Why Developers Love Linux

When I was just starting to learn about Linux, I kept hearing the same thing:

“Developers love Linux.”

Initially, I assumed this was just because it looks cool in hacker movies.
However, once I actually started using it, I began to understand why developers actually love it so much.

One of the primary reasons is that you are in full control.
Linux offers developers maximum control over their system unlike operating systems that don’t allow you to customize the things that you want. With Linux you can customize anything you want from the Desktop Environment down to how the operating system operates. You also have more flexibility when it comes to which software you want to use.

The terminal.
The Linux terminal is the most powerful thing for any developer. Developers can navigate through files, install software, set up servers, manage code projects, run automations, and debug application logic much faster from a single command line application. Developers who use the terminal rarely want to go back to other systems.

Linux is very lightweight and efficient.
The operating system still runs well on much older computers; however, a benefit to using fewer system resources means that your development computer will run that much better and faster while you are coding.

Most modern technologies are linked to Linux.
The development of web servers, cloud infrastructure, containers, Kubernetes, dev ops, and many back-end systems are all intertwined with Linux environments. Most of the servers on the Internet run Linux so developers using it will be more in tune with where real production systems live.

Another aspect developers love is the open-source community and environment.
Linux is free to use and is driven by the community of thousands of developers around the world who contribute to various pieces of software. This creates an environment for developers to constantly learn from each other.

Finally, Linux is very secure.
Compared to other operating systems, Linux gives the user more control of the operating system. This can make Linux a much safer system for a developer to work from.

I’m still working my way through the basics of using Linux but it has become very clear why most developers love it.
The OS itself is more than an operating system; it is an environment made by and for developers.