I’ve been using both Mac and PC for quite some time. Here’s what I think is the best option for programming.
Published in · 4 min read · Aug 28, 2022
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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.
