One reason for this is that the default command line utility for Windows is PowerShell, which is quite different than Bash found on most servers that run Linux.īut for basic web development, all you really need is an editor like VSCode, which is another Microsoft product. Some people have trouble with doing more advanced development with Windows, like getting Docker containers to run, trouble with Node and npm, and so on. Windows devices also tend to be cheaper and more configurable than Apple devices. Windows is easily the most popular OS in terms of market share, with an estimated 87.89% of PCs running some form of the operating system. So while you won't find a definitive answer in this article, here are a few pros and cons for each of the three major operating systems, Windows, Mac, and Linux. You can write HTML, CSS, and JavaScript on Windows, Mac, Linux, and even ChromeOS if you're willing to get a bit creative. Unlike some iOS or some types of application development, the tools for web development are all operating system agnostic. One person's preference might not be the best fit for you.

Spoiler: there is no straightforward answer. If you're new to web development and are in the market for a new laptop, you might be wondering which operating system is best.

Windows vs mac programming