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Should I Code Php On A Mac Or Windows Computer


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Hi,

 

Thanks ahead of time for your help.

 

I am new to programming and web development.  Currently, I'm trying to wrap my head around whether I should code on Macs OSX or a Windows computer.

 

Does it matter if I use a Mac or Windows machine to code PHP?

 

As i continue to learn different programing language is it better to use a Mac or a Windows for certain programs?

 

If I do use a Mac what is the best source code editor?

 

If I use a Windows computer is Notepad ++ a good option?

 

Thank you again for your insight. 

 

Jimmy

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if you have access to both, a Mac would be preferable in most cases. Being familiar with Unix is a huge plus in that regard.

 

That said, it all depends on your needs. If you are a beginner trying the learn PHP, it does not matter. It matters more when you have production ready code and needs to do more advanced tasks. Being able to use Git for source control is nice, and almost all servers runs on Unix.

 

As tools go, check out both Sublime and one of Netbeans or Eclipse. All tools are available for both platforms.

 

In the end, if you need to ask the question, I'm inclined to say it does matter what platform you go for.

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As Antonio said, being able to use a Unix environment is important for more advanced web development, but don't feel like you have to go out and buy a new (expensive) Mac to do so.

 

If you already have a Windows PC, you can use that for now, and when you decide it's time to learn more about how servers run, etc., you can use VirtualBox or whatever to install a virtual Linux environment (e.g., Ubuntu, Red Hat, etc.), and install and run a server in that environment for free.

 

Having had to use all different environments for work, I actually prefer a Linux environment over a Mac OS environment.

Also, if you're going to use Windows, Notepad++ is good, but I actually prefer Notepad2, as it's much simpler to use and more than adequately gets the job done.

 

All the same, welcome to the forums, and best of luck.

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Thanks for the advice.  I have a Mac for personal use and a Window for work.  I will probably just use the mac then. 

 

for text editors, in PHP for the Web Larry mentions TextMate so I downloaded that last night.  I have no experience to reference but it seems to work alright.

 

I just looked up Sublime, Netbeans, and Eclipse.  I ended up downloading Netbeans. 

 

Thanks again.

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Just to chime in here, I pretty much agree exactly with what the others said. I strongly prefer a Mac, mostly because it's Unix at heart and it's what I've almost always used. But I'd never recommend people choose a Mac over Windows or vice versa. What you have and what you're comfortable with is the biggest consideration.

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