What benefits do Linux OSs give that many developers use it? Don't get me wrong, I like the distros out there. I've used some of them. Other than the server related stuff, what benefits does it have for devs?

I can think of the terminal as one.

it depends on what you're developing. Some tools are better suited to be run under *nix or OS X/MacOS than on Windows (and vice versa).

It's a really interesting question.

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Mainly it's the more easy to use terminal.

Development often has you writing small programs that are easier done in CLI, and using CLI in Windows is just harder, even with apps like cmder.
That also translates to servers, when most are running Linux - it's easier to work with them if you have the full toolset under your hand. Linux subsystem for windows is a good substitute though.

But with all of that, I think that people who say that Windows is just crap, while praising Linux, are just giving into an age-old hype. Rarely can you find any strong arguments for such fanaticism.

@AndSoWeCode that makes sense, since I just do web development and c++, I think sticking to Windows is a good option 😅

I use Cmder whenever I need to use command line

It is a benefit only if you like using it :)

@shahlin dunno man, personally I find c++ much easier to work with on the linux side, especially when it comes to installing libraries and such (then again, I'm just a newb, so take it with a pinch of salt)

@endor that's one of the reasons I love Linux. Installing libraries/ packages are way too easy when compared with windows.

For me it's mostly about the actually usable terminal and the package managers.

i3gaps

I think it's mostly just my own personal preference, but I can say that the native aspect to everything makes it feel much cleaner to me.

Tab completion works the same when I'm selecting a save path in vim as it does when I'm just navigating in bash. Config files are under my home directory, and not under some directory with uppercase letters and spaces in it that wasn't designed with typing in mind.

Windows, and to a lesser extent Mac, just feels muddier.

@bahua recently used vim and it felt great. I mean it's kinda hard but that's just because it was my first time.
Problem is I've tried Ubuntu 17.04 on VirtualBox with 3 GB ram and it lags. So I don't feel like using it. Maybe its better on dual boot.

Freedom. In every meaning of the word.

Libraries, Tools, Direct.

Developing C or C++ is bound to less hassle then on Windows. Tools and pipelines are simpler to use eg: terminal > powershell

But tbh i use 4 diffrent OS and its best to have the right OS for the job. MacOS, Windows 10, GNU/Linux (and AmigaOS for my pixelart programm)

The reason I use Linux, is because web development seems to be faster on Linux than windows, I mean, instead of xampp on Windows I use nginx and php-fpm which is so much faster. :)

Speed, security, being able to choose how my own desktop works for the sake of my productivity, working natively with a Linux server :)

I'd say the degree to which Linux is configurable is another big one.

@rjedlin yup, correct.