Switch to linux while learning programming?

For a new user?

I've used windows for most of my life like most people. Last year when I got a new laptop and started learing python I heard about linux on the internet. I always knew about linux but like most people I had a mindset that linux is for tech nerds and hackers and all those cool internet people. When I googled,"Linux for beginners", I was amazed by just how beginner friendly it is!

What are distros?

I'm no linux expert but I've used a few different distros in the past year. Most of them were based on ubuntu. In simple terms linux distros are like different android skins provided by different manufacturers like oxygen os by oneplus and color os by oppo, their looks and features might vary but under the skin all of them are same android. This is mostly same with linux distros, they may have different look, feel, user experience, workflow and package managers but under the skin all off them are for the most part same.

Opensource?

What are opensource software? This was the most concerning thing for me when I first switched to linux. And boy i was wrong, opensource softwares can be as good as softwares developed by big companies. They are made and polished by the users for the users. You found a software you like? Want to contribute to it's development by adding some new features? Well stop thinking and just do it, that's the beauty of opensouce software. I also worried if opensource softwares are safe or not and I'm not completely sure how to explain but they are as safe as proprietary softwares. Just to be clear, they are not perfect. If you're into video editing, digital art, image editing and things, you will not get adobe suite but there are some goodd alternatives for some use cases.

For coding?

It's absolutely perfect for all your programming needs. It's just as good as other OSes if not better.

Conclusion

If you are eager to try linux but you're also afraid to dive into a completely new eco system, just take the roll and try it yourself.

Some good distros I used as a beginner and also using right now are:

1. Elementary os
2. Pop!_Os
3. Zorin os
4. Kubuntu
5. Linux Mint
6. Ubuntu (currently using)