Defining which one is the best OS for developers to program in is not that easy. While it’s pretty common for devs to wonder which one to choose, there are several factors to take into consideration before defining what’s the best option for OS development.
An operating system (OS) is understood as the software that handles all the applications that run on a computer, tablet, or mobile phone. Therefore, it’s imperative to have a clear understanding of what they do, to decide which is the best OS for developers at a given time.
Pros and Cons of Each OS for Web Development
When it comes to development, understanding which is the best option is essential for the devs. Why? Because the OS is an extremely powerful tool, which makes development easier.
The fact is that there’s no right answer to the question of which is the best OS for developers: each will serve one developer better than another. However, there are certain considerations to take into account, such as, for example, the following:
- The capability that a certain OS has to execute instructions. That is known as computing capacity.
- The RAM is a very important factor in an OS since it manages all the tasks that are being simultaneously run.
- Each task that the operating system performs and handles is contained in what is called a process. Such processes should be properly driven by the OS to make them efficient.
Let’s explore the most widely used operating systems.
Mac OS
This operating system was first developed by Apple in the 1980s. From its creation, it has evolved in great strides and today ranks as the second most used operating system worldwide, with 9.68% of the market share.
Pros:
- MacOS is quite similar to Linux. Since many servers work with Linux, developing on MacOS can be quite easy.
- You can run several tasks at the same time on this OS, as it’s built for that.
- This system comes with some of Apple’s features, such as DaVinci Resolve, a non-linear grading Visual Studio.
- Navigation is extremely intuitive.
Cons:
- Mac updates are not versatile, which can present a challenge.
- If you need other software to work with, you’ll probably have to pay for it.
- It might get complicated if you need to develop content or apps for Windows using MacOS. However, there are virtual machines that will allow you to do it.
Windows OS
In terms of overall market popularity, Windows is by far the leading operating system. Almost 90% of computers run Windows OS.
Advantages:
- It’s highly customizable. It’s possible to integrate all kinds of software for programming.
- Not so long ago, Windows started implementing open-source technologies, which is good news, since it may make Windows somewhat closer to Linux or MacOS in terms of development.
- Windows supports a wide range of both hardware and software components for development.
- Windows Plug and Play is one of the most remarkable features of this OS.
Disadvantages:
- It’s not the right operating system for complex development, as there may be certain incompatibility issues with other pieces of software.
- This is not the most secure OS.
- Windows’ ability to easily install lots of software and customize it can result in system crashes.
Linux OS
Linux is an operating system that runs on almost 70% of web servers. An example of this is Android. Yes, the most popular mobile OS in the world is entirely built on Linux.
It’s extremely preferred by developers, since it’s open-source, which makes it a very efficient operating system.
Pros:
- It’s super hot among devs, because it’s free, and it can install whatever is required for programming to be a piece of cake.
- It has strong network security, therefore it’s quite reliable.
- Should it need to update, it won’t interrupt the programmer’s work.
- Scripts and source codes run much faster and smoother when using Linux.
- Developers working on Linux are usually very careful to offer support whenever someone needs it.
Cons
- Not every device runs fine when using Linux.
- It isn’t as simple and intuitive as Mac, or Windows can be.
- Being open-source, there are several bugs that are not tracked and, therefore, not fixed. This may also lead to system crashes.
Which One to Choose
Considering all that has been discussed so far, the first thing to understand is the technical requirements needed to carry out a given programming project.
With this in mind, it’s possible to choose among the many operating systems that are available, to meet the specific coding requirements required by the developer.
Of course, a dev can try out one OS, followed by another, just to figure out which is more convenient for him/her. The best OS for web development will depend upon the user’s needs. With all of this data, you will be able to select the best OS for developers to have a smoother and better experience when programming. Want to get more info? Be sure to check out our LinkedIn or visit us at WillDom.com.
