Linux is an operating system, just like Windows or macOS. But unlike those systems, Linux is free and open source — anyone can view, modify, and distribute its source code. It powers the majority of web servers, cloud infrastructure, and developer tools.
Do you need Linux to code? No. You can be a perfectly productive developer on Windows or macOS. But understanding Linux and the command line will open doors. Most servers run Linux, so if you ever deploy a web application, you will interact with a Linux server. Many developer tools are built for Linux first. And package managers like apt and brew make installing development tools much easier.
You do not need to install Linux as your main operating system. You can start by using the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) on Windows, or by learning basic command-line skills on macOS (which is based on Unix, a close relative of Linux).
