Everyone is familiar with the Windows operating system, and it is often compared with the Linux operating system. The difference between the two is also obvious. But there are not many comparisons between macOS and Linux , many people think they are similar because both operating systems can run Unix commands. In fact, after a detailed comparison, there are still many differences between the two. Each operating system is unique. Let us talk about the differences between macOS and Linux .
First, let’s briefly introduce Linux and macOS . Linux is a system developed by a young Finnish college student named Linus Torvalds . It is a general term for a type of Unix computer operating system. Available to everyone, allowing developers to make changes and optimizations. And macOS is a closed system, which means that only Apple devices can be used. macOS can be said to be an operating system produced by the combination of Unix components and Apple's technology. The foundation of macOS is developed by NeXT . The technology is based on the Mzch kernel and Unix , but later NeXT was acquired by Apple, making the NeXTSTEP operating system the basis of macOS . To say whether the two have something in common, there are some, but not many, because macOS is an operating system produced by the combination of Unix components and Apple's technology, and the full name of Linux is GNU/Linux , is a UNIX- like operating system that is free to use and allows free distribution , so regarding Unix commands, bash/zsh , and other shells , macOS and Linux are all available. There are still many differences between the two. After all, they are two systems, each with its own characteristics.
In terms of open source, each release version of Linux is completely open source. Users can not only use it for free, but also modify and improve it to meet their own needs. The source code of Linux is open, and users can freely tailor the source code. It can be modified and used by itself, and the flexibility is very high, but in most cases, the modified code also needs to be made public, following certain license terms. macOS is different, macOS is not completely open source, part of it is proprietary, that is, closed source. The macOS kernel is open source. In fact, to be precise, Apple uses the open source kernel, because BSD and Mach are the main parts of the kernel, and these two parts were originally open source. Apple just optimized it and optimized the platform. Migration, macOS desktop and most drivers are not open source. Linux can be used on any hardware , while macOS is generally only used on Mac devices. It does not mean that it cannot be installed on ordinary computers, but if you want to install it on ordinary computers, you need to install a virtual machine, which is very troublesome, and run It's also nowhere near as good as a Mac device.
From the aspect of software management, if Linux users want to download or install applications, they can use command line or graphical tools. Most distributions of Linux have package managers, so that some software applications can be installed on personal computers. It is very convenient to install, delete, or update and manage the program. If macOS users want to install applications, installing through the application folder is a relatively traditional method. Using the Mac App Store to install is a relatively new method. Of course, you can also use Homebrew . Homebrew is a package manager used on macOS . It is compatible with Linux package managers work in a similar way and are also available for Linux .
From the perspective of the desktop environment, Linux did not have an interface in the early days, and tasks were performed through commands. However, users are more accustomed to the graphical interface of windows and feel that the command line window is uncomfortable to use. Later, Linux also launched a graphical interface environment. , and Linux has a variety of graphical interfaces for everyone to choose from. Users can also install multiple desktop environments on Linux , and each time they can use a different desktop environment and see different beautiful windows. The graphical user interface on macOS is standard, and it is all the same for users. There is no variety, and the appearance is relatively simple. Of course, some adjustments can be made to wallpapers and themes.
From the perspective of system upgrades, Linux provides options, such as an LTS version that can be updated for 5 years , mainly for Ubuntu or Ubuntu -based distributions, such as Linux Mint . There is also an Ubuntu subscription program that provides ten years of free updates for free. There is also the option of a rolling release, where you get continuous updates as long as the hardware is capable. For macOS , Apple has not publicly announced the update schedule for its operating system, and may suddenly abandon old devices. According to the current situation, the average support time is about 5 years.
Probably the difference is introduced here first, of course it is more than that. If you really want to choose one of the two, Linux is still a relatively popular choice, and macOS is relatively a niche choice. Personally, I prefer Linux . I got started with "This is how Linux should be learned" . I have also studied and used it for several years. If you are interested in Linux , you can use it as a reference. Of course, this is my personal opinion, and you should choose according to your own needs.