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Abstract

eloper-friendly because most web and database servers are based on Unix. On Windows, you can get a similar experience with the PowerShell, but it won’t be the same.</p><p id="71f1">Another benefit of macOS is security. Unix offers stability, flexibility, and security, so we can say that macOS is safe against malware and viruses by default. In contrast, if you have a Windows laptop, you’ll need to get a good antivirus and scan your computer frequently to make sure it’s safe.</p><p id="ed4d">As an additional point, macOS comes with great software out of the box that you might need whenever you’re not coding. Windows has more software available than macOS, but none of them come with the factory installation of Windows, so first you have to buy them.</p><h2 id="98d5">Hardware and Battery Life</h2><p id="72e5">There’s little room for customization on macOS machines, while you could upgrade the RAM or hard drive of a Windows laptop. This is important if you start with a basic laptop and want to get better performance without buying a new one.</p><p id="6f8d">On the other hand, the battery life is another important factor to keep in mind. This can help you keep your focus on your code rather than on looking for a place to charge your laptop!</p><p id="0a91">New MacBooks tend to have great battery life. The MacBook Air with M1 and M2 chips have up to 18 hours of battery life, while the MacBook Pro 13” has up to 20 hours of battery life. The battery life of machines that run Windows is sometimes unpredictable — expensive models tend to have a better battery than cheap models, but this isn’t always the case.</p><h2 id="5a52">So is the Mac or PC better for programming?</h2><p id="c58a">The average MacBook tends to be more durable, elegant, and robust than the average Windows laptop, but of course, a top-tier Windows laptop can equal any MacBook, so to decide which option is the best for programming we should analyze the operating system and see in which platform we feel more comfortable.</p><p id="5f15">This means that the answer might change based on what we need.</p><p id="896c">If you want a machine that you can use right out of the box, built on top of Unix with good integration with GUI

Options

and the command line, probably Mac is the best option. However, if you want a machine that is highly customizable, want access to most software out there, and need to use the PowerShell, PC is the best option.</p><p id="045f">That said, if you already know which path you’re taking, the decision will be easier. If you want to develop iOS apps, then a Mac is a must, but if you’re into game development a PC would be a better option.</p><h2 id="1f8f">Bonus: Running a different OS on Mac and PC</h2><p id="d116">If you consider getting a Mac or PC just because of a specific program you need at work or university, think twice because other operating systems can be run on Mac/PC using virtual machines.</p><p id="ecfc">For example, you can run Windows on a Mac using virtual machines such as Parallels, VMWare Fusion or VirtualBox. Also, Windows 10 allows you to run Linux, so you can get access to Bash, frameworks, and other tools that don’t work well on Windows.</p><p id="92b0">Automate your life with Python! <a href="https://frankandrade.ck.page/44559e1ae7"><b>Get my FREE Automation Cheat Sheet by joining my email list with 10k+ people.</b></a></p><p id="2ccd">If you enjoy reading stories like these and want to support me as a writer, consider signing up to become a Medium member. It’s $5 a month, giving you unlimited access to thousands of Python guides and Data science articles. If you sign up using <a href="https://frank-andrade.medium.com/membership">my link</a>, I’ll earn a small commission with no extra cost to you.</p><div id="d769" class="link-block"> <a href="https://frank-andrade.medium.com/membership"> <div> <div> <h2>Join Medium with my referral link — Frank Andrade</h2> <div><h3>As a Medium member, a portion of your membership fee goes to writers you read, and you get full access to every story…</h3></div> <div><p>frank-andrade.medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*xJErm7xRo6Ru3zNo)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Is a Mac or Windows PC Better for Programming?

I’ve been using both Mac and PC for quite some time. Here’s what I think is the best option for programming.

If you’re learning to code or have some experience programming, you’ve probably wondered whether a Mac or a PC is better for programming.

Overall, a PC is a good option for gaming and offers a great variety of programs developed exclusively for Windows, while a Mac offers a better user experience and security. However, when it comes to programming there are other factors to take into account.

