Pick an OS
First of all, you need to pick an OS. You can use any OS, but they all have their pros and cons.
Summary
| My situation | The choice we recommend |
|---|---|
| I have a Mac | Use MacOS |
| I already know Linux or I am interested in learning it | Use Linux |
| I have a Windows with good performances | Use WSL |
| I have a Windows with very bad performances | Use Github Codespaces |
Pros and cons of each OS
Linux
✅ Pros: it is perfect for web development, as a Unix-based system. It is also free, installable on any computer, you can dual-boot it with Windows, and it has a lot more tools for devs than Windows or MacOS.
❌ Cons: you will need to learn how to use it, and it is not as user-friendly as Windows or MacOS.
How to install Linux
You'll need to pick a distribution to start with. If you are a beginner, we recommend you to use an Ubuntu-based distribution: they have great interfaces, are rather easy to user, and have a lot of documentation online.
Some of the best Ubuntu-based distributions:
- Linux Mint: the most reliable
- Pop!_OS: the most modern
- Zorin OS: the most user-friendly
- Kubuntu: the most customizable
MacOS
✅ Pros: very easy to use, and perfect for web development (it is also based on Unix, as for Linux).
❌ Cons: it is expensive and you need to buy a Mac. Apple is also known for spying its users.
Windows
✅ Pros: you probably already know how to use it and are familiar with the interface.
❌ Cons: you will have more bugs and problems during development, because Windows is not meant for web development (it is not a Unix-based system).
WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)
If you are hesitating about installing Linux, you can use the best of Windows and Linux with WSL: basically, it is a full Linux system which runs inside your Windows.
✅ Pros: you keep the Windows interface that you're familiar with, but you can also use all the Linux tools for web development.
❌ Cons: your computer will need more power and RAM to run both Windows and Linux at the same time.
How to install WSL
First, you need to install WSL2 on your Windows. Be sure to follow the official Microsoft documentation, because it can be a bit tricky.
Then, you need to pick a distribution to start with: we recommend you to use Ubuntu.
Finally, you need to install all programs and tools for your Linux system: to do so, follow this documentation using the Linux tab each time instead of the Windows tab, and run commands in the WSL terminal.
Github Codespaces
Codespaces allows you to use a remote Linux machine, which runs on the Github servers.
✅ Pros: you don't need to install anything (the remote machine is already configured with all tools), and you can access it from anywhere through a browser. It is also perfect if your computer does not have good performances.
❌ Cons: codespaces can be automatically deleted by Github after a certain period of time if they are not used, so you need to be sure to commit and push your changes frequently.
How to use Github Codespaces
- Open the Github repository page.
- Click the Code button, select Codespaces, and create a new codespace.
- Wait for the codespace to be created. After it is done, you can directly go to the First launch page.