacOS) is also a must. Having my screen running at higher framerate (170Hz for the main monitor, 75Hz on my secondary one) plus with FreeSync/G-Sync enabled while working to reduce flickering is nice to my eyes and my eye fatigue at the end of the day.

That's something that you simply can't reach with MacOS or Linux 99% of the time.

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Edge cases

If you are going to go all for smartphone apps, I feel that there's the only case where MacOS would be required (meaning iOS MacOS Apps, even using frameworks such React Native).

If you're going to code Android Apps only then windows is OK as well, but having a Mac opens the door to iOS development.

What a troll bait... 😓

macOS + brew, win10/11 + wsl, linux + apt/yum/... Whatever !!

With code & intellij available everywhere, I don't care what os my employer give me as long as they give me a good machine with root access 😁

I'd say Linux for development because you're usually closest to the deployment targets (docker, kubernetes or any unix based environment). But that's easy for me to say having a Linux, Windows and a Mac ready on my desk.

Been a Windows users for 20+ years. Never used a mac, and only used Inux to repair bricked laptops up until 2 months ago.

Now I work on a mac daily and liked so much i even nuked my my windows machine and installed lastest Ubuntu.

I'm converted. Mac OS is amazing for a lot of things, bht as a dev I do prefer Linux for flexibility and lack of bloatware.

I see no benefit these days to choosing an OS. Used to be windows only supported .net development no with .net Core upwards you can run this only machine.

GNU/Linux. Because Free (Free as in Freedom) software is easier to use period. I don't need windows' videogames or MacOS' video editing software, and in general, proprietary software often feels unintuitive and clunky to me. Apart from the practical side of things, i also think that GNU/Linux pushes you to think about the ethics of things, windows or MacOS might be "convenient" to use, but by using them you essentially become a puppet of the proprietor, even if you're using a torrented and/or modified version. Even if Windows or MacOS were 95% "open source", the 5% of un-opensourced code would still be enough to plant malicious features, thus subjugating user freedom.

I've almost always had to use Windows for a variety of reasons (corporate policies, Windows only software, etc, ...).
A linux machine was always present as a VM (VirtualBox mainly) for dev tasks.
Now, Windows WSL2-GUI changed everything. I see no reason to go back to managing a separate VM, for dev purpose I get everything I need there (including the GUI tools that I missed so much).

If you can live with a Linux only machine, that's good for you, otherwise WLS2 completely eliminated the need of choosing: you have both worlds on a single machine.

Probably windows, for the job and what I do. I think I can get most of my work done via WSL. If not then I can always dualboot or create a VM.
Though my personal preferrence for doing my work is MacOS.

I'd just like to interject for a moment. What you're refering to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I've recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux. Linux is not an operating system unto itself, but rather another free component of a fully functioning GNU system made useful by the GNU corelibs, shell utilities and vital system components comprising a full OS as defined by POSIX.

Many computer users run a modified version of the GNU system every day, without realizing it. Through a peculiar turn of events, the version of GNU which is widely used today is often called Linux, and many of its users are not aware that it is basically the GNU system, developed by the GNU Project.

There really is a Linux, and these people are using it, but it is just a part of the system they use. Linux is the kernel: the program in the system that allocates the machine's resources to the other programs that you run. The kernel is an essential part of an operating system, but useless by itself; it can only function in the context of a complete operating system. Linux is normally used in combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is basically GNU with Linux added, or GNU/Linux. All the so-called Linux distributions are really distributions of GNU/Linux!

Depends of your philosophy :

• If you want to know deeply what you do, you have to choose Arch
• If you just want to configure some stuff, have a freedom, you choose Ubuntu
• If you want to just play the "green button" and never has been concerned of the "why", choose windows

Speak from personal experience , at some point in your career, you will stumble upon bunch of installation error (node error, etc) that won't happen in UNIX based (mac or linux), yet very painful to workaround in Windows.

Linux, not because every engineer uses it or because of some FOMO.

Most servers & edge devices run Linux becuase of it flexibility due to its open source and non-proprietary approach, you can configure tons of stuff. It is also light-weight and easier to operate without a GUI.

Now if the program you write that is eventually going to run on a Linux system, it is good if you develop it on a Linux based system only. Why? The dependencies you run are same, the interaction with OS remains same etc.

Also if you are using Linux you are bound to due most of the things via command line, this educates you more about how system and applications work. This makes you a better engineer. Also there is no point in using a bloated system. The 'utitly' of any tool should be understood.

#engineer_at_heart

Better questions:
Do you like tinkering with your pc or not?
Do you like freedom to choose everything or not?

And yes, I switched to linux a few months ago and I'm never gonna switch back.
I am a happy kde user

Mac because it's free

As a developer I love using Windows with Ubuntu Server in a virtual box. I use Vim or VSCode with remote development plugin to code.

Also I love playing videogames and this way I don't have to turn off my PC to switch to windows as when using dual boot.

Linux for development OR Windows subsystem for Linux. VS code has cool integrations to allow you to edit project in WSL. You get the benefit of windows software and comparability and ease of use, but your projects can be built in the Linux subsystem. Works rather good.

Third option is Apple MacBook pro.

Linux

Because I was tired of never being in control of my OS

Serenity OS for the win!

Let me just say, as a long time UFC fan, I think its so cool Nate Diaz is getting I to development 😉🤓

MacOS ;)

Here's a little poem,
which ryhmes only a little

I was unhappy on Windows
Wanted to switch to Linux
What happened, I'll tell you in a sec
Guess what, now I'm non Mac

Linux has way more customization.
Ðere's no chance wiþ Windows.

My laptop has Nvidia graphics card and I had a lot of trouble to make graphics card work.
In short it never worked as in windows.

I now have wsl installed, now I can work and play without rebooting.