Why use Linux in development?

Throughout my short experience as a developer I have met people who bet on Linux to program. Even in my training as a front end I had to use it and although Linux exists since September 1991, I have not known it until now.

Since I started working with Linux, I asked myself: What is the main attraction for developers to stay on the penguin platform and not go to Mac or Windows? Apparently, there is no simple answer for this, but some of the advantages that I have been able to identify from Linux are:

It’s free

With Linux we will not have to worry about paying licenses since there will be no need to pay to obtain the system or to update it.

Easy to use

Although there is a small resistance that remains stagnant 10 or 12 years ago because it is true that it was slightly more complex to use a Linux system. The majority of users who test a Linux environment recognize that it is not more complex than having to locate the different elements in the submenus of the control panel, which disappears after 10 or 12 minutes walking through the different options that are offered to us.

Free and Open Source Software

More than one of us has installed in our Windows some kind of open source application that does not finish working correctly.

This is basically because these applications are developed mainly for Linux systems, looking for compatibility with other existing systems. As with LibreOffice, as many open source applications will work better on Linux, they will provide stability, they will be easy to use and above all free, just like Linux distributions. This is another reason to choose this platform.

Safer

If we ask any user what are the next steps to follow after installing Windows, surely we will find in the list “install an antivirus”. Something we will hardly ever hear from an average Linux user (there are those who still install an antivirus with Linux, there must be everything;)), since 90% of viruses, Trojans and other existing threats are oriented to Windows Systems and MacOS, given the popularity of these systems, the percentage of infection is higher.

Versatility

Configuring a system to our liking and needs is something that we only find in Linux. Something as simple as being able to choose a desktop environment or another or the way in which the menu is displayed, is only possible in the system represented by the penguin.

And that is something minimal, of course we can choose which packages or base programs we want to keep and which ones to eliminate..

Compatibility

I think I’m not the only one to update, for example Windows XP to Windows 7, who has lost the compatibility of a device (webcam, microphone, sound card …), because the new systems do not support many peripherals with many years behind them, no matter how well they work.

Linux saves us all this, since both its low demands and its wide compatibility with “old” peripherals mean that we can practically work today with a team from the 90's.

Updates on Linux

For example, in the Microsoft system we would have to wait until they finish correcting multiple failures to offer an update (which will apply different corrections to the system). While in Linux, we will have these different corrections at the moment they can be applied to the system, without having to wait unnecessarily to apply the correction. In addition, the updates in Linux do not imply a reboot of the system as it is required in other platforms, thus saving the user time.

Applications Repository

In the same way that there is the Windows Store, the PlayStore in Android or the AppStore in iOS, Linux has its own software center where all software can be downloaded for free.

Linux community

The best thing without a doubt to happen to Linux, is that in addition to the support that the developer of our distribution can offer us, we will have a technical support made up of the different users of Linux platforms from almost all parts of the world, sharing their knowledge and experiences.

Summary

In short, we should switch to Linux both personally and professionally for:

• Economic savings: Both in system licenses and applications. We take better advantage of the hardware we have, so we will have to invest less in this aspect.
• Saving time: Taking better advantage of the system resources and not having to restart or stop for updates.
• More stability
• More security
• Better Support
• Adaptation of the system to our needs