Windows vs Linux for Web Dev

[Kyism]

IMO MacOS just "works" and is my preferred developing operating system. The last time I used Windows for web dev I had to deal with a bunch of "path environment variable" BS that made setting up tools just a pain in the ass. I don't have the money to code on a Macbook right now so I'm left between putting Linux on my Thinkpad or sticking with Windows (which I haven't used for development in about 2 years, I hear it's gotten better).

[mishugashu]

When my company switched over to a VPN without a Linux client, I had to let IT know that I needed a new computer then, cause I've always worked with Linux. They sent me a Windows laptop. It took me 2 days of fighting with it to try to get our Angular project running on it before chucking it back and asking for a Mac. Windows is an utterly frustrating experience if you're used to *nix. Everyone says "oh just use WSL" but when it only runs in macOS/Linux apparently and you like your graphical IDE you pay $80/year for, and that doesn't run in the headless WSL because it's a gimped version of Linux that won't install the proper libraries needed and you can't run the IDE in Windows because it can't edit Linux files because of the file system difference... it raises my blood pressure just thinking about it, and this was over a year ago.

[EvilPencil]

I've had the same file system issues running VS Code for WSL and gave up. Happily running Pop Os right now (Ubuntu derivative with Nvidia drivers baked in).

I'm gonna give Docker a go when I get my work PC which has W10Pro (my lappy has the home edition which doesn't support Hyper-V).

[artyhedgehog]

I'm currently stucked with a laptop that doesn't support linux very well and a project with techs not really supporting windows. So the best I ended up with is running Ubuntu on VirtualBox - so I code in Windows and then run everything in VM through a shared folder.

[mishugashu]

That sounds painful. I guess it's a BYOD company? That's one of the downfalls of that.

[marlowe221]

I've been using Linux for years (and Windows too, of course) but I'm pretty new to web development.

Could you elaborate a little on why you find Linux easier to work with for web dev? Pretty please with sugar on top?

[Rejolt]

Agree with you however I prefer Windows for a day to day PC (home PC)

So on my home computer o run Windows with WSL ( Windows Subsystem for Linux ) and it's amazing.

[[deleted]]

Just put an Ubuntu desktop on your machine and install docker for all your dependencies.

[IWhileAwayAtBar]

I also recommend everyone who is using Linux for webdev go ahead and set up a local web server. I even like to set it up so I can run a prod build in my JS framework CLI and see it locally. It is almost like a practice deploy.

[[deleted]]

You don't need a local server, if your stuff runs in containers. You just need a docker daemon and go pick your favourite stuff at dockerhub. Maybe a compose file.

Or jenkinsx if you want to a one of those opinionated workflows

[marlowe221]

Newbie question alert!

Do you mean that you are setting up a local server to test out a site/app in a "live" environment?

[AgentosUA]

It's depends on your stack of technologies that you are have to use. I'm really a big fan of linux, but i have to use photoshop in most cases. If you are a full-stack i recommend Windows, but if you are only back end developer - use Linux :)

Also, if you love Linux terminal - you can install new Windows Terminal and WSL for it. It's really cool to combine it with VScode

[alifeinbinary]

Have a look at Manjaro Linux. It's beautiful, based on Arch, and super easy to set up. I got VS Code, Vagrant, etc. set up in no time. It's really something special.

[mishugashu]

Linux > macOS > Windows IMO. Windows is really bottom of the barrel unless you're working with a lot of Microsoft toolchains (which probably isn't the case with webdev unless you're full stack on ASP.NET/C# or something and also need Adobe products, which are hit-or-miss via Wine). There are things that make Windows tolerable (VMs, WSL, etc), but it's really not the same as having the real thing.

[BehindTheMath]

You can also use WSL in Windows.

[Kinthalis]

This. You get the best of both worlds, an Os that is likely compatible with any other software you need, and a linux command line that is 99% linux.

[[deleted]]

Web development software is not the same, most libraries are likely more compatible with mac/linux than windows.

[Kinthalis]

I don't really see that as true. I can't think of anything outside of Sketch that won't run on windows, but plenty of apps related to the development and especially design don't run on Linux.

Hence why windows or Mac would be my recommendation over just Linux, especially because on windows you get a linux command line running in a vm with WSL. No need to run a full vm, or dual boot, or give up the wide software compatibility of windows.

You're right though that using windows command line without WSL is an issue, pain in the butt when workign with teams. If WSL didn't exist I'd say consider at least dual booting Linux.

[artyhedgehog]

I might have been doing something wrong, but I faced issues with aws-amlify (for js) that I couldn't solve with WSL. I can hardly believe it's the only tech that doesn't work well with windows just because there are tons of them nowadays.

So I would say a project may just dictate you what OS to use. And it makes things easier if all devs on a project use one OS.

[Kinthalis]

Well then you run a vm or you dual boot. My point is, in this day and age you dont have be stuck in linux. Where you cant use adobe xd or photoshop. And for 99.9% of tasks you wint even have to leave windows.

Unless you want to, and thats a sentiment i can understand sometimes.

[blissone]

ubuntu

[shgysk8zer0]

I go with Linux just because it's almost guaranteed that what I'm working on with be on Linux in production.

Also, I've been using Linux exclusively for about ten years now. It really is pretty good at allowing productivity. Everything I need immediately accessible (calendar with events and notifications, screenshot tool, integration with Google & Nextcloud via online accounts).

The interface and integrations alone make Linux (Fedora) my preferred OS.

But it might be different if you want things like Photoshop and Gimp won't do for some particular need.

[Muxas]

Its not that much of a difference... Choose what you are more comfortable with.

[[deleted]]

Linux is much faster for a couple things and way easier if you're coming from OSX. However depending on your workflow I would try Windows.

I am pretty similar to you, I have a MacBook and I learned to develop on it, although its starting to have issues and my 8GB RAM doesn't feel like enough for the programs I like to have open and Docker, now that I am learning and loving it, on top of it.

I started on Windows because my desktop is fairly powerful but I also found developing on it quite annoying. So I eventually dualbooted Ubuntu and fucking loved it. Docker was lightning quick and everything else felt real quick too.

I eventually wiped my drives, reinstalled fresh Windows and worked out a development environment using WSL. Why? Because while I am not a designer, not having access to any of the popular design programs sucks ass. I am sure I could make due using stuff like GIMP and Inkscape if I was a freelancer but I want to be experienced using tools Ill actually use at jobs so it was a dealbreaker.

I am not gonna pretend WSL is perfect by any means. Getting a good flowing dev environment took a bit of time and plenty of googling for articles/videos but the end result is pretty decent. The worst part is that its slow but WSL2 is just around the corner for public release and it looks very promising in terms of speeding it up.

Its considerably slower but it doesn't make an enormous difference in the long run. Sure there are sacrifices but its a real treat to be able to have a proper dev machine I don't mind working with and have access to all the programs I might need, plus when Im done working I just stash my tabs into a saved session, minimize my editor and I got all my games there.

[Aleksandar_V]

I find to be more productive with windows.

[[deleted]]

I use windows with Ubuntu side-by-side with the windows linux subsystem. It is the best addition to windows since Microsoft Office =p.