Linux has been around since the 1990s and has remained a free open-source project during that time. This can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing or a major selling point if you do. And it’s open-source, meaning that you can peek under the hood and modify as much or as little as you like. So, Linux is software that runs (or in a way, creates) a computer. They make the user accounts, files and folders, windows, menu bars, etc., that comprise the computer you’re using right now. Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS – these are all operating systems.

An operating system is the software that runs your computer.

You can, however, change, copy, cut, add, etc., the code of open-source software. You can’t edit the code that makes Microsoft Word run because Microsoft owns that code.

Open-source software is software whose source code you can view and edit.

If that sounds like nonsense to you, here’s a breakdown of those terms: Linux is an open-source operating system. I will be doing my best to not let that influence this comparison (I’m not here to sell you anything) but just bear that in mind.Īlright, let’s get into it! What is Linux? Occasionally, though, we’ll go deeper for the devs.Īlso, just to put it out there: I have not used Linux extensively and am a die-hard macOS fan. This post will be exploring the differences between these systems primarily in the context of the average user. This debate is especially important if you’re a developer and are interested in using the environment that’s best for your needs. And, admittedly, I don’t consider Windows a competitor in this debate. There are actually substantial differences and similarities between these two platforms. One debate that isn’t so simple, however, is macOS vs Linux.Īs a techie, it’s been my experience that this is a much more heated debate.

What’s your personal preference? Do you care about gaming? What’s your budget? These simple questions can settle most of these debates for good.

Most of these, however, boil down to something simple. Android vs iPhone, Mac vs Windows – there are countless debates over “which is better” in the tech world.

Windows 11 looks like macos