macOS And Linux are great operating systems. They are all inspired by Unix and are developing very well. Although these two operating systems have a lot in common, they are unique in their own way. But over time, some differences have made these two operating systems unique and distinct from each other. In this article, Big Eye will take a look at some key differences between macOS and Linux.

MacOS system and Linux system

History of macOS and Linux

The main parts of macOS and Linux are the kernel, core utilities, GUI or desktop environment, and applications.

MacOS is based on the open source BSD Unix kernel called Darwin. Other parts of macOS (for example, GUI and core applications) are closed source and proprietary. Apple builds and maintains these software systems, which are part of your Mac device.

Apple introduced Unix to macOS in the early 2000s. Before that, macOS was based on a non Unix operating system.

On the other hand, Linux was originally a personal project, a clone of Unix operating system by Linus Torvalds in the early 1990s. Strictly speaking, Linux is just the kernel. The operating system itself consists of core parts such as GNU utilities and desktop environments such as GNOME and KDE.

Open source and proprietary software

Linux and macOS both use a lot of open source software, but although Linux distributions are completely open source, part of macOS is closed source and proprietary.

From the open source kernel to the core GNU utilities and GUI environment, Linux is the epitome of free and open source software. You can freely modify and repackage the entire operating system according to your own preferences. You can even commercialize it and make money from it, just like Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

In most cases, Linux's license terms require that your changes also be disclosed to the community.

For macOS, the kernel is mainly open source. Other parts such as desktops and applications are not open source. Of course, other components from Apple, such as the Swift programming language, are open source.

Unlike Linux, which you can use on any hardware of your choice, macOS is intended for Mac devices. When you purchase a PC from Apple, you need to pay for software and hardware.

Software management

Linux has long accepted the concept of having a central software repository from which users can easily download and install applications using the command line or graphical tools.

Most Linux distributions have package managers, such as APT on Debian based distributions, DNF or Yum on Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and Pacman on Arch based distributions. With the Package Manager, you can easily install, remove, update, and manage software applications on your PC.

The traditional way to install applications on macOS is through the application folder. You download the application to be installed from the Internet, and then drag it to the application folder. The rest is handled by macOS.

Another newer option is to use the Mac App Store to install software applications.

You can also use Homebrew, which is a package manager working on macOS, and its working mode is very similar to that of Linux package managers (such as APT). Homebrew is also applicable to Linux.

MacOS Command Line

Command line saliency

The real power of Linux lies in the terminal or command line. MacOS has a similar terminal simulator available, but most of the attention is focused on the fancy Mac desktop.

The terminal allows you to interact with your PC and software resources in an efficient and easy way. In addition, it allows you to easily automate and schedule tasks. Software engineers, advanced users, and system administrators running Linux use terminals extensively in their work processes.

Most Linux distributions use Bash (GNU Bourne Again Shell) as the default shell of the terminal. In 2019, Apple replaced Bash shell with Zsh (Z shell). The Z shell is highly customizable and has many similarities with Bash, ksh, and tcsh.

Because Linux and macOS mostly use similar shells, the core commands you run on a Linux PC can also be run on your Mac, and vice versa.

Desktop environment

In the early days of Linux, the kernel based operating system did not come with a GUI, and most Linux servers still did not. You must interact with the operating system through the terminal. Over time, the desktop environment has been developed to help users interact with the operating system in a more intuitive and friendly way, so that the operating system can meet the needs of advanced and non-technical users.

Like everything in Linux, you can choose from a variety of desktop environments, all of which provide you with a unique way to interact with the system. Some prominent desktop environments include GNOME, XFCE, KDE, Deepin, etc. You can freely install multiple desktop environments on Linux, but only one can be used at a time.

The GUI on macOS is standard and the same for all users. In addition to changing wallpaper, theme and similar adjustments, you did not choose to install another desktop manager to change the look and feel of your macOS.

The concept of multiple distribution

On Linux, a distribution or distribution is a specific type of Linux with a specific set of applications, desktop environments, and system utilities. Different distributions usually target a specific group of users, such as hackers, artists, programmers, software developers, etc.

Depending on your workflow, you can choose from thousands of Linux distributions. For example, Debian based distributions Kali Linux It is mainly used for hacker attacks and penetration tests. It comes with a large number of tools and utilities suitable for hackers.

Arch Linux is another example of a lightweight Linux distribution with minimal tools. It is widely used by Linux enthusiasts and geeks who like to customize the operating system from scratch.

On the other hand, with macOS, everyone can get the same type of operating system, no matter what their passion or work. This is because Apple is the only company that develops and controls an operating system. Apple's multiple changes in maintaining a single operating system can backfire.

The reason why there are so many Linux distributions is that the Linux kernel and its core components are open source. This allows users to easily create new Linux styles for specific audiences.

Linux and macOS: the best comparison

Linux and macOS are both great and share some Unix traditions. For example, both come with similar command line shells and have the same file structure. All other differences stem from the fact that the Linux kernel is open source and anyone can freely modify it.

Not sure which Linux distribution you want to use? There are hundreds of Linux distributions to choose from, and it is difficult to find a suitable distribution. Debian based distributions, such as Ubuntu And Pop_ OS is great and easy to use.