Why You Should Consider Linux for Web Development. If you design andor develop for the web, chances are youre using a Mac running OS X. Theres a slightly less, but still rather good, chance that youre using Windows. Now, you can manually install AUR packages. You can go to their website and search for terminix a very nice Terminal replacement, similar to Macs iTerm2 for example. VirtualBox is a generalpurpose full virtualizer for x86 hardware, targeted at server, desktop and embedded use. For a thorough introduction to virtualization and. Whichever it may be, youre probably happy with your environment. And thats fine, because both OS X and Windows make fine development environments. My intention with this post is not to try to convince you why your operating system of choice is poor and mine is superior. E8/VU1O8MgDbwI/AAAAAAAAKik/i0a63pWjo70/s1600/SAG.png' alt='Install Sublime Text Opensuse' title='Install Sublime Text Opensuse' />But rather I simply want to present a third option, one that youve likely not tried and possibly not even considered. In my experience, Linux is a fantastic fit for web development for numerous reasons. Id like to present some of these reasons in an attempt to enlighten and inform those of you who enjoy trying out new things. Install Sublime Text Opensuse' title='Install Sublime Text Opensuse' />Maybe youll find that Linux isnt right for you, and thats fine. But you might just discover a whole new world of convenience and efficiency, make the switch to Linux and never look back. You wouldnt be the first. Misconceptions About Linux. First I want to lay to rest some of the common myths and misconceptions about Linux. Linux is Difficult to Install and Use. PhP1iHWSs/hqdefault.jpg' alt='Install Sublime Text Opensuse' title='Install Sublime Text Opensuse' />The first thing a new Linux user needs to understand is that there is no operating system called Linux. Linux is an operating system kernel the fundamental core component of an OS. When we talk about using Linux, were talking about using one of many distributions of Linux. A Linux distribution or distro is an operating system thats built around the Linux kernel. We often refer to the OS itself as Linux for simplicitys sake. Full Range Single Driver Loudspeakers. No two distros are exactly alike, and they vary wildly in terms of barrier to entry. Some are created for hardcore Linux geeks who feel right at home configuring boot loaders, installing file systems and manually compiling software. Its this flavor of Linux that has given it the reputation of being extremely difficult to use. But other distros are geared towards users who want a fully functioning, full featured system that just works without any manual configuration or deep system know how. Most popular Linux distros fall into this second category. Im going to assume that most web developers who might consider switching to a Linux OS fall into the second category. In that case I recommend any of these distributions Linux Mint, Ubuntu, elementary OS, Zorin OS, and open. Suse. All of these will make either Windows or OS X users feel right at home. Everything will just work. Linux is CheapA strange thing happens when you tell someone that something they think should cost a lot money is, in fact, free. Their first instinct is to assume its of lesser quality than the similar thing they paid loads of cash for. I guess its understandable. If I pay 3. 0,0. Jeep and then somebody presents me with a similar looking, similar functioning vehicle that costs nothing, Im going to assume theres a major catch. But the truth about Linux is that there isnt a catch. Software distribution simply doesnt work the same way as the automobile industry or most other industries, for that matter. Sometimes people just want to create something awesome and share it with the world. As web developers, this concept should be familiar to us, as many of us embrace and contribute to open source software. Do we think of j. Query as being cheap because we dont have to pay for it Nope. Its the same deal with Linux. Everything is Done on the Command Line. This is similar to the first point. There are developers out there and no shame if youre one of them who would sooner get a root canal than work on the command line. While I dont personally understand this disdain of the terminal, I can offer good news. The distributions I recommended above and many others dont require any more command line use than what youre already used to. Many tasks, like installing new software or working with build tools, are faster and easier with the command line once youre accustomed to it, but the tasks that absolutely require it are the exception rather than the rule. Linux isnt Compatible with My KeyboardMousePrinterGraphics CardUSB DriveWhatever. This may have been partially true ten years ago, but most modern Linux distros are just as plug and play capable as Mac or Windows. Ive experienced more difficulty installing new hardware on Windows than I ever have on Linux. The creators and contributors to modern Linux distros typically make device compatibility one of their top priorities. Why I Use Linux for Web Development. Lets get to it. Here are the things I love most about Linux. You Can Make the Environment Your Own. Ask any fan what they love most about Linux and their first answer will likely be customizability. As a designer I love to create unique things. And as a developer I want my environment to be just so. If youre like me in that regard, then youll love the amount of customizability Linux affords you. And were not just talking about desktop wallpapers and icon sizes. Everything is customizable in Linux, from changing the placement of the menu panels to picking an entirely different desktop environment. Dont like the command used to launch Sublime Text Change it. Dont like the way your windows lay against each otherChange it. And if you ever find yourself limited by the options presented, you can crack open the code and create your own options. Thats the beauty of working in an open source OS. Linux is Free. Most distros are released under the GNU General Public License GPL, which means theyre free to use and free to copy, distribute and modify. Trying out a Linux OS is as easy as downloading the image file of the distro youre interested in, burning it to a CD and popping it in your computer. If you like what you see, you can install it right alongside your existing OS. If you get sick of it, just download a different distro and give that one a whirl. And like I mentioned before, dont confuse free with cheap. You get what you pay for typically holds true in life, but not here. Modern Linux distros are fast, elegant, feature rich, stable and highly usable. Your Development Environment Will Match Your Production Environment. This is a biggie. Theres a pretty darn good chance your production server is running Apache on Linux. When youre running Linux locally you can mimic this production environment exactly. Same file system permissions, same version of PHPRuby, same web server, etc. This means that when you test your site locally, you can be assured that its running precisely as it will after you deploy it, and youre much less likely to run into platform specific issues. Diploma Font Windows. This makes deployment a simpler, more predictable, more bug free process. Linux Runs Great on Lesser Hardware. Linux OSs are lighter and less resource hungry than Windows or OS X, which means you can fire up that old Dell Inspiron laptop from 2. Linux, and youll be sailing smoothly with all your development tasks. There are even some Linux distros so lightweight they can reside entirely on a small USB drive. This point is amplified when you consider the price of Linux zero dollars. Linux makes it cheap and easy to breathe life into hardware that would have otherwise been destined for the garbage. Linux is Stable as Hell. Nothings worse than having your code editor crash right when youre in the middle of solving a tricky problem. Or worse, the OS itself freezes up and needs to be rebooted.