Let’s find out whether the Mac or PC is better for programming.

The Command Line: macOS Terminal vs Windows Command Line

Most of us interact with our computers by clicking on graphical elements thanks to the graphical user interface (GUI). However, as a programmer, you also need to know how to interact with a computer by typing commands.

One of the coolest things about macOS is that is built on top of Unix. Why is this good? Because of its built-in terminal. With the terminal, you can execute most command-line tasks out of the box, run programs, and take control of the operating system. In contrast, Window’s command prompt (aka cmd) has some limitations such as the lack of some popular Unix commands.

On Windows, you can manage to install a Unix-like terminal to get the same functionality as the macOS terminal, but the setup isn’t simple for beginners.

A more advanced version of the cmd on Windows is the PowerShell. In terms of functionality, the Powershell comes close to the macOS terminal. That said, PowerShell and Unix have different syntax and it’s more useful to learn Unix syntax because it’s widely used in tech infrastructure nowadays. This leads us to our next point.

The Operating System: macOS vs Windows

macOS is built on top of Unix. This makes Mac computers developer-friendly because most web and database servers are based on Unix. On Windows, you can get a similar experience with the PowerShell, but it won’t be the same.

Another benefit of macOS is security. Unix offers stability, flexibility, and security, so we can say that macOS is safe against malware and viruses by default. In contrast, if you have a Windows laptop, you’ll need to get a good antivirus and scan your computer frequently to make sure it’s safe.

As an additional point, macOS comes with great software out of the box that you might need whenever you’re not coding. Windows has more software available than macOS, but none of them come with the factory installation of Windows, so first you have to buy them.

Hardware and Battery Life

There’s little room for customization on macOS machines, while you could upgrade the RAM or hard drive of a Windows laptop. This is important if you start with a basic laptop and want to get better performance without buying a new one.

On the other hand, the battery life is another important factor to keep in mind. This can help you keep your focus on your code rather than on looking for a place to charge your laptop!

New MacBooks tend to have great battery life. The MacBook Air with M1 and M2 chips have up to 18 hours of battery life, while the MacBook Pro 13” has up to 20 hours of battery life. The battery life of machines that run Windows is sometimes unpredictable — expensive models tend to have a better battery than cheap models, but this isn’t always the case.

So is the Mac or PC better for programming?

The average MacBook tends to be more durable, elegant, and robust than the average Windows laptop, but of course, a top-tier Windows laptop can equal any MacBook, so to decide which option is the best for programming we should analyze the operating system and see in which platform we feel more comfortable.

This means that the answer might change based on what we need.

If you want a machine that you can use right out of the box, built on top of Unix with good integration with GUI and the command line, probably Mac is the best option. However, if you want a machine that is highly customizable, want access to most software out there, and need to use the PowerShell, PC is the best option.

That said, if you already know which path you’re taking, the decision will be easier. If you want to develop iOS apps, then a Mac is a must, but if you’re into game development a PC would be a better option.

Bonus: Running a different OS on Mac and PC

If you consider getting a Mac or PC just because of a specific program you need at work or university, think twice because other operating systems can be run on Mac/PC using virtual machines.

For example, you can run Windows on a Mac using virtual machines such as Parallels, VMWare Fusion or VirtualBox. Also, Windows 10 allows you to run Linux, so you can get access to Bash, frameworks, and other tools that don’t work well on Windows.

Automate your life with Python! Get my FREE Automation Cheat Sheet by joining my email list with 10k+ people.

If you enjoy reading stories like these and want to support me as a writer, consider signing up to become a Medium member. It’s $5 a month, giving you unlimited access to thousands of Python guides and Data science articles. If you sign up using my link, I’ll earn a small commission with no extra cost to you.

Join Medium with my referral link — Frank Andrade

As a Medium member, a portion of your membership fee goes to writers you read, and you get full access to every story…

